Stephen Bird - Profile

Born 1964 in Stoke on Trent.
Lives and works Sydney (AUS) and Dundee (UK)
Nationality: British / Australian.

Education

1983-87	B.A. (Hons) Fine Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee.
1987-88	Post Graduate, Cyprus College of Art, Lemba, Paphos.
1996-98	Higher National Certificate, Ceramics, Angus College of Further Education

Professional & Residencies

2010 Lecturer, National Art School, Sydney.
2009 Artist in residence, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Artist in residence, Hill End, support from Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW.
Part time lecturer, Sydney College of the Arts.
Speaker at Australian Ceramic Tiannale, Sydney.
2008 Artist in residence, Cicada Press, College of Fine Art, Sydney.
2008-2010 Part time lecturer, National Art school, Sydney.
2007 Elected member of Contemporary Applied Arts, London.
2004 Artist in residence, Hazelwood school. To explore work within the context of disability.
Artist in residence, Craigie high school, Dundee. Big Hand Little Hand project.
1998 Artist in residence, Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge.
1989 Artist in residence, Fuente Studios, Competa, Malaga, Spain.

Awards

2009 New work grant, established artist, Austalia Council for the Arts.
Special Commendation, Woollahra Small sculpture Prize.
2006 Dundee Visual Arts Award.
Aberdeen artists design award.
Shell Expo Award.
2005 Engage Scotland Visual Arts Education Award.
2004 Professional Development Award. Scottish Arts Council Lottery Grant.
Creative Development Award. Scottish Arts Council.
2000 Dundee Visual Arts Award.
1997 Mott McDonald Painting Prize, Aberdeen Artists Society, Traveled to New York.
1987 Elizabeth Greensheilds Memorial Award.
1986 Duncan of Drunfaulk Travel Award, Italy.
1985 Ian Eadie Memorial Award. Traveled to Holland and Belgium.
1984 Mitchell Painting Prize. Traveled to Barcelona, Spain.

Solo Exhibitions

2009 New work, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
Windows show, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, UK.
2008 Industrial Sabotage, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
The view from here, paintings from Australia. Open Eye Gallery,Edinburgh.
2007 Compass Gallery, Glasgow.
Figure this, The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent.
2006 Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
2005 Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
2004 England & Co, London.
One Five Two Gallery, Dundee Contemporary Arts.
2003 A journey to Australia through India, S.E. Asia. Open Eye Gallery.
England & Co, London.(Concurrent show with David Larwill)
2001 Compass Gallery, Glasgow.
2000 England & Co, London.
1998 Works on paper, Wysing Arts, Cambridge.
1994 Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.
1994 Psychology Institute, Edinburgh.
1989 Tower Gallery, Dundee University.

Group Exhibitions

2009 Collect, The Sattchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, London, UK.
LINK: Korean Australian ceramics exchange project. National Art School. Sydney.
Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney.
Figuration, The Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design, Adelaide, Australia.
2008 National Sculpture Show, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, UK.
Collect, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Represented by Scottish Gallery.
Hey Literary festival, Brook Street Gallery, Hey On Wye, Wales.
Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney.
2007 Wunderkammer: A Cabinet of Curiosities. Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, UK.
Scots Abroad, Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh.
Cup Show. Helen Stephen’s Gallery, Sydney.
2006 SOFA Chicago, USA. Represented by Australian Contemporary.
A funny thing happened on the way to the kiln. Delmar Gallery, Sydney.
Dundee Visual Artists Award Scheme. Generator project space. Dundee.
Society of Scottish Artists, RSA Edinburgh.
2005 Absolut Secret, National Art School, Sydney.
2004 On a Plate. With Richard Slee, Philip Eglin, Takeshi Yasuda, Scottish Gallery.
2003 SOFA Chicago, USA. Represented by Scottish Gallery.
New Wave II. 6 Welsh, 6 Scottish Makers. Ruthin Craft Centre, Wales.
Storylines. Three applied artists explore narrative, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh.
2002 Sydney Myer International Ceramic Award. Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.
2001 Obsessive Visions. Art Outside The Mainstream. England & Co, London.
Intuition. Exhibition of self taught and visionary art, Crescent Arts, Scarborough.
1999 The Plate Show. National touring exhibition curated by Collins Gallery, Glasgow.
Islington Art Fair. London. Represented by England & Co.
Society of Scottish Artists. Invited Artist as part of the year of Scotland Africa.
The Morrison Portrait Award, RSA, Edinburgh.
New Paintings. The British Work House Gallery, Dallas, Texas, USA.
1997 Noble Grossart Painting Prize. Glasgow Art School and Royal Scottish Academy.
Cross Reference. The Association of Applied Arts. 18 Month touring exhibition.
1996 Sitting Pretty, Exhibition of Art Chairs, Kirkaldy Museum and Art Gallery.
1992 The Decade Show, Dundee Art Gallery and Museum.

Commissions

2007

McManus Redevelopment Project. To create a ceramic for open display for Dundee Museum and Art Gallery involving educational elements exploring the processes and materials of ceramics.

2004

Creative Links Commission. To explore work within the context of disability and create two new works for Woodlands and Hazelwood schools. Funded by Scottish Arts Council in partnership with the Aberdeen City Council.

2004

Big Hand Little Hand. Contemporary craft makers school residency project. A collaboration between Dundee Contemporary Arts and Dundee Education Department.

1999

Large scale ceramic mural at Charles Square on Old St, East London. Commissioned by Hackney Borough Council. Joint commission with artist Neil Irons. A collaboration with local community, adding personal local histories to the narrative of the mural. Completed work was 3 m by 25 m exterior on glaze ceramic mural, adjacent to main road.

1999

Major site specific sculpture at Whitfield, Dundee. Commissioned by Dundee District Council. A community based project to design and make sculpture to commemorate the rejuvenation of shopping center and library. Completed sculpture was 2 m high cast concrete with ceramic inlays.

Bibliography

2009 Contemporary Ceramics, international perspective.
By Emmanuel Cooper, Thames and Hudson
Ceramic Art and Perception, issue 77, Stop motion ceramics, by Toni Warburton.
2008 500 Tiles, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co, New York/ London. ISBN-10:1-57990-714-8
500 Plates, Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co, New York/ London
Indie travel guide, UK and Europa. Rockbuch, Hamburg. ISBN 978-3-927638-46-4
2007 Ceramic Review. Review of Solo show at Scottish Gallery. Issue CR 224.
2006 Dundee Visual Arts Award Scheme, Catalogue.
Australian Contemporary at SOFA Chicago, catalogue.
The Sunday Times, Inside Out magazine. Dec 2006 issue.
SOFA Chicago, catalogue. Sculptural Objects & Functional Art.
2005 Ceramic Art and Perception, issue 62, No Place Like Home, by Gregor White.
The Australian News Paper, arts review, Dec 2nd 2005, by Sebastian Smee.
The Journal of Australian Ceramics, 44#3. Collective Journeys by Stephen Bird.
2004 Recent Ceramics at England & Co, exhibition catalogue. Text by Jane England.
2003 New Wave, Wales-Scotland II Exhibition catalogue. Written by Amanda Game.
2002 Sydney Myer International Ceramics Award. LaTrobe University, Vic, Australia.
Artesian Magazine. Review of Compass Gallery show. Summer edition.
2001 Ceramic Review. Souvenirs From The Outside. By Gregor White. Issue CR 190.
Obsessive visions, Art Outside the Mainstream, England & Co, London.
2000 Ceramics In Society. Plate Show. Spring edition.
1999 The Plate Show, catalogue. Collins Gallery, Srathclyde University, Glasgow.

Collections

Artbank Australia.
Aberdeen Museum and Art Gallery.
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.
Paisley Art Gallery and Museum. Strathclyde, Scotland.
Dundee Art Gallery and Museum. Purchased through national acquisitions fund.
Mexican Consulate Collection.