25 June 2018
The Windmill Trust and the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) congratulate artist Dr Fiona Foley announced as the recipient of 21st annual scholarship for regional NSW artists.
Fiona will use the $10,000 scholarship to travel to her traditional Badtjala country surrounding Hervey Bay and Fraser Island to create a new series of gouache paintings on water-colour paper. She said today, "In December 2017 I completed my practice-led PhD with Griffith University, its outcomes jointly titled, Biting the Clouds: The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act, 1897. Now it’s time for a change of pace and spending some time back on my traditional country. The landmass of K’gari1 means Paradise. With the assistance of the Windmill Trust Scholarship I am overjoyed to be going home and creating a new body of work during the Spring of 2018. After a lean six months this really feels like winning lotto." she continued.
Dr Fiona Foley is a leading contemporary Australian artist with a practice encompassing painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, mixed-media work, found objects and installation to examine and dismantle historical stereotypes. A descendent from the Badtjala people of K’gari (Fraser Island), she is currently based in Lismore, NSW. Foley explores a range of concerns through her practice including colonial race relations, sexuality and the experiences of Aboriginal populations at the turn of the twentieth century. 1 K’gari is the name for Fraser Island.
Representatives from the Windmill Trust Management Committee said “we are excited to support an outstanding established professional who is continually striving to take time to renew, refresh and further explore her practice. The Windmill are thrilled to support Fiona Foley in this next phase of her work.” “Forty-seven eligible applications were received this year from artists across the state, from Lightning Ridge to Gerringong. The artists represent diverse practices and were of an extremely high calibre, making the decision challenging. We extend our congratulations to all 2018 applicants on the high quality of their proposals. This presents an exciting start to the Windmill’s third decade”, they continued.
Penelope Benton, General Manager of NAVA said “Australia’s artists work under increasingly precarious conditions, so scholarships like this are increasingly important for artists at all stages of their careers. NAVA is extremely proud to administer this annual program and delighted to see Fiona Foley awarded this opportunity to take the time and space to develop her career in new directions on her traditional country.”
For further information on the Windmill Trust Scholarship please contact: Penelope Benton, NAVA pbenton@visualarts.net.au or visit nava.net.au Windmill Trust Management Committee info@windmilltrust.org.au or visit windmilltrust.org.au.