Biography: Helen Bodycomb

Mosaic is both a way of thinking – about creating single works through the assemblage of many small parts – and a way of making – traditionally using durable materials such as stone, glass and ceramic. Helen has practiced full-time as an artist working predominantly in stone and glass for more than 30 years. She also applies mosaic methodologies to more experimental artworks exploring ephemera and biodegradability. Helen’s innovative work with large sculptures for public sites, extend from the use of terrazzo to complex, precision inlays of kiln-fused glass features into multi-tonne basalt boulders.

Helen is internationally regarded as a leader in both theoretical and technical applications of mosaic and sculpture, and is widely professionally active; exhibiting, fulfilling commissions, guest teaching and presenting her work nationally and internationally. She has been pivotal to re-defining mosaic as an art form in Australia, having initially trained as painter (Victoria College, 1988-1990 and Monash University, 1993-94), also working under Maestro Giulio Candussio in Spilimbergo, Italy in 2001.

In August 2019 Helen completed her practice-led PhD in Visual Art with La Trobe University, Australia, her research project investigating ‘Mosaic: classical principles and the act of making in contemporary works’. This research sought to clarify and defend traditional mosaic conventions and assert how thinking in mosaic can augment wider contemporary art practice.

Download Helen Bodycomb’s CV here…

EDUCATION

2015-19 PhD in Visual Art (3 year PhD Scholarship recipient), La Trobe University, Vic.

1996 Masters Degree in Visual Art (Majoring in Painting), University of South Australia (deferred indefinitely)

1993-94 Graduate Diploma in Fine Art (Majoring in Painting), Monash University-Gippsland, Vic.

1988-90 Bachelor of Arts Degree (Fine Art – Majoring in Painting), Victoria College, Prahran, Vic.

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, MAJOR COMMISSIONS, SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2021 Entropy (stone and glass public sculpture commission), City of Casey, Cranbourne Vic.

2020-21 Synergy Exhibition (Lead Artist and Exhibitor), Lot 19 Gallery, Castlemaine, Vic.

2020 Freedom Flock, Pentridge Peace Memorial, City of Moreland, Vic. (collaborative Commission with Enver Camdal)

2019 Bibliomosaico, (International Exhibitor), Ravenna Mosaico, Ravenna, Italy

2019 Mosaicism: Thinking in mosaic, (final PhD Solo Exhibition) Lot 19 Gallery, Castlemaine, Vic.

2018 In Conversation, (Solo Exhibition), Phyllis Palmer Gallery, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Vic

2018 Transitions, (Group Exhibition), ACT Craft & Design Gallery, Canberra, ACT

2017 Time and Tide, (Group Exhibition), Alcaston Gallery, Fitzroy, Victoria

2017 Tasmanian Perspectives in Mosaic, (Group Exhibition), Mawson Pavilion, Hobart, Tasmania

2016 The Material and The Immaterial, (Solo exhibition),Phyllis Palmer Gallery, La Trobe University

2015 Lily Hester Memorial Commission, St Therese’s Primary School, Essendon Vic

2014 – 2015 RKM (Roadkill Mausoleum), collaborative multi-media installation, curated as part of the 2015 Castlemaine State Festival, Vic

2013 Futurescape, sculptural mosaic commission, ArtPlay, City of Melbourne, Vic

2013 Detritus(Solo Exhibition), Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine, Vic

2011 Blancmange(Solo Exhibition), Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine, Vic

2012 Re-Public Café feature stone artwork, Castlemaine, Vic

2011 St Peters Primary School mosaic (commission), Keilor, Vic.

2011 Ravenna Mosaico, Opere dal Mondo, (International Exhibitor), Ravenna, Italy

2010 The Shyness of Trees, (collaborativecommission), Hotel Penaga, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

2009  Northcote Wayfinding Project, bronze inlay commission, City of Darebin, Vic

2009-10 World Within, World Without, Victorian State Memorial to Forgotten Australians, Commissioned by the Victorian State Government, Collection of The City of Melbourne, Southgate, Vic

2007-08 Once upon a slime, sculptural mosaic commission ArtPlay Mosaic Seat, City of Melbourne, Vic

2007 Gone but not forgotten, Post Office Place (commission), City of Moreland, Vic

2006  Anchor, Park Apartments feature wall mosaic(commission), Becton, Port Melbourne, Vic

2005  Forest Trail, ephemeral and permanent mosaic installation (Commission), City of Brimbank, Vic

2005  Integrated Art Elements, (Commission), Westgarth Kindergarten, Westgarth, Vic

2004-05 21 sq m commissioned wall mosaic, Fawkner Cemetery (Commission), Fawkner, Vic

2004 The Unswept Floor, The Harvest, (Commission), City of Boroondara, Vic

2003 Wesley College Environmental Interpretation Mosaic Sundial, (Commission), Chum Creek, Vic

2003 Doggies to Highpoint Community Mosaic Project, Missions Australia, Footscray, Vic

2002 margins, memories and markers – Port Stories, glass mosaic inlay with stone, City of Port Phillip, Vic (Commission recipient with Dianna Wells Design)

2001 Artist in Residence, La Scuola di Mosaicisti del Friuli, Spilimbergo, Italy

1999-2000 Untitled Fountain, sculptural mosaic commission, City of Wyndham, Werribee, Vic

2000 Moonee Ponds Creek Public Art Strategy, Vic (Artistic Coordinator/Co-Author with Collaborations)

1998-99 Mosaic Street Furniture Installation, 27 major glass mosaic artworks with stainless steel, Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach, NSW (Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1998 Street Installation, 40+ works in mild and stainless steel and glass, High Street Westgarth, Vic (Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1998-99 Floating Sculpture, stainless steel and fibreglass, Edwardes Lake, Reservoir Vic (Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1998 Street Installation, 40+ works in mild and stainless steel and glass, High Street Westgarth, Vic (Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1997 Wall and Floor Installations, glass mosaic and polyurethane sculpture Camberwell Market, Vic
(Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1997 ‘Nest’, stone mosaic and fibreglass sculpture, Main Road/Luck Street Eltham, Vic (Commission Recipient with Enver Camdal)

1996 Mosaic and Sculpture, ceramic and mild steel, Queens Park, Moonee Ponds Vic (Project Coordinator with Paul Robinson)

1997 Pavement Mosaics, Bellair Street, Kensington, Vic (Project Coordinator with Paul Robinson)

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

2021 Synergy Cover and Feature Article, Opus Oracle, July, Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand e-mag, Australia & New Zealand

2020 Cover and Feature Article, Groutline, e-journal for The Society of American Mosaic Artists, USA

2020 Cover and Feature Article, Grout, Issue 62 print Journal of British Association for Modern Mosaic, UK

2020 Article, Andamento, printJournal of British Association for Modern Mosaic, UK

2016 MOSAIC-aimc- In Contemporary World, Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli, Italy

2016 Making mosaics in the Anthropocene Era, Mosaique Magazine, July, France

2014 SHED, Simon Griffiths, Lantern Books (Penguin Publishing), Melbourne

2011 An Ancient Craft Gets a Bigger World Stage, The New York Times, October 27, 2011

2008 The Divided Heart – Art and Motherhood, Rachel Power, Griffin Press, Melbourne, 2008

2008 Mosaic Art Now 2008, Mosaic Rocks LLC, USA

2006 Mosaic Now: works from Italy and Australia, Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre

2002 Modern Mosaic – Inspiration from the 20th Century, Tessa Hunkin, Quintet Publishing, London

AWARDS / OTHER

2021 Keynote Speaker and Guest Lecturer, Mosaic Art NZ Symposium, Auckland, NZ

2021 – Director, Lot19 Creations Limited, Board Member, Castlemaine, Vic.

2021 – Victorian Branch Representative (joint role), Mosaic Association of Australia and New Zealand

2021 Regional Arts Fund exhibition grant received for The Synergy Project

2020 Sustaining Creative Workers grant (Creative Victoria)

2017, 2018, 2019 Tour Leader and Coordinator of 14 day Mosaic Study Tours in Italy

2018 – 21 Peer Assessor: Regional Arts Victoria, Regional Arts Australia, Creative Victoria

2016 La Trobe University Post Graduate Research Scholarship (3 year scholarship)

2011 In-Habit International travel award, for exhibition in Ravenna Mosaico, Ravenna, Italy

2008-09 International Juror for Society of American Mosaic Artists, Mosaic Arts International Exhibition, The Museum of Man, San Diego, California, USA

2006-11 Member Board of Management, Bundoora Homestead Arts Centre, Vic

2006-07 Curator – Mosaic Now: works from Italy and Australia (touring exhibition: Bundoora Homestead, Wangaratta Regional Gallery, Geelong Wool Museum, Mosman Gallery NSW)

2006 Artist in Residence – RimbunDahan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2001 Artist in Residence, La Scuola di Mosaicisti del Friuli, Spilimbergo, Italy

2001 Australia Council for the Arts (Community Cultural Development Project Grant)

2001 Arts Victoria, Discussion and Dialogue Grant