Bio

STEPHEN BIRD

Born in Stoke On Trent, England in 1964, in Australia since 1999.
Lives and works Sydney (AUS) and Dundee (UK)
Nationality: British / Australian.


Bird trained at The Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, Scotland, where he majored in painting. Making his home and a significant international reputation from Sydney, he remains aloof from any artist pigeon-hole. He works with both paint and clay and has also undertaken a number of site-specific sculpture commissions. Bird’s work is exhibited both nationally and internationally including; Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award, Shepparton Art Museum, Victoria, 2019, The 9th Gyeonggi Biennale, South Korea, 2017, More Love Hours, The Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, 2015, Horizon - Landscapes, Ceramics and Print, The National Museum of Norway, Oslo, 2013 and Peripheral Visions: Contemporary Art from Australia, Garis+Hahn, New York, 2013. His works are held in the many public collections including the National Museum of Scotland, The National Gallery of Australia, the National Museums of Northern Ireland and The Art Gallery of South Australia.

Stephen has been awarded many prizes and was the winner of The Gold Coast International Ceramic Award, 2016 and the Deacon University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, 2011. He has received professional development award from both the Australia Council for the Arts and the Scottish Art Council. He lectures at the National Art School, Sydney, and Byron School of Art, Mullumbimby.

His interests include comic books, English figure and slipware traditions as well as paintings and folk artefacts culled from his extensive travels through Europe, India, Asia and Australia. His use of words, collage and found objects as part of the final work, results in powerful multi-dimensional imagery which reflect on the global, transcultural nature of myths and ceramic archetypes.



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


AWARDS

2019 National Art School Academic Staff Development Grant
2017 The Manning Art Prize, Manning Regional Art Gallery, NSW, Highly commended
2016 The Gold Coast International Ceramic Award
2016 The Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. Special Commendation (Second Prize)
2012 New work grant, established artist, Australia Council for the Arts.
2011 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award.
2010 New work grant, established artist, Australia Council for the Arts.
2006 Dundee Visual Arts Award.
2006 Aberdeen artists design award.
2006 Shell Expo Award.
2005 Engage Scotland Visual Arts Education Award.
2004 Professional Development Award. Scottish Arts Council Lottery Grant.
2004 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.


SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 Industrial Sabotage, Rockhampton Regional Gallery, Queensland
2024 Serenade, Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne
2023 Drawings and Etchings, Olsen Annexe Gallery, Sydney, NSW
2021 Mare Incognitum, Olsen Gallery and Olsen Annex, Sydney
2019 Kiln Gods, The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh, Scotland
2018 Where the Sour turns to Sweet, Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2017 Rogue Heroes. Gould Galleries, Melbourne, Australia.
2016 Transported | Roger Law & Stephen Bird. Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2016 Heiser Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
2015 A Melting Moment. Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney Australia.
2015 Stephen Bird: Bastard Son of Royal Doulton. Wollongong Art Gallery, Touring exhibition, Australia.
2014 Once upon a time in New England. Gould Galleries, Melbourne, Australia.
2013 My Dad Was Born On The Moon. Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2012 Where the wild roses grow. Rex Irwin Art Dealer. Sydney, Australia.
2011 Staffordshire Psycho. Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane, Australia.
2010 War on pottery. Rex Irwin Art Dealer. Sydney, Australia.
2010 Irony makes a country strong. Gould Galleries. Melbourne. Australia.
2010 Industrial Sabotage Phase-3. Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
2009 New work, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
2009 Windows show, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, UK.
2008 Industrial Sabotage, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
2007 Compass Gallery, Glasgow.
2007 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.
2003 England & Co, London.(Concurrent show with David Larwill)
2001 Compass Gallery, Glasgow.
2000 England & Co, London.
1998 Works on paper, Wysing Arts, Cambridge. .


GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 Singular Worlds: Artists’ Art Collections, Delmar Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Going Yellow, Fen Ditton Gallery, Cambridge, UK
BSA 10 years, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, NSW
Folk at Heart, The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh, Scotland
Worlds of Infinite Possibilities, Horsham Regional Gallery, Victoria
30 Year Celebration, Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2022 Scratching the surface, The Scottish Gallery Edinburgh, Scotland
Serve… a delicious display of unique plates, The Jam Factory, Adelaide, SA
Ceramics after the floods, Lone Goat Gallery, Byron Bay, NSW
Love or Fear, Art Byron festival, Byron Bay, NSW
Wollumbin Art Award, Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre, NSW
For the love of dogs, The Manning Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Homies, China Geights Gallery, Sydney
The vase and flower show, Curated by Sassy Park, Project space, Clovelly, Sydney
2021 Clay Dynasty, Powerhouse Museum - Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney
Twenty One, Scott Livesey Gallery, Melbourne
Welcome To My World, The Burton at Bideford, Devon, UK
The Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School Gallery, Sydney, NSW
The Secret Life of Objects, The Northern Clay Center, Minneapolis, USA
Naked & Nude Art Prize, The Manning Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2020 Tom Bass Sculpture Prize, Juniper Hall, Paddington, Sydney
Every Body: Works from the Collection, Wollongong Art Gallery, NSW
Biennial North Queensland Ceramic Awards, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, Queensland
Miffy & Friends: Queensland University of Tecnology Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia
2019 The Pioneering Story of Public Art in Dundee, Lamb Gallery, University of Dundee
GRAPHIC POTS, Oxford Ceramics Gallery, Oxford, England, UK
Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing, Adelaide Perry gallery, Sydney
Korea-Australian Art Foundation Art Prize, Korean cultural center, Sydney
Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award, Shepparton Art Museum, Victoria
Dimensions variable. National Art School, Sydney
Still: National Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW
All’s a mirror, West Gallery, Thebarton, Adelaide, South Australia
The Vincent Art Prize, Duck Rabbit Gallery, Redfern, Sydney
2018 HUA HIN International Contemporary Art, River City, Bangkok, Thailand
The Adelaide Perry Prize For Drawing, Adelaide Perry Gallery, Croydon, NSW
The Strip Show, University of The Sunshine Coast Art Gallery, Queensland
From The Sublime to The Concrete, The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland
CERAMICS NOW, Adelaide Perry Gallery, Croydon, NSW
2017 The 9th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon Cerapia, South Korea
Into the Wild: Works from Wollongong Art Gallery Collection, Wollongong Art Gallery, NSW
Earth & Fire, ceramics from the QUT collection. Queensland University of Tecnology Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia.
The Caleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW, Australia
Chameleon, Chapter House lane Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
The Manning Art Prize, Manning Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2016 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney, Australia
Weird Ceramics, Gippsland Regional Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia
The Strip Show, Kick Contemporary Arts, Cairns, Queensland
Is This Thing On? Counihan Gallery, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne
2015 More Love Hours. Ian Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne, Victoria.
Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Sydney, Australia Beyond Limitations, Gimhae Clay Arch Museum, Gimhae, South Korea
TURN TURN TURN: The Studio Ceramics Tradition at NAS, National Art School Gallery, Sydney
Korea-Australian Art Foundation Art Prize, Korean cultural center, Sydney
2014 Ferrin Contemporary, Bacchanalistas: at The New York Ceramics Art, NYC, USA
The art of giving: gifts to the collection by Patrick Corrigan AM, Tweed Regional gallery, NSW
Music Makers, currated by Michael Brennand-Wood. Bluecoat Display Center, Liverpool, UK
Ceramic Top 40 | Selected Works, Harvard University , Gallery 224, Boston, MA, USA
The Sunshine Coast Art Prize, 2D, Caloundra Art Gallery, Queensland
Saeed Akhtar Gallery, Lahore, Sydney-Lahore: Prints from Cicada Press, Pakistan
2013 Peripheral Visions: Contemporary Art From Australia. Garis+Hahn, New York, NY, USA.
2013 Horizon - Landscapes, Ceramics and Print, The National Museum of Norway, Oslo.
2012 Redlands Westpac Art Prize, National Art School gallery, Sydney.
Illumination, animation screening festival. Bondi Pavillion, Sydney.
Melbourne Art Fair. Represented by Gould Galleries. Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne.
Vitrify. The Vitrify Alcorso Ceramic Award, Jam Factory, Adelaide, South Australia.
Art Works, Art Words. Curated by Joe Frost. National Art School gallery, Sydney.
2011 HYPERCLAY: Contemporary Ceramics. Object Gallery: Australian Centre for Design, Sydney
Touring to 12 regional and metropolitan venues across Australia.
Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award. Melbourne, Australia.
Larger than Life. The Dundee Imagists in the 1980s. Lamb Gallery, University of Dundee.
The International Art on paper Exhibition, Chiang Mai University Art Centre, Thailand.
Collect, The Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, London, UK.
Placement, Oriel Davies Gallery, Wales, and St Andrews Museum, Scotland.
City of Radicals, Bluecoat Display Center, Liverpool, UK.
2010 Collect, The Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, London, UK.
Laughter. Curated by Victor Medrano.Contemporary Art Space Tasmania.
Gold Coast International Ceramic Award. Gold Coast City Art Gallery. QLD.
2009 Collect, The Sattchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, London, UK.
LINK: Korean Australian ceramics exchange project. National Art School. 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.
1996 Sitting Pretty, Exhibition of Art Chairs, Kirkaldy Museum and Art Gallery.
1992 The Decade Show, Dundee Art Gallery and Museum.


COLLECTIONS

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT, Australia
National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh
National Museums Northern Ireland
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Powerhouse Museum - Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Sydney
Shepparton Art Museum, Victoria, Australia
Art Gallery of Ballarat
Artbank Sydney, Australia
Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Aberdeen Museum and Art Gallery, Scotland
Paisley Art Gallery and Museum, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Dundee Art Gallery and Museum, Scotland
Dundee District Council, Scotland
Hackney Borough Council, England
Mexican Consulate, Blairgowrie, Scotland
Manly Art Gallery and Museum, NSW, Australia
Arizona State University Art Museum. USA
The Grainer Collection, Washington, D.C. USA
The University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia
Queensland University of Technology Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia
Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah, NSW, Australia
Wollonong Art Gallery, NSW, Australia
Gimhae Clayarch museum, South Korea
Australia-Korea Foundation, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Australian Embassy, Republic of Korea
Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Queensland, Australia
Taoxichuan Art Museum, Jingdezhen, China
Korean Ceramic Foundation Collection, Icheon, South Korea
Hamilton Gallery, Victoria, Australia



PROFESSIONAL & RESIDENCIES

2018 HUA HIN International Contemporary Arts Residency, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand.
2017 Speaker at Symposium, Narative_Rewriting Ceramic Histories, The 9th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, Cerapia, South Korea
2016 Artist in residence, Taoxichuan International Studio, Jingdezhen, China
2015 Gimhae Clayarch Museum, Beyond Limitations, ceramic mentorship programe, South Korea
2014 Emotional Intelligence, The art of Charlotte Le Brocque, by Stephen Bird, article published in The Journal of Australian Ceramics, Volume 53ǘ July
2014 Art is a Joke! Lecture given at The Ceramic Study Group, Sydney, NSW
2012 Speaker at Australian Ceramic Tiannale, Subversive Clay, Adelaide, SA
2012 Ink Earth, article published in The Journal of Australian Ceramics, Volume 51Ǚ Nov
2012 External examiner for MFA candidate, Sydney College of the Arts
2011 Sydney College of the Arts External examiner for MFA candidate
2010 Lecturer, National Art School, Sydney.
2009 Artist in residence, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
2009 Artist in residence, Hill End, support from Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW.
2009 Part time lecturer, Sydney College of the Arts.
2009 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.
2004 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.


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

2018 The Adelaide Perry Prize For Drawing exhibition catalogue, PLC college, Croydon, Sydney

2017
The 9th Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, exhibition catalogue
Public Works, Bronwyn Watson, The Australian News Paper, Review, April 22nd-23rd
Myths, Murders & Other Misadventures, Inga Walton, The Journal of Australian Ceramics, Vol 56, No 1
Review of Survey show, by Inga Walton, Ceramic Review, May-June 2017, Issue 285

2016
Wittily Subversive, exhibition review of Survey show by Lulia Jones, Art Monthly, Issue 293
Weird Ceramics Calogue, Gippsland Regional Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia
CERAMICS, Contemporary Artists Working In Clay, by Kaye Singleton, published by Chronicle books LLC, San Francisco, California, USA. ISBN 978-1-4521-4809-0
Plating Up Satire, by Fiona Purdon, Sunday Mail, Brisbane edition, 3rd January.
Korea-Australian Art Foundation Art Prize, catalogue published by Korean cultural center, Sydney
Beyond Limitations, catalogue published in commemoration of the special exhibition II, Gimhae Clayarch Museum, South Korea
Recent acquisitions, Articulate Magazine, Art Gallery of South Australia, winter 2016
Transported, Exhibition catalogue published by The Scottish Gallery, ISBN:978-1-910267-48-6

2015
HORIZON, Transfer Ware and Contemporary Ceramics, by Paul Scott/Knut Astrup Bull. Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Norway, ISBN 978-3-89790-425-5
Bastard Son Of Royal Doulton, Exhibition catalogue, Wollongong Art Gallery, essay by Grace Cochrane, ISBN 978-0-9758372-5-2
Furnace—a photographic essay, Museum Magazine on line, by Laura Bannister
HEY! Modern Art And Pop Culture, #23 Issue, Ankama Editions, Paris, France
Bastard Son, Art Monthly Australia, by Gabriella Coslovich, July issue, No 281
Stephen Bird, The Journal of Australian Ceramics, by Robyn Phelan, Vol 54Ǘ, April
Stephen Bird: Bastard Son of Royal Doulton, by Robyn Phelan, CFile Foundation for Conteporaray Ceramic Art

2014
Art Lies in Ambush-Art from Australia, by Karen Weiss. Ceramic Art and Perception, issue 94
Stephen Bird, Once upon a time, COLLIDE Art & Culture Magazine, Issue 2
SO HOT RIGHT NOW? Contemporary Ceramics and contemporary art, by Glen Barkley, ARTAND Australia, issue 51.4
Once Upon a Time in New England, exhibition catalogue, Gould Gallery. Melbourne

2013
My Dad Was Born On The Moon. Preview by Roger Law, Craft Arts International, Issue No.88.
The New Ceramics,Sculpting and Handbuilding, by Claire Loder, publisher A&C Black.
Pottery show to spark debate, The Corier, Dundee edition, 27th july.
Subversive Clay, Review by Robert Reasons, (image only). Marmalade, published by Jam Factory. Issue No 01.
Recent acquisitions, Artonview, National Gallery of Australia, issue 73, Autumn 2013.
50 things collectors need to know, Art Collector, Prue Gibson, issue 63, Jan-March.
Quinticential Australia, Sydney Morning Herald, 26th January.

2012
Stephen Bird. Profile by Leslie Chow. Artist Profile Magazine. Issue 19.
Tough Landscape. Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum. Review by John McDonald. 24th Feb.
Melbourne Art Fair 2012, exhibition catalogue. Melbourne Art Foundation.
HYPERCLAY. Review by Altair Roelants. The Journal of Australian ceramics. Vol 51Ǘ April 2012.
HYPERCLAY. Review by Kerry-Anne Cousins. The Canberra Times. 3rd April, 2012.
Where the wild roses grow. Exhibition catalogue. Published through Blurb Books.
The Best Of 500 Ceramics. Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Co, New York/ London. ISBN 13:978-1-4547-0141-5.

2011
Dark days, Bright Nights. WRAP Magazine, issue 3. Published by The Wrap Paper Ltd, UK.
Placement. Published by Oriel Davies and Fife Contemporary Arts. ISBN 978-1-907346-03-3.
The Midas Touch. Australian art Market Peport. Issue 38 first quarter 2011.
Stephen Bird. Profiled by Grace Cochrane. Australian Arts Review. Issue 27, May-June, 2011.
Gold Coast International Ceramic Award. Exhibition review. Craft Arts International. Autumn.

2010
Laughter. Exhibition catalogue. Contemporary Art Space Tasmania.
Laughter. Exhibition review. Artlink, Australia and Asia-Pacific Vol 30 no 4.
Ceramics Today. Jeffrey B. Snyder. Published by Schiffer Ltd.
Collect @ Saatchi Gallery, Catalogue. Crafts Council of Great Britain.

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.