Elizabeth (Giz) James
Painter, printmaker and drawer
Elizabeth (Giz) James has been drawing professionally for 25 years. She has explored its nuances across several continents through the figure, portraiture, calligraphy, landscape and more recently, vast panoramas of the built environment. Following the completion of a B.A. Fine Arts (Drawing), at Victoria College, Praharan in 1987 she studied Traditional Chinese Painting for two years at the Zhe Jiang Fine Art Academy in Hangzhou, P.R.
China in the 1990’s. In 2009 she completed a Masters in Painting at the New York Studio School in Greenwich Village, New York. Elizabeth continues to draw inspiration for her work from the Melbourne skyline, and a life long passion for portraiture and drawing from the figure. She has taught and run life drawing sessions in the community over many years and currently runs sessions at Breslin Gallery, Carnegie and Glen Eira U3A.
“Drawing is my main medium of expression, supported by painting and printmaking. My work is grounded in the connections between people and place, through exploration into Eastern and Western philosophies and styles, gesture and detail, and emotional and perceptual responses. Inclusion rather than specialization has extended and deepened the calibre of my oeuvre. I invite the viewer to enter spaces both known and untravelled, through the use of observation, memory, and imagination. I often rework surfaces of unrelated histories, incorporating collage, found objects and shifting mediums, searching for new ways to combine a sense of human presence within the environment we inhabit.”
Curriculum Vitae
Education
2009 - 2007 New York Studio School, Master of Fine Arts, Painting, New York, USA
2008 New York Studio School, Summer Program, Orvieto, Italy
2008 - 2005 New York Studio School, Summer Program, New York, USA
2004, 2001 New York Studio School, Summer Program, Adelaide, Australia
1992 - 1990 Zhe Jiang Academy of Fine Art, Traditional Chinese Painting, Hang Zhou, PR China
1990 - 1988 Victoria College, Chinese Mandarin Undergraduate Studies, Melbourne, Australia
1988 Su Zhou University, Chinese Mandarin Intensive, Su Zhou, PR China
1987 - 1985 Victoria College, BA Fine Arts (Drawing), Melbourne, Australia
Selected solo & joint exhibitions
2013 “Giz James @ Breslin Gallery”, Breslin Gallery, Carnegie
2011 Pop Up Studio Show, Cheltenham
2010 “Recent Works”, George Washington Hall, West Side YMCA, New York
2009, 2008 “Solitude & Mayhem”, “Quan Bu – 1,000 Steps”, New York Studio School, NY
2007 - 2006 "Exquisite Torso", "Summer in New York", Artsofar, Carlisle St Centre, St Kilda
2007 “A Tale of Three Cities – Melbourne, New York, Ararat", Ararat Regional Art Gallery
2004 "Distant Spaces", Sofitel Hotel, Melbourne
2002 "In the Company of Colour", Moran Gallery, Malvern
2001 "Line Works in Progress", Chapel off Chapel Gallery, Prahran
"Ongoing Obsessions", Dancehouse, Carlton North
1999 "Private Thoughts", Piccolo Gallery, Melbourne
1998 "People on Paper", Adelaide Booksellers, Adelaide
1992 "New Influences", Australian Embassy, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China
Selected solo and group exhibitions
2013 Breslin Gallery, Carnegie
2012 Annual Group Exhibition, U3A Glen Eira
2011 Finalist, Archangel Prize, St Michael’s College, St Kilda
“Butterfly Effect” Emerging Artists, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Port Melbourne
2011 - 2001 "Linden Postcard Show", Linden Gallery, St Kilda
2010 “Impressions, 2010”, Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy “Drawing Venus”, Robarts-Bird Gallery, Gasworks Arts Park,
South Melbourne, 18th Friends Exhibition, Ceres Gallery, Chelsea, New York
2010 - 2009 “Works on Paper”, NolanonLovel Gallery, Blue Mountains, NSW
2009 “Communication & Illusion”, 17th Friends Exhibition, Ceres Gallery, NY
“MFA Thesis Exhibition”, “Hohenberg Art Award”, New York Studio School, NY
New York Studio School Exhibition, Patton Boggs Legal, NY
2007 “Aspects Art Show”, Goondawindi, Queensland
2007 - 2000 "Bowling Club Studio Artists" annual group exhibitions, Office of the Deputy Premier,
various Melbourne Galleries and Business Centres
2006 - 2005 "NY Studio School Selected Works" Governors Island, NY
2006 - 2004 “Chinese Artists Society” Australian Chinese History Museum, Queens Hall, Parliament House, Melbourne
2005 - 2004 "Expansion", “Between a Rock & a Hard Place", Lancaster Press, Brooklyn, Melbourne
2005, 2001, "Chiaroscuro", "50 Most Collectable Artists", "A Charcoal Sea I & 2", Goya Galleries, Melbourne
2000, 1999
2005 "Melbourne Affordable Art Fair", Exhibition Building, "Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize", Williamstown
2005, 1994 "Dominique Segan Drawing Prize", Castlemaine State Festival, Victoria
2004, 2002 "Impressions", "25th Birthday Exhibition", Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy
2004 "Silk Cut Award, Glen Eira City Gallery “120º of Separation", Linden Gallery, St Kilda
2003 "City of Banyule Works on Paper Prize" Ivanhoe
1997 "Nillumbik Expatriates" Eltham Library, Eltham
1995, 1993, 1986 Mornington Drawing Prize
1993 Diamond Valley Art Awards
1992 Graduate Exhibition, Zhe Jiang Fine Arts Academy, Hang Zhou, PR China
1987 Graduate Exhibition, Victoria College, Prahran Campus, Victoria, Australia
International Projects
2010 Vermont Studio Center, Printmaking Residency, Johnson, USA
2010 - 2007 Private travel and art research in NY, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Miami, USA
2008 Private travel and art research in Rome, Venice, and Florence, Italy
2005 Private travel and art research in London, Manchester, the Peaks, the Cotswalds, Kent,
Canterbury, Dover, England, Paris, France and Hong Kong.
2004 - 2002 Project Manager/Curator – "Nü Horizons - Australian Women Artists" Hangzhou Academy
of Art, Hangzhou, Dong Hua University, Shanghai, P.R. China, Manningham Gallery, Melbourne,
Tins Sheds Gallery, Sydney, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville.
2003 "Women of the World" Exhibition, Setageya Museum, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Private travel and art research across Zimbabwe and Kenya, Africa
1992 - 1990, 1988 Extensive travel and art research across Peoples Republic of China
Awards
2011 Summer Residency Program, Victoria University, Flinders St Campus
2010 Vermont Studio Center, Printmaking Residency Grant, Johnson, USA
2008 New York Studio School, Summer Marathon, Orvieto, Italy, Merit Award
2007, 2008 New York Studio School, Ramapo Scholarship, Merit Award, New York
2007 Aspects Art Show, Goondiwindi, Queensland, Human Form Prize, Print Prize
2006 Private landscape residency, Ararat (in preparation for 2007 survey exhibition).
2006, 2005 "Summer Intensive’, "Drawing Marathon", New York Studio School, New York
2005 Linden Postcard Show, 3rd Prize
2002 Arts Victoria Cultural Development Grant – Nu Horizons Project. City of Port Phillip Mentorship Program
1991 - 1990 Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Australia-China Study Grant - Zhe Jiang Fine Art Academy, Hangzhou, China
Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, City of Port Phillip Urban Art Collection, City of Banyule, Hotel Sofitel Australia
Peter McCallum Hospital, S.A. Department of Education, New York Studio School, New York,
Zhe Jiang Fine Art Academy and Hang Zhou Artists Academy, Hang Zhou, Australian Embassy, Beijing, P.R. China.
Private collections in Australia, USA, England, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Japan, China, Hong Kong
Education
2009 - 2007 New York Studio School, Master of Fine Arts, Painting, New York, USA
2008 New York Studio School, Summer Program, Orvieto, Italy
2008 - 2005 New York Studio School, Summer Program, New York, USA
2004, 2001 New York Studio School, Summer Program, Adelaide, Australia
1992 - 1990 Zhe Jiang Academy of Fine Art, Traditional Chinese Painting, Hang Zhou, PR China
1990 - 1988 Victoria College, Chinese Mandarin Undergraduate Studies, Melbourne, Australia
1988 Su Zhou University, Chinese Mandarin Intensive, Su Zhou, PR China
1987 - 1985 Victoria College, BA Fine Arts (Drawing), Melbourne, Australia
Selected solo & joint exhibitions
2013 “Giz James @ Breslin Gallery”, Breslin Gallery, Carnegie
2011 Pop Up Studio Show, Cheltenham
2010 “Recent Works”, George Washington Hall, West Side YMCA, New York
2009, 2008 “Solitude & Mayhem”, “Quan Bu – 1,000 Steps”, New York Studio School, NY
2007 - 2006 "Exquisite Torso", "Summer in New York", Artsofar, Carlisle St Centre, St Kilda
2007 “A Tale of Three Cities – Melbourne, New York, Ararat", Ararat Regional Art Gallery
2004 "Distant Spaces", Sofitel Hotel, Melbourne
2002 "In the Company of Colour", Moran Gallery, Malvern
2001 "Line Works in Progress", Chapel off Chapel Gallery, Prahran
"Ongoing Obsessions", Dancehouse, Carlton North
1999 "Private Thoughts", Piccolo Gallery, Melbourne
1998 "People on Paper", Adelaide Booksellers, Adelaide
1992 "New Influences", Australian Embassy, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China
Selected solo and group exhibitions
2013 Breslin Gallery, Carnegie
2012 Annual Group Exhibition, U3A Glen Eira
2011 Finalist, Archangel Prize, St Michael’s College, St Kilda
“Butterfly Effect” Emerging Artists, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Port Melbourne
2011 - 2001 "Linden Postcard Show", Linden Gallery, St Kilda
2010 “Impressions, 2010”, Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy “Drawing Venus”, Robarts-Bird Gallery, Gasworks Arts Park,
South Melbourne, 18th Friends Exhibition, Ceres Gallery, Chelsea, New York
2010 - 2009 “Works on Paper”, NolanonLovel Gallery, Blue Mountains, NSW
2009 “Communication & Illusion”, 17th Friends Exhibition, Ceres Gallery, NY
“MFA Thesis Exhibition”, “Hohenberg Art Award”, New York Studio School, NY
New York Studio School Exhibition, Patton Boggs Legal, NY
2007 “Aspects Art Show”, Goondawindi, Queensland
2007 - 2000 "Bowling Club Studio Artists" annual group exhibitions, Office of the Deputy Premier,
various Melbourne Galleries and Business Centres
2006 - 2005 "NY Studio School Selected Works" Governors Island, NY
2006 - 2004 “Chinese Artists Society” Australian Chinese History Museum, Queens Hall, Parliament House, Melbourne
2005 - 2004 "Expansion", “Between a Rock & a Hard Place", Lancaster Press, Brooklyn, Melbourne
2005, 2001, "Chiaroscuro", "50 Most Collectable Artists", "A Charcoal Sea I & 2", Goya Galleries, Melbourne
2000, 1999
2005 "Melbourne Affordable Art Fair", Exhibition Building, "Williamstown Festival Contemporary Art Prize", Williamstown
2005, 1994 "Dominique Segan Drawing Prize", Castlemaine State Festival, Victoria
2004, 2002 "Impressions", "25th Birthday Exhibition", Australian Print Workshop, Fitzroy
2004 "Silk Cut Award, Glen Eira City Gallery “120º of Separation", Linden Gallery, St Kilda
2003 "City of Banyule Works on Paper Prize" Ivanhoe
1997 "Nillumbik Expatriates" Eltham Library, Eltham
1995, 1993, 1986 Mornington Drawing Prize
1993 Diamond Valley Art Awards
1992 Graduate Exhibition, Zhe Jiang Fine Arts Academy, Hang Zhou, PR China
1987 Graduate Exhibition, Victoria College, Prahran Campus, Victoria, Australia
International Projects
2010 Vermont Studio Center, Printmaking Residency, Johnson, USA
2010 - 2007 Private travel and art research in NY, Boston, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Miami, USA
2008 Private travel and art research in Rome, Venice, and Florence, Italy
2005 Private travel and art research in London, Manchester, the Peaks, the Cotswalds, Kent,
Canterbury, Dover, England, Paris, France and Hong Kong.
2004 - 2002 Project Manager/Curator – "Nü Horizons - Australian Women Artists" Hangzhou Academy
of Art, Hangzhou, Dong Hua University, Shanghai, P.R. China, Manningham Gallery, Melbourne,
Tins Sheds Gallery, Sydney, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville.
2003 "Women of the World" Exhibition, Setageya Museum, Tokyo, Japan
1996 Private travel and art research across Zimbabwe and Kenya, Africa
1992 - 1990, 1988 Extensive travel and art research across Peoples Republic of China
Awards
2011 Summer Residency Program, Victoria University, Flinders St Campus
2010 Vermont Studio Center, Printmaking Residency Grant, Johnson, USA
2008 New York Studio School, Summer Marathon, Orvieto, Italy, Merit Award
2007, 2008 New York Studio School, Ramapo Scholarship, Merit Award, New York
2007 Aspects Art Show, Goondiwindi, Queensland, Human Form Prize, Print Prize
2006 Private landscape residency, Ararat (in preparation for 2007 survey exhibition).
2006, 2005 "Summer Intensive’, "Drawing Marathon", New York Studio School, New York
2005 Linden Postcard Show, 3rd Prize
2002 Arts Victoria Cultural Development Grant – Nu Horizons Project. City of Port Phillip Mentorship Program
1991 - 1990 Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Australia-China Study Grant - Zhe Jiang Fine Art Academy, Hangzhou, China
Collections
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, City of Port Phillip Urban Art Collection, City of Banyule, Hotel Sofitel Australia
Peter McCallum Hospital, S.A. Department of Education, New York Studio School, New York,
Zhe Jiang Fine Art Academy and Hang Zhou Artists Academy, Hang Zhou, Australian Embassy, Beijing, P.R. China.
Private collections in Australia, USA, England, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Japan, China, Hong Kong