Infinite: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2024 at Art Gallery of New South Wales

Kate Vassallo is honoured to be included in Infinite: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2024 at Art Gallery of New South Wales. Through the work of ten artists from around Australia, the 2024 edition of the Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial focuses on the compelling and allusive languages of abstraction.

The exhibition is on 14 September 2024 – 12 January 2025.

More information

Installation view of Kate Vassallo 'Gain and Loss (100 Pencils)' 2024 as part of the exhibition 'Infinite: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2024', at the Art Gallery of New South Wales © the artist, photo © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio

Major Public Artwork Recently Launched

Over the last two years, Kate Vassallo has been working closely with the team from Creative Road on a major public artwork. Commissioned by the ACT Government as part of the Canberra Hospital Expansion Project, the work is fabricated as vinyl wall graphics installed throughout 130 interior wall locations throughout the new Critical Services Building.

Learn more about the project.

Image by Rohan Thompson of Pew Pew Studios

Recent and Current Art Prizes

Kate has been delighted to be a finalist in numerous art prizes over the last 12 months.

Kate Vassallo, Radiate (2024), acrylic on canvas, 92 x 82 cm

This includes:

  • Painting Shifted (2023) selected as a finalist in both the Georges River Art Prize 2023 at Hurstville Museum and Gallery & Goulburn Art Award 2024 at Goulburn Regional Gallery

  • New painting Radiate (2024) created when invited to participate in the King’s School Art

  • Drawing 564 lines with 100 coloured pencils (2023) selected as a finalist in both the M16 Drawing Award 2023 at M16 Artpsace (Canberra) and The Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award 2024 at Grafton Regional Gallery

  • Painting Element (2024) was selected as a finalist in the Geelong Contemporary Art Award 2024 at Geelong Gallery

The Geelong Contemporary Art Prize continues until 3 November 2024

The Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award continues until 8 December 2024

2024 Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, installation view, Geelong Gallery, 2024, Photographer: Andrew Curtis

Finalist in Hazelhurst Art On Paper Award

Kate is delighted to be announced as a finalist for the third time this year. The exhibition will open on 16 Sept 2023, further details can be found here: https://cms.ssc.nsw.gov.au/Community/Hazelhurst/Exhibitions/Coming-Exhibitions/Hazelhurst-Art-on-Paper-Award-2023

‘Gain and Loss’ (2022), coloured pencil on paper, 6 sheets of A3 paper

Solo Exhibition 'Soft Focus' at Artereal Gallery

I’m delighted to announce my upcoming exhibition at Artereal Gallery. From 1 June to 1 July, the body of work Soft Focus is made up of 10 new paintings. The opening reception will be 2-4pm on Saturday 3 June, I would love to see you there.

Further information can be found here: https://artereal.com.au/exhibition/soft-focus/

Kate Vassallo, Ghosting (2023), acrylic on canvas, 56x46cm

Canberra Art Biennial

Kate Vassallo is pleased to have worked collaboratively with James Lieutenant to create new artwork Warmth for the Canberra Art Biennial. The wall painting installation is on display at The Front in Lyneham until 30 Oct 2022.

More information about this collaborative art practice can be found here, more info about the Biennial can be found here.

Inclusion in 'Cageworks' at Canberra Contemporary Art Space

I’m so pleased to be included in group exhibition ‘Cageworks’ at Canberra Contemporary Art Space. Curated by Alexander Boynes, the exhibition brings together a small group of artists whose work has been influenced by John Cage.

The exhibition opening is from 6pm Friday 9 Sept, with the exhibition continuing until 23 October 2022.

More information can be found here.

Kate Vassallo, ‘Chance Forms’ (2018), coloured pencil on paper, 18 sheets of A3 size paper

Finalist in Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award 2022

I’m delighted to share that I am a finalist in the 2022 Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award at Grafton Regional Gallery. The list of finalists can be viewed here.

This is a special prize, one I’ve always wanted to be part of and this is my first time selected as a finalist with the work ‘Drifter’ (2022). The exhibition of finalist works will be open at Grafton Regional Gallery from 17 Sept to 11 Dec 2022, before going on tour until mid 2024.

Kate Vassallo, ‘Drifter’ (2022), coloured pencil on paper, 76 x 56 cm

Solo Exhibition now open at Canberra Contemporary Art Space

I am thrilled to announce my exhibition Tangents and Signals is now open at Canberra Contemporary Art Space Manuka.

From 2 to 12 June, the exhibition is a culmination of 2 years of work including works on paper and paintings. Further information, including viewing the catalogue, can be found here.

Kate Vassallo, Field of arrows pointing at nothing (2020-21), coloured pencil on paper, 32 sheets of A3 paper, hung in a grid, photographed by Document Photography

Finalist in Goulburn Art Award

Kate Vassallo is delighted to be a finalist in the 2022 Goulburn Art Award with her work Drifter, hanging alongside other local artists from Goulburn and the surrounding areas. The exhibition continues at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery until 18 June.

Kate Vassallo, Drifter (2022), coloured pencil on paper, 56 x 76 cm

Echo and Traces opens at AIRspace Projects Fri 4 March

Kate is delighted to be presenting Echo and Traces, a solo exhibition of new process based paintings by Kate Vassallo. Repetitiously and ritualistically built up over a year long period, these materially focused abstract works consider light, time, agency and nostalgia.

The exhibition at AIRspace Projects in Marrickville (Sydney) will have an opening event 6-8pm on Fri 4 March, with the exhibition continuing until Sun 20 with public artist talks on Sat 19 March.

To receive more information about the exhibition or a catalogue please feel free to register your interest.

Kate Vassallo, Traces (2022), acrylic on raw canvas, 115 x 90 cm, photographed by Document Photography

Online Group Exhibition 'ACB Selects'

Opening next Thurs 17th Feb, ACB Selects is an exhibition of works selected by Amber Cresswell Bell, Creative Director of Michael Reid Northern Beaches. The exhibition that will be hosted on the National Emerging Art Prize website, consists of a selection of artworks entered into the prize, that received 1498 entires in 2021. The exhibition will remain online for at least 3 weeks.

Finalist in 2022 Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing

Kate is thrilled to be a finalist in the Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing again in 2022. The exhibition will be open from 26 Feb to 25 Mar 2022, further information can be found here.

Kate Vassallo, Drifter (2022), coloured pencil on paper, 76 x 56 cm

'Colour of Puddles' now open at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf

Kate Vassallo is currently taking part in three person exhibition ‘Colour of Puddles’ alongside Boni Cairncross and James Lieutenant at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf. Continuing until 20 Feb 2022, the exhibition stages a conversation about colour and abstraction through the three contemporary artist’s works. More information can be found here.

Artwork Detail: Kate Vassallo, Traces (2022), acrylic on raw canvas, 115 x 90 cm

Finalist in Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award 2021

Kate is delighted to have been selected as a finalist of the Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award for a second time. The 2021 prize exhibition was delayed to open January 2022 due to COVID related restrictions. The exhibition is currently open, continuing until 27 March, please find more information here.

Installation view of Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award 2021. Main work featured: Kate Vassallo, Field of arrows pointing at nothing (2020-21), coloured pencil on paper, grid of 32 x A3 sheets, photographed by Silversalt

2021 News

2021 was a strange but surprisingly busy year, given pandemic reschedules and cancellations were still running wild. I was delighted to still have my work exhibited in the following:

  • In February, I was selected and exhibited as a Finalist in the Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing

  • In May, I was selected and exhibited as a Finalist in the Ravenswood Art Prize

  • In June, I took part in the M16 Artspace Members show B & W

  • In July, I exhibited my first painting series at Flinders Lane Gallery as part of their annual Exploration exhibition

  • In November, I was selected and exhibited as a Finalist in the M16 Drawing Prize, being awarded the Local Artist Prize

  • I finished the year with an artwork on display as part of the Megalo Print Studio annual Members Show

Kate Vassallo, Inner Harmony (2021), Acrylic on Board in Oak Frame, board size 30 x 22.5, frame size 33 x 25 cm

I was also lucky enough to present a workshop on Drawing Systems at 16 Albemarle Projects early on in the year, with a small but dedicated group of artists taking part.

In the final quarter of 2021 I also took part in Arts Infinity Lab, presented by Paper Giant with thanks to ArtsACT, that helped me think about new ways to communicate my art practice to the world.

Finalist in M16 Drawing Prize

I am so pleased to be announced as a finalist in the M16 Drawing Prize this year. The prize is held annually at M16 Artspace in Canberra, where I have my studio. This year, all the entries can be seen online, in a virtual exhibition.

The physical exhibition of finalists will be open at M16 Artspace from 27 November to 11 December.

Kate Vassallo, Gathering (2020), coloured pencil on paper, 76 x 56 cm

Kate Vassallo, Gathering (2020), coloured pencil on paper, 76 x 56 cm