About
When Jodie Cunningham was a little girl she would lie on her stomach on her bedroom floor and draw and make things - she would loose herself in colour and pattern for hours on end - she did it so frequently she wore a hole in her carpet. This practice was intuitive, playful and mindful and became a lifelong habit which turned into a career as a visual artist, designer, educator and arts manager.
A self confessed chromaphile (lover of colour) Cunningham has an obsession with colour, pattern, symbolism and the emotional resonance of objects. She trained as a painter and also works with public art, installation, drawing, digital imaging, sculpture, jewellery and design. Her work deals with the themes of abstraction, symbolism, ornamentation, colour, play, place, community, architecture, emotion, memory, sustainability and transformation.
She has over 30 years experience as a practicing artist with experience working on public art commissions with a range of outputs including outdoor murals, sculptures, projections and wallpapers for public facilities. Cunningham regularly exhibits in group and solo exhibitions. Her last major exhibitions were the public art installations ‘Luminous Hope
Gems’ for the Canberra Hospital Expansion Project 2023, ‘Canberra Futures’ projections for Enlighten 2020 and ‘Canberra Journeys’ for Woolley St Dickson, 2019; and a solo exhibition of images about transformation, ‘Bloom’ at M16artspace, 2018.
Jodie has been the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Fulbright Scholarship - Visual and Performing Arts Category, Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship and the University Medal in Visual Art, Australian National University (ANU). Cunningham has a Master of Fine Arts Degree, University of New South Wales; Bachelor of Visual Art, ANU.
Jodie lives in a hot pink house, makes art in her studio at the M16artspace, and works as CEO + Artistic Director at Craft + Design Canberra. Other work experience includes working as Assistant Directer at ACT Historic Places, as an Art Consultant for landscape architecture firm, Place Laboratory; as a Senior Education Designer and Lecturer of Visual Art and Design at Canberra Institute of Technology and in leadership roles at the National Gallery of Australia and National Museum of Australia.
She delights in making the world more colourful, parenting her gorgeous children, managing her menagerie of pets; and creating engaging art, design, craft, festival and learning experiences.
Jodie Cunningham 2020
Curriculum Vitae Art Practice
Education
2024 | Sharing Stories Arts Exchange Program, Australian National University
2017 | Advanced Diploma of Adult Education, Canberra Institute of Technology
2016 | Diploma of Vocational Education and Training, Canberra Institute of Technology, ACT, Australia
2009 | Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, Canberra Institute of Technology, ACT, Australia
2004 | Certificate II in Millinery, Canberra Institute of Technology, ACT, Australia
2002 | Master of Fine Arts, by research, College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales, Sydney
2000 | Master of Fine Arts, Hunter College of the City University of New York, NY, USA (incomplete)
1996 | Bachelor of Arts, Visual, Honors- First Class and University Medal, Australian National University
1994 | Exchange student at the Department of Art, Ohio State University, Ohio, USA
Awards
2012 | Plastoral sponsorship for materials for the exhibition Tracing Breath, Canberra Museum and Gallery
2003 | National Museum of Australia Traveling Scholarship
2000 | Fulbright Scholarship, Visual and Performing Arts Category
2000 | Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship to fund study in New York
1998 | Australian Post Graduate Award
1996 | University Medal, Australian National University
1996 | Vocational Educational Training Authority (VETA) Acquisition Award
1994 | Telecom Australia Traveling Scholarship
Commissions
Sept 2022- 2023 | Canberra Health Services, Adolescent Mental Health Ward, Canberra Hospital
Feb 2020 | City Renewal Authority - Enlighten 2020 - Canberra Journeys - Canberra Futures - Sydney & Melbourne Buildings, Canberra City
Mar 2019 | PLACE Laboratory - Woolley St Project - Concept artwork- Canberra Journeys - Gateway arch, Light poles, Street Mural
Mar 2018 | Artnotapart Festival, Main Stage Design- ‘Talking to the Tax Man About Poetry- Artists Data Portraits- Unsustainable Realities' 2018 Digital print on plywood
Nov 2017 | Craft ACT - We Dance Together, Painting Installation, Civic Square for Design Canberra 2017
May 2017 | Canberra Hospital - Perspex Disc wall installation (Adolescent Ward)
Nov 2014 | Craft ACT- Brooches for Design Canberra 2014
Committees
May 2019 - Present | ACT Legislative Assembly Arts Advisory Committee
April 2020 - July 21 | Board of Management, M16artspace
Solo & Major Exhibitions
13 June 2023 - Ongoing, Luminous Hope Gems, Adolescent Mental Health Ward, Canberra Hospital, (Public Art Commission)
28 Feb - 15 March 2020 | Enlighten, Northbourne Ave, ACT, (Public Art Commission)
Sept - Dec 2019 | Woolley St Project, Dickson, ACT, (Public Art Commission)
18 Oct – 4 Nov 2018 | Bloom, M16 Artspace, Griffith ACT
6 Nov – 18 Dec 2017 | We Dance Together, Painting Installation, Civic Square for Design Canberra 2017, (Public Art Commission)
3 Nov 12 – 3 Feb 2013 | Tracing Breath – Inhalation of place, Jodie Cunningham & Paul Murray, CMAG
1-5 June 2010 | Succulent, Foyer Gallery, School of Art, ANU, ACT
13 – 18 July 2004 | Bounce, Rex-Livingston Contemporary Fine Art, Chippendale, NSW
6 – 28 Aug 2004 | Bounce, School of Art Foyer Gallery, Acton, ACT
8– 31 Mar 2002 | Rex-Livingston Contemporary Fine Art, Chippendale, NSW
26 Feb – 2 Mar 2002 | Picnic, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Paddington, NSW
June 30 – July 8 2001 | Plaid, Works on Paper, Artspace 71, Kingston, ACT
Sept 4 – 29 2000 | Jodie Cunningham, Australian Consulate General, New York
17 Mar – 18 April 1999 | Jodie Cunningham, Robert Steele Gallery, Adelaide, SA
15 – 29 Dec 1999 | Sour Plum, Spiral Arm Gallery, Canberra, ACT
Selected Group Exhibitions
1 - 21 November 2024 | Notions of Place, M16artspace Studio Artist Annual Exhibition, M16artspace
15 - 30 October 2024 | Sharing Stories Exchange Program Exhibition, ANU School of Art and Design Gallery
6 July - 30 July 2023 | Showoffs, M16 Studio Artists, M16artspace
9 - 19 August 2023 | Pin 9, Australian National Capital Artists
31 March - 14 May 2023 | 35S:149E: Canberra Lived, Lime Flamingo Collective Exhibition, Belconnen Art Centre
3-21 March 2022 |ncandescence, Lime Flamingo Collective Exhibition, M16artspace
2-18 July 2021 | B&W M16 Studio Artists exhibition, M16artspace
5 Feb- 21 March 2021 | OutsideIn | InsideOut, Lime Flamingo Collective Exhibition, Belconnen Art Centre
Nov 2020 | Canberra Futures- Renewables, Winner Design Canberra BMW Car Wrap competition
14 Nov – 9 Dec 2018 | The Lure of the Local, Finalist, Inner North Art Prize 2018
27 April- 23 June 2018 | Obsessive Impulsion, Canberra Contemporary Art Space
17 March 2018 | Art not Apart Festival, New Acton
17 Nov 2017 | Quickdraw, Canberra Contemporary Art Space
12- 26 Nov 2017 | Shine Dome Reimagined, Eastspace
12 - 29 Oct 2017 | Common Truth, Finalist Inner North Art Prize, Front Gallery and Cafe
21 Sept – 4 Nov 2017 | Craft ACT Annual Members Exhibition, Craft ACT
29 Sept – 8 Oct 2017 | Talking to the Tax Man about Poetry CIT Staff exhibition, Foyer Gallery ANU
8 – 9 Sept 2017 | Quickdraw, c Members show 2017
27 July-13 Aug 2017 | Material World, M16 Studio artists, M16artspace, Griffith, Canberra
28 June – 9 July 2017 | Pin 7, ANCA Gallery, Dickson, Canberra
3 - 14 May 2017 | Playlist, ANCA Gallery, Dickson, Canberra
18 - 22 Sept 2015 | Ecoluxe London Showcase,14 Smiths Court, W1D 7DP, London
21 - 22 Aug 2015 | Timewarp, Canberra Contemporary Art Space members show
24 June - 5 July 2015 | sPin, Australian National Capital Artists
4 Oct 2014 | CAPO exhibition 2014, Canberra Museum and Gallery
23 June - 7 July 2014 | Evidence, CIT staff exhibition, Foyer Gallery, Canberra School of Art
2 May 2014 | Fashfest – Rainy days eco body ornament to accompany Purepods’ Rana Collection
30 April - 11 May 2014 | Pina4, Anca Gallery
16 March 2014 | Art Not Apart festival installation, New Acton Arts Precinct
2 Apr - 2 June 2013 | Intensity of Purpose: 21 Years of ANCA, Canberra Museum and Gallery
20 Mar- 27 April 2013 | CIT's Walking Together exhibition, CIT Designspace, CIT Reid
16 Mar 2013 | Artnotapart, New Acton Arts Precinct
28 Oct - 13 Nov 2011 | Practice What You Teach, Belconnen Arts Centre (BAC)
15 April - 8 May 2011 | Serendipity - Experimentation, Play and Accidental Discovery, BAC
13 - 30 Nov 2010 | Jodie Cunningham, Sharon Hall, Marci Tackett, Blackmore Jean Gallery, NZ
13 Oct 2010 | Fourth Draw, Opening 6pm Wednesday, Designspace, CIT
13 - 24 October 2010 | This way up, ANCA Gallery Opening 6pm Friday 15 October, Dickson
6 - 30 October 2010 | This way up, ANU School of Art Gallery, Opening 6pm Thursday 14 October
22 May – 13 June 2010 | Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award, Lethbridge Gallery, Brisbane Qld
14 -21 Sept 2009 | Third Draw, Designspace@CIT, Reid ACT
28 - 31 Oct 2008 | Draw, Designspace@CIT, Reid ACT
9 – 20 Jan 2008 | In the Fold: Past Tenants Celebrate 15 years of ANCA, ANCA Gallery, Dickson
4 Sept – 15 Sept 2004 | Canberra Art Prize, 2004, The Italo Australian Club, Forrest, ACT
20 – 28 Mar 2004 | Box, ANCA 2004 Tenants exhibition, ANCA Gallery, Dickson, ACT
4 – 20 Dec 2003 | Masters of COFA, 2003, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Paddington, NSW
15 Dec 2000 – 13 Jan 2001 | Robert Steele Gallery, New York, USA
Selected Employment History
July 2021 - Present | CEO & Artistic Director, Craft ACT, Craft and Design Centre & Design Canberra Festival
May 2019 - July 2021 | Cultural Facilities Cooperation- ACT Historic Places | Assistant Director - Visitor Engagement and Interpretation
Feb 2020 - Present | Founding Director | Lime Flamingo Collective. Artist Mentoring Group
Feb 2019 - October 2019 | Place Laboratory | Art Consultant
May 2018 – May 2019 | Canberra Institute of Technology | Senior Education Designer, Educational Technology
2008 - May 2018 | Canberra Institute of Technology | Lecturer, Visual Art and Design
2007-2008 | Department Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts | Assistant Director, Indigenous Visual Arts
2005-2007 | National Gallery of Australia | Manager, Public Programs & Exhibition Project Manager
2001 - 2004 | National Museum of Australia, | a/g Manager, Image Delivery & IP & Public Programs Coordinator