Wendy McDonald
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts (Ed), Deakin University
Wendy McDonald lives and works on the flood plains at Thule, on Barapa Barapa country in South West NSW. Her work draws from the ecology of the local environment and the ebb and flow of the creeks and rivers in this significant inland delta. McDonald’s paintings are an unashamedly feminine interpretation of this ephemeral wetland landscape. She advocates strongly for water policy which reconnects and rehydrates country in these fragile places.
McDonald’s work has been shown in galleries across NSW and Victoria and is held in many private Australian and international collections. She was included in the 2018 Thames & Hudson publication A Painted Landscape, a survey of Australian landscape painting by Amber Creswell-Bell. McDonald has been a finalist in numerous awards including the NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize (2016, 2017 & 2018), Paddington Art Prize, Calleen Art Prize and the Swan Hill Print & Drawing Acquisitive Prize. In 2022 she was a recipient of the Defiance Gallery, Nock Residency Award, in the Paddington Art Prize for Australian Landscape.
The free but considered mark making by Wendy McDonald in her paintings and drawings reinterpret a country she knows so well. Billabongs, dry lakes, creeks and rivers, redgum and box country, sandhills, forests and farms. This is the home and workplace for McDonald. Her discerning and insightful eye bring an authority to the work that can only come by someone deeply invested in this landscape."
Ian Tully, Director Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery
CV
Solo Exhibitions
2024 | Stars, Night Herons and the Politics of Envy, Defiance Gallery |
2023 | Sky Water Season, Boom Gallery |
2022 | Little Forest and Other Places, AK Bellinger Gallery |
2021 | Witness, Boom Gallery |
2021 | Special Release, AK Bellinger Gallery |
2020 | New Works, AK Bellinger Gallery, Inverell |
2019 | History &Geography, Works from Pollack Swamp, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2019 | Transitions, Elms Gallery, Surry Hills, Sydney |
2019 | Quietly, Koskela Gallery, Sydney |
2018 | And So It Goes , AK Bellinger Gallery, Inverell |
2016 | This Place 2", Campaspe Regional Library |
2016 | This Place, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, travelling exhibition, Cohuna |
2016 | This Place, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2010 | Landscapes from the Murray Darling, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
Group Exhibitions, Prizes & Residencies
2024 | Winter 24 Group Artists, Defiance Gallery |
2023 | Summer Group Artists, Defiance Gallery |
2022 | AK Bellinger Christmas Exhibition |
2022 | Awarded the Defiance/Nock Art Foundation Residency Prize, Paddington Art prize |
2022 | Finalist, Paddington Art Prize |
2021 | Textile Collaboration, Nancybird Design |
2020 | TWIG Residency Noorong, for The Acre Project, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2020 | Floodplain, Group Exhibition, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2019 | Recent Acquisitions and Works from the Permanent Collection, Swan Hill |
2018 | Finalist, The NSW Parliament Plein Air Paintimg Prize, Parliament House, Sydney |
2018 | “A Painted landscape”, Special Group Studios, Sydney |
2018 | “Regional Women’s Exhibition”, Southern Buoy Studios |
2017 | Finalist, The NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Parliament House, Sydney |
2017 | "The Inauguration", Southern Buoy Studios, Melbourne |
2017 | "At Home", Birds Gallery, Melbourne |
2016 | Finalist, The NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Parliament House, Sydney |
2016 | "LIFE, still" , Saint Cloche, Sydney |
2016 | "Twelve, Koskela, Sydney |
2016 | Annual Group Show, Lauriston Press, Kyneton |
2015 | Artist in residence, Aspire Me Regional Arts Camp, Riverina |
2015 | Finalist, Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery |
2014 | Artist in residence, Aspire Me Regional Arts Camp, Riverina |
2013 | Artist in residence, Aspire Me Regional Arts Camp, Riverina |
2012 | Artist in residence, Aspire Me Regional Arts Camp, Riverina |
2011 | Finalist, Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery |
2010 | SW Arts “Terrain” Exhibition, Griffith Regional Art Gallery |
2010 | “Terrain” Exhibition, Cube 37 Gallery, Frankston |
2010 | Art in the Port, Echuca |
2009 | Finalist, Paddington Art Prize, Sydney |
2009 | Finalist, Country Energy Landscape Prize, Lismore Regional Art Gallery |
2009 | Art Sydney, 2009 |
2009 | South West Arts Showcase Exhibition |
2009 | Finalist, Calleen Art award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery |
2009 | Canterbury Art Exhibition |
2008 | Artist, SW Arts “Muster Moments” sculpture project |
2008 | Recipient, Regional Arts NSW professional development "Quicks" grant |
2008 | Finalist, National Print and Drawing Awards, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2008 | FOUR group exhibition, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery |
2008 | Finalist, Stanthorpe Art Prize, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery |
2008 | Canterbury Art Exhibition |
2008 | Restdown Vintage Group Exhibition |
2007 | Canterbury Art Exhibition |
2007 | Restdown Vintage Group Exhibition |
2007 | Professional Development Scholarship, Murrumbidgee School of Creative Arts, Charles Sturt University |
2006 | Artist, SW Arts Conagro Shire project |
2006 | Artist, SW Arts Long Paddock Tourism project |
2005 | Co- designer, “Transmute” mosaic ute Deniliquin community art project |
Bibliography
2024 | Galah: Stories of Life Outside the City by Annabelle Hickson, Murdoch Press |
2022 | Galah magazine, Issue 4, Water |
2021 | Nancybird Journal, March |
2019 | The Design Files, 28 Jan |
2018 | A Painted Landscape by Amber Creswell Bell, pub Thames and Hudson |
2016, | Australian Country Style Magazine, March issue |
2013, | Australian Country Style Magazine, April issue |
2010, | Home Beautiful Magazine, Nov. issue |
2009, | Paddington Art Prize Lecture, Joe Frost |
Collections
Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery
