Heather Groves is an Australian artist living and working in Sydney. Through sculpture and printmaking, she investigates subjects that are familiar and intimate.
‘Every object that gets my attention, from a peanut to a children’s chair, a cactus or a table, they all in and of themselves don’t have any nefarious meaning. These inanimate-ish objects only have the meanings that we apply to them, we put our feelings and emotions onto them, and that is where the interesting part lies.’
Always looking for a point of tension in her subjects, this means Groves’ work often focuses on concepts like resilience, resistance, and grief. Using metaphors and symbolism help to express tension, and play with colour and language give humour to otherwise difficult concepts.
——————————————
Heather studied BA in Visual Arts with Honours at School of Art and Design, ANU, with a major in sculpture and a minor in book design. She learnt woodcut printmaking techniques while studying at L’Ecole Nationale Supérieur des Beaux Arts in Paris, France. She completed Postgraduate studies in French language and translation from the ANU in 2020.
Heather has exhibited in Australia, France, USA, and the UK, her work is held in private collections in Australia, Europe, and USA.
Education
2020
Graduate Certificate of Studies (language and translation studies (French/English/Arabic) ANU CANBERRA
2012
Bachelor Visual Art with Honours, Sculpture (book design minor) ANU CANBERRA
2010
Atelier Emmanuel Saulnier and Atelier Jean-Pierre Tanguy, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (ENSBA) PARIS, FRANCE
——————-
Exhibitions
2025
Habitat, Selected group exhibition, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra
40x40, group exhibition, Mosman Rowers, Sydney
Yellow, group exhibition, Tiliqua Tiliqua, Sydney
2024
Annual printmaking exhibition, group exhibition, Curl Curl Creative Space, Sydney
Annual printmakers show, group exhibition, Tiliqua Tiliqua, Sydney
Creative open 2024 Northern Beaches council - Warringah Print Studio, group exhibition, Sydney
Incognito Art Show, group exhibition, 410 Oxford St Pop-up, Sydney
Press Gang, group exhibition, Mosman Rowers, Sydney
2024 Annual Seattle Print Arts Print Exchange, group exhibition, Seattle USA
Magenta, group exhibition, Tiliqua Tiliqua, Sydney
2023
Small Works Show for 2023, group exhibition, Tiliqua Tiliqua, Sydney
Print to Print (Megalo Relief Club), group exhibition, CSIRO Discovery Centre Gallery, Canberra
Pin 9 (small sculpture), group exhibition, ANCA, Canberra
Adelaide International Print exchanges: Interwoven, Global Oceans, and Winged Messages,
City of West Torrens Auditorium Gallery, South Australia
Nurturing nature, solo exhibition, Rusten House Art Centre, Queanbeyan NSW
2022
Impressions 22 Megalo member’s exhibition, Megalo Print Studio, Canberra
International Print Exchange 2022, Green Door Printmaking Studio, Derbyshire U.K.
Traces VI, group exhibition, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra
South Australia Nature Festival, Interwoven; Adelaide international print exchange,
South Australian Museum, Adelaide
Compact prints international print exhibition, exchange & auction 2022,
Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, Townsville
In my backyard 2022 - International Print Exchange, Castlemaine Press, Castlemaine
Print council of Australia fourth biennial Print Exchange, Print Council of Australia (online)
2014
Terms and Conditions, group exhibition, curated by Chloe Mandryk, Nishi gallery Canberra
May contain nuts, solo exhibition, CCAS Manuka, Canberra
2013
CCAS member’s show 2013: Mini pops, group exhibition, CCAS, Canberra
Hexagonal (group exhibition), Photospace gallery Canberra
Momentum (group exhibition, curated by Dianne Libke) Belconnen arts centre Canberra
ANU Graduate exhibition (group exhibition), SOA ANU Canberra
2012
Food Trumps Art (group exhibition, curator and participating artist), CCAS Manuka, Canberra
Spring Zine fair, Smith’s alternative Canberra
2011
Bone Idol, CCAS, Canberra
2010
Portes ouvertes (group exhibition), ENSBA Paris, France
Exposition atelier Saulnier (group exhibition), Galerie Gauche, ENSBA Paris, France
————-
Collections
Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts, Townsville
Print Council of Australia, Melbourne
Seattle Print Arts, Seattle, WA, Unite States of America.
Awards
2012
Emerging Artists’ Support Scheme CCAS studio residency for 2013 CCAS CANBERRA
Arts Professional
2013-2019
Artist Educator, National Gallery of Australia CANBERRA
2015
Educator, Belconnen Arts Centre CANBERRA
2008-2011
Studio assistant/Educator, Hands on Studio CANBERRA
———
Selected Press
Art Not Apart, Canberra Art Festival, Terms and Conditions group exhibition, Heather Brenchley, March 2014
The Sydney Morning Herald, Capital life, Potential allergens alert By Sally Pryor, February 7, 2014
The Canberra Times, Capital life, Potential allergens alert By Sally Pryor, February 8, 2014
BMA Magazine, Artist profile Heather Brenchley, issue.407, November 21 2012 pg.35