ARTIST BIO

Born in Melbourne in 1954, Siv studied at Victoria College of the Arts, achieving her BA (Fine Arts) Painting in 1981. Continuing her studies, Siv Gained her Grad Dip Ed in 1982 through Melbourne State College.

Siv has held major solo exhibitions and featured in many group shows across Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. A multiple prize winner, Siv was awarded the 1980 Painting Prize at Victorian College of the Arts. She is a past winner of the prestigious Doug Moran Portrait Prize.

Having concentrated her skills to become a highly commended figurative and landscape painter, a recent review acknowledged her impressive new work

‘…she has arrived at a high plateau, and there are glimpses of more exciting directions to follow…’
(Adam Dutkiewicz, The Adelaide Advertiser)

Her sensitive portrayal of women in the series Slipping Away, are painted in a photo-realist style in loose washes of colour. Her depictions of coastal cliffscapes around the Great Australian Bight are wonderful reflections of atmoshere. Movement, light and shade are captured where monumental stones rest between a luminous ocean and sky. Landscapes of South Australia’s north are generally painted with a broad colour palette.

Stylistically, Siv acknowledges the influence of techniques employed in Margaret Preston’s wood and linocuts. The dot and dash approach of contemporary aboriginal art is evident to a lesser extent.

Siv lives and works in South Australia dividing her time between the coastal town of Elliston and the hauntingly beautiful Andamooka opal fields.

Over the past twenty-eight years, Siv Grava has divided her time between Community Cultural Development and studio based art practice. Her achievements include:

Awards & prizes

• 2004 – 6 Two year CCD Fellowship, Australia Council
• 2003 – SA Advertiser Critics Award
• 2002 – Port Pirie Prize
• 2000 – Bishop De Campo Inaugural Award
• 1998 – Central Eyre Peninsula Prize
• 1995 – Whyalla Art Prize – People’s Choice
• 1992 – Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
• 1980 – Victorian College of the Arts Painting Prize

Selected Major Exhibitions

• 2009 – Untitled, Art Images, Adelaide
• 2006 – Untitled, Anne Harari Art, Melbourne
• 2005 – Untitled, Art Images, Adelaide
• 2003 – Untitled, Art Images, Adelaide
• 2002 – Drawn to the Edge – A Retrospective, Port Pirie Regional Gallery
• 2001 – Untitled, Art Images, Adelaide

Selected Group Exhibitions

• 2010 – Vanuatu – Moulin Rougue Gallery, Kapunda
• 2008 – Terra Spiritalis – Murray Bridge Regional Gallery
• 2007 – Thinking in Three Dimensions – Riddoch Regional Gallery, Mt Gambier
• 2006 – The French Connection – Bella Cosa Gallery – Fleurieu Biennale
• 2006 – Visions – Port Pirie Regional Gallery
• 2004 – Doug Moran Portrait Prize – State Library, Sydney, National travelling
• 2004-7 – Waterhouse – SA Museum, Adelaide
• 2002-3 – Hearsay – Adelaide Fringe Festival
• 2002-4 – Sculpture on the Cliffs – Elliston.SA
• 2003 – From the Winds – Newlands Gallery, Port Adelaide
• 2000-02 – Di Antara Dua Pedalman / Between Remote Regions - SA Regional tour, Adelaide, National Gallery of Malaysia and five regional galleries, Malaysia

Collections

Tweed River Gallery; State Bank of South Australia; Country Arts SA, Adelaide; Port Pirie City Council; Elliston District Council; Whyalla City Council; Diocese of Port Pirie.

Numerous private collections and portrait commissions Australia, Sweden and Unites States of America.

Related professional activity

• 2007 – COMMISSIONED SCULPTURE – Mt Gambier City Council, Limestone Symposium.
• 2006 – REGIONAL ARTS SUMMIT, Parliament House, Canberra
• 2005 – KEYNOTE SPEAKER – State Regional Arts Conference, Riverland, SA
• 2002-6 – Coordinated ‘SCULPTURE ON THE CLIFFS’ Arts Festival, Elliston, SA
• 1997 – SA REPRESENTATIVE Community Cultural Development, Australia Council Sydney
• 1994 – Curator, STATE OF THE ART / ART OF THE STATE; State touring exhibition

Community Cultural Development Projects

Since 1983 Siv Grava has been involved in numerous CCD projects in Victoria, SA and NT, including:

• 2003-2004 – Hearsay Project – Baxter Detention Centre, SA
• 2003- 2004 – Cross Cultural Collaborations Project – Ceduna & Elliston, SA
• 1997 – Warumungu Interpretative Centre, Nyinka Nyu Nyu mural,Julalikari Council, Tennant Creek, NT. Working with the Warumungu people over three months to design a culturally sensitive mural for their Interpretative Centre around a sacred site

List of CCD projects in Vic, SA & NT

• 2009 – Marree and Copley – Flinders Ranges Indigenous murals project
• 2009 – Port Augusta Re-imagines – indigenous exhibition project
• 2007 – Copley and Neppabunna – Flinders Ranges indigenous murals project
• 2007 – Mentored indigenous artist, Beaver Lennon
• 2002-6 – Co-ordinated Sculpture on the Cliffs Arts Festival.
• 2004
  • Hearsay Project – Baxter Detention Centre, SA
  • Cross Cultural Collaborations Project – Ceduna & Elliston, SA
  • Tennant Creek Historical mural, NT / High School Mural, Tennant Creek, NT
  • Aboriginal Women’s Centre mural, Elliot, NT
• 2003
  • Tumby Bay – environmental signage project , SA
  • Streaky Bay – Come Out Festival, SA
• 2002 – Kapunda, SA – Mural:Signage: Banners project, SA
• 2001
  • Arno Bay mural project, SA / Kimba Agricultural Show Mural, SA
  • Rotunda Arts Society mural project, Tumby Bay, SA
• 2000
  • Centennial of Federation Mural, Cleve, SA
  • Tall Ships of Wallaroo Mural, SA
• 1999
  • Bond Street Medical Centre Mural, Ringwood VIC
  • Pitjat jant jara Lands Fregon, – Womens Centre Mural, SA
  • Meningie Community Hospital Mural SA / Wallaroo community Mural, SA
• 1998 – Pitjat jant jara Lands – Murals/ workshops, Fregon and Nyapari, SA
• 1997
  • Warumungu Interpretive Centre, Nyinka Nyu Nyu mural, Tennant Creek, NT
  • Port Augusta TAFE day care centre mural, SA
  • Drinkwise mural, Tennant Creek Hospital, NT
  • Reconciliation Mural, Port Augusta, SA
  • Port Augusta Gaol mural project, SA
  • Railway station redevelopment project, History of Port Augusta Mural, SA
• 1996
  • Pitjat jant jarra Lands, Women’s Centre mural, Ernabella, SA
  • Wudinna Community Mural, SA / Streaky Bay Area School Mural, SA
  • Silk painting workshop, TAFE Leigh Creek, SA
• 1995
  • Solomontown Beach redevelopment project, – Story of Port Pirie mosaic, SA
  • Historical mural project Elliston, SA / TAFE Mural, Coober Pedy, SA
  • Community and schools murals project, Lock, SA
  • Silk hanging commission- indigenous artists, SA
  • LEAP Art Training program, Tennant Creek / CDEP mural, Ali Curung, NT
  • Historical Mural Project, Murray Bridge, SA
  • Banners and murals, CDEP, Julalikari Council, Tennant Creek, NT
• 1993
  • Serpent project – Enviromental multi-media arts project in 12 outback towns
  • CDEP mural training project, Tennant Creek, NT
• 1992
  • Agricultural Hall Mural, Elliston SA
  • Mosaic stobie poles project, Port Lincoln
• 1991 – Youth arts mural, Whyalla, SA
• 1991
  • Marree Hotel, Historical Mural, SA
  • Hawker community murals project, SA
• 1990
  • Coober Pedy TAFE mural, SA / Gladstone Mobile Library mural, SA
  • Aboriginal drug and alcohol rehabilitation mural, Baroota, SA
  • Davenport Aboriginal community murals, Port Augusta, SA
  • Tji Tji Wiltja mural, Port Augusta, SA
• 1989 – Augusta Park High school mural, SA
• 1988 – Oakleighleigh Railway Station Arts Project – youth : elderly citizens, VIC
• 1987 – Altona Civic Centre Mural, VIC
• 1987 – Multicultural Family Life Mural Project – Oakleigh, VIC
• 1987 – Youth Employment and Support Scheme, Nunawacting VIC
• 1986
  • Market Pylons Muralsls Project, Dandenong, VIC
  • Diamond Creek Technical School, Artist in Schools Program, VIC
• 1985 – Artist in Schools Program, Nunawading High School, VIC
• 1984 – Footscrays City Council, Town Hall Mural, Vic
• 1984 – Peoples History of Footscray Mural – Footscray Community Arts Centre, VIC