Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Celebrates the achievements of Australia's iconic and influential crafts practitioners and promotes the work of Australian artists whose exemplary craft skills have been recognised by their peers.
Object: Australian Centre for Craft and Design has announced the new Living Treasures for 2012 and 2014, Nick Mount 2012 and Lola Greeno 2014.
Nick Mount (South Australia) is one of Australia’s pre-eminent glass artists, and Lola Greeno (Tasmania) is a highly respected Indigenous shell worker, sculptor, installation and fibre artist. Their pieces will be exhibited in the Living Treasures exhibition, which tours extensively around the country and attracts audiences from regional areas as well as capital and metropolitan centres, and gives the public exposure to the talent of Australia’s craft practitioners.
Mount has been in glassware for four decades and is recognised for commissions, teaching, and exhibitions in Australia, Europe, South America, the United States and Japan. His work is represented in many major public and private collections, and he is often commended for both technique and visual decorative style.
The artist is pleased with the accolades he has received, saying, “Pauline and I feel the Living Treasure Award is a great thing for the Crafts. We’re very happy that this year’s award acknowledges the contribution of the glass community of South Australia and the JamFactory.”
Lola Greeno has had more than 30 years experience in traditional shell necklace making, and is renowned both in Australia and overseas for her distinctly patterned, often colourful and iridescent, delicate strands of shells collected from the Tasmanian and island coastlines.
Lola is one of a handful of women shell stringers who have been responsible for ensuring the craft is passed on from their Elders and continued to the present day. She was excited by the announcement of the award, and will plan a new series of work for display in 2014.
“I am pleased and honoured to have won this award and hopefully inspire other Indigenous Craft makers and designers to keep working towards achieving their goals”.
The Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft series has been central to Object’s exhibition program for the last four years. Aiming to celebrate Australia’s most outstanding and influential senior crafts practitioners, this series is widely regarded as one of the most important undertakings in the Australian craft sector. The Living Treasures Award also acknowledges the contribution heritage makes in shaping communities.