DONNA CAFFREY
A BIT ABOUT ME
Donna Caffrey is an Albury, NSW artist whose practice involves collage using paper, textiles and found items. Bricolage best describes her work- creation from a diverse range of available things. Donna likes to work as sustainably as possible. She reuses and repurposes material sourced from op shops, recycle centres and friends.
A piece of fabric or a paper remanent, an image, a spoken word or a poem may spark an idea. “I could do...” moments are recorded in her daily journal. From that point she further explores the ideas through play with various materials and research. This leads to experimentation and further development of ideas and techniques. Play provides freedom to let her mind roam. It may end up with a idea being discarded, a one-off work or a themed series.
Donna’s art is often intuitive. A chance scrap of fabric, an image or a collection of oddments sparks exploration, by close examination, feel and by research. Her observations are recorded and developed in her daily journal and build on themselves. Donna finds that journalling is a way to unclutter her mind and allow thoughts, enquiry and ideas to incubate, and concepts to develop.
Donna’s practice grew from a hobby and a way to meet people in a new town, into a compelling need to create. Interaction with community arts and craft groups, practising artists, gallery visits, reading and diving down internet rabbit holes, all add to her creative well. Professional development is achieved by participating in virtual residencies and art workshops. Contact with artists worldwide has helped Donna to understand her art practice and to evolve its processes.
Images and themes of birds, flowers, horizons and space regularly appear in Donna’s work in an abstracted or surreal format Donna’s goal is to make and exhibit works that contain an element of joy and have a message or story which engages the viewer, creates a conversation and leads to the spread of connection within community.
EXHIBITIONS
Donna has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions exploring themes and thoughts through textiles and collage.
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Themed exhibitions with fibre artists:
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POLES APART - Jenni Munday and myself – with works from invited artists responding to theme Creators Arts Space, Wodonga in July and HR Galop Gallery , CSU, Wagga Wagga Campus in August 2023
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RE-Create Collective : “From Where I Sit: Stories from within” Albury LibraryMuseum” 24 June – 13 December 2022
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‘Off the Beaten Track” Illawarra Regional Gallery in June 2019, Cessnock Regional Gallery in July/August 2019. Selected works Five Dock Library (October 2019) and Concord Library (November 2019)
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Four Legs … working with wool May 2019 – Creators Artspace, Wodonga
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“Tempestuous in Nature” May 2018 – Creators Artspace, Wodonga
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“MAPS – you are here” which travelled up the coast commencing at Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, then McGlade Gallery at Strathfield Campus of ACU and ending at Cessnock Regional Gallery in March 2014.
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Regional Gallery in March 2014.
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‘WRAP unwrapped” was hung at a number of venues including NSW Parliament House Sydney in 2009. Other exhibitions
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Creative Practice Circle symposium – HR Gallop Gallery, CSU Campus, Wagga Wagga
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6 – 20 December 2022​
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Public Art
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Wodonga City Council – Ephemeral Art Project 2022
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Making a U tube video series for Embroiderers, Guild NSW/City of Canada Bay community arts project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmFkZ52SgCI
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Created/organised/managed Public Art project - Embroidered Letters - 2013-4 in conjunction with City of Canada Bay and Embroiderer’s Guild NSW
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Market of Curious Things - Noriuel Part Albury March 2020
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Croydon Park Street Festival 2014
Virtual Exhibitions
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2020 Listening in the Anthropocene – Creative Practice Circle https://creativepracticecircle.csu.domains/exhibition-2020/donna-caffrey/
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2021 Crevice Communities – Creative Practice Circle https://creativepracticecircle.csu.domains/exhibition-2021/donna-caffrey-21/
Solo exhibitions - Creators Artspace, Gateway Village, Wodonga
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Grandmothers Garden - May 2018
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Bee Happy - May 2019
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