Sera Waters - Short Bio

Sera Waters is an Adelaide-based practicing artist and arts writer whose work broadly references contemporary cultural research, particularly that of Australian and Japanese visual cultures. She has spent time living in Tokyo and is a graduate of the Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours), South Australian School of Art, (1997-2000) and the Master of Arts (studies in Art History), Adelaide University (2003-2006). She has been exhibiting regularly since graduating and being selected for Hatched, the National Graduate Exhibition at PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Art) in 2001. In 2006, Waters was awarded the Ruth Tuck Scholarship, which enabled her to attend the Royal School of Needlework (Hampton Court Palace, Surrey, UK) to study hand embroidery. This experience is clearly evident in Waters' practice, which regularly explores stitched techniques. Waters is a current studio member of Hedgemaze, Port Adelaide.

 A Crooked Lineage

This lineage is of the crooked kind. Intruders, weapons and tools, disguises, and evidence from the scene of petit crimes are linked through familial ties and opportunistic relationships. Sneaky critters spotted using cloaks of darkness, or the sound of a destructive hammer as heard by a witness, are married together in this lineage as the only remnants of information left behind after mysterious misdemeanours. After our precious jewels have been ferreted away and sparkling jewellery shiftily lifted from the comfort of our safe havens we can only cling to this lineage of sparse evidence and speculation.

It isn't coincidental that this lineage is made using blackwork; the darkest of all the embroidered arts.

nigh time, 2008
Cotton on linen

ChopChop, 2008
Cotton on linen
200 x 180 mm 
Photo: the artist

's are not my friends (ATM)
felt, cotton, sequins on linen 
106 x 320 mm

Weapon for door destruction (hammer)
Felt, cotton on linen
180 x 120 mm

Dramatic Aid (Semtex), 2006
Cotton on linen
160 x 160 mm
Photo: the artist

Blockage, 2008
Cotton on linen
160 x 240mm
Photo: the artist
(the 13 weirs blocking the Murray's flow)

Lost in Smoke, 2008
Felt and cotton on linen
260 x 180 mm
Photo: the artist
Copyright: the artist
(lost in smoke - refers to bushfires.. as well as loose reference to the
smoke monster in 'lost')

Noisy Miner, 2008
cotten, felt, sequins on linen
140 x 200 mm

The Evil Banana, 2008
Cotton on linen
160 x 280 mm
Photo: the artist
Copyright: the artist

(evil banana 'on' ships.. is about bananas being bad luck on ships... but ofcourse ships make all kind of 
connections to Australia's past and current influx of people... that a banana can be considered evil was 
also amusing to me...)

Sprinkled, 2008
Beads, cotton on linen
220 x 160 mm
Photo: the artist
Copyright: the artist
(water restrictions - droplets (beaded) as little jewels being scattered around)

born 1979

2003-2006
2000
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1997-1999

2009
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2008
2007
2007
2007
2006
2005
2004
2004
2003
2002
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2001
2001

Talente (Handwerkskammer für München und Oberbayern), InternationalTrade Fair, Munich 
(Talente is a prestigious international competitive exhibition, March 11 - 17, 2009, showcasing 
the work of the very best young and emerging designer/makers selected by the German judges.)
Sala Exhibition, 5 kent st gallery, Adelaide, SA
Spirited Away, Central Gallery, Adelaide, SA
Quite Hands, Gaff Gallery, Port Adelaide, SA
Hedgemaze, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide, SA
Crooks & Nannies, solo exhibition, downtown Artspace, Adelaide, SA
Feminine Idiom, ArtsSA, Hindley Street, Adelaide, SA 
Interior N Gallery, Underdale (co-curated with Mark Siebert), Adelaide SA
Art for ages 0-100, ForestOne Gallery, Hindley Street, Adelaide SA 
Syrup, solo exhibition, Pepper Street Arts Centre, Adelaide SA
Driveway  (curated by Leanne Amodeo, James Dodd and Phil Hind) suburban backyards 
Pt Adelaide and Exeter, Adelaide SA 
Hatched, National Graduate Show, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, WA
Helpmann Academy Graduate Show Miller Anderson Building, Hindley Street, Adelaide, SA

2005
2004
2002

Ruth Tuck Scholarship, SAYAB, to attend Royal School of Needlework, Surrey, UK in 2006.
AJA Roy Terrill Prize, Japanese Art History Essay Prize, Adelaide University, Adelaide SA
Artists - in - Studio's 2002, SAYAB Grant, six-month studio space at Central School Studios, 
Adelaide, SA

2007
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2006
2006
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2005
2005
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2004
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2004
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2004

2007-current
2006-current
2005-current
2005-current
2005-current
2005
2003-current

2004