Artists

Michael Ciavarella

Bio  /  CV

Michael Ciavarella Bio Michael Ciavarella is an interdisciplinary artist who works across ceramics, sculpture and painting. As a curator and director of The Matchbox show, he creates a platform for artist and ceramic enthusiasts alike to come together from all around the world. Ciavarella is an advocate for cultural understanding through art and communicates such meaning in his artwork. His concepts incorporate national heritage and identity. Michael Ciavarella has a Bachelor of Art in Ceramics from La Trobe University, Bendigo Victoria. Ciavarella has taught ceramics on the Sunshine Coast for 19 years. He has curated and exhibited for the past 22 years including Noosa Regional Gallery's, Floating Land, Shepparton Arts Festival, Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre, Wan’din'in Gallery and Gallery Eumundi. Artist Statement "Created as an exploration of the reductive process - extended simplicity, in form design. A two dimensional reductive devolution, inspired by the retrospective, of Max Bill and Georges Vantongerloo" Michael Ciavarella

Background
Born in 1970 Victoria, Australia

Resides
Sunshine Coast, Australia

Education
• 2012 Certificate IV, Workplace Training & Assessment, TAFE Sunshine Coast
• 1989 – 1992 Bachelor of Arts (Ceramics), La Trobe University, Victoria

Exhibitions
• 2022 EDIT-ism, Outer Space, Brisbane
• 2022 Artist in Session, Studio 26, Peregian Beach
• 2019 Wan’din’in Gallery, Eumundi
• 2017 Berkelouw Café, Eumundi
• 2016 ‘The Iron Cage Project’ Eumundi
• 2016 Quixotica Gallery, Cooroy
• 2014 Makers Gallery, Brisbane
• 2010 ‘Up in Smoke’, The Gallery Eumundi, Eumundi
• 2006 Fusions Art Gallery, Brisbane
• 1998 Northcote Pottery, Melbourne
• 1997 Tate Gallery, Noosa
• 1993 Who Art Gallery, Shepparton
• 1992 Bendigo College Gallery, Bendigo

Grants
• 2016 RADF Projects (Iron Cage Project with Zoe Martin)
• 2011 Arts Queensland (Exhibition/Workshops Wide Bay Regional Galleries)
• 2011 RADF Projects (Exhibition/Workshops Noosa Regional Gallery)
• 1999 RADF Funding (Blackall Workshop Queensland)
• 1998 RADF Funding (Barcaldine Workshop Queensland)

Awards
• 1997 Winner, Churchie Emerging Artist
• 1994 Special Commendation, Churchie Emerging Artist
• 1992 Student Award National Art & Design, Melbourne

Career History
• 2020 – present Pottery Workshop Classes, Butter Factory Art Centre, Cooroy
• 2019 – Artwork Installation, Butter Factory Art Centre, Cooroy
• 2010 – present Workshop Facilitator, Matchbox Show Project, Noosa and Caloundra Regional Gallery, Cooroy Butter Factory, Sunshine Coast TAFE, Incinerator Art Centre, Moonee Ponds Victoria
• 2005 – 2009 Workshop Facilitator, Woodford Paving Project, Woodford Festival
• 1995 – 2015 Arts Teacher, Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE, Noosa Arts Centre

Private & Corporate Collections and Gallery Representation
CSIT TAFE Collection , Shepparton Art Gallery
Represented by The Gallery Eumundi, Noosa

Projects & Public Art Commissions
2001 Public Art, Duporth Avenue, Maroochydore, QLD
2021 The Matchbox Show, Creative Director, Shepparton Art Festival, Shepparton, Victoria
2011 ‘Incinerator Art Centre’ Moonee Ponds, Melbourne
2011 ‘RADF Show Case’ Nambour
2011 ‘Up in smoke’ Matchbox Exhibition Noosa Regional Gallery
2010 Matchbox Exhibition
2006 Well Project for Pottery Village, Rajasthan, India
1998 Tamba Kiln Building Workshop, Collaboration with Japanese Master
1998 Public Art, Co-ordination/TAFE Liaison of Cooroy Streetscape Project

Work