I'm thrilled to be selected as artist in residence at the Victorian Woodworkers Association for a 3 year term.

Public sculpture on the Brick Bay Sculpture trail and indoor small sculpture pieces in the Brick Bay art gallery. Pieces are currently available through their online shop.

Wanda Gillespie is a contemporary artist based in Naarm/Melbourne Australia. A belief in the spiritual potency of physical objects drives her work. Through pairings or groupings, like the constellation of stars, a cause and effect occurs, an alchemy of form, material and space. Wood is chosen for it’s energetic qualities, a conduit connecting to country/whenua/place. Gillespie has established a unique practice centred on the form of the abacus. With her bespoke interpretations of this ancient counting instrument, she explores systems of value and how, within them, the material and the sacred become entwined.​Over the past decade she has refined her craft as a woodcarver through the creation of evocative portrait sculptures, combining detailed and abstracted, ancient and contemporary form. Familiar objects, are reimagined with alternate uses, history, culture and ceremony. By using traditional craft techniques in contemporary ways, she questions known histories and the nature of reality.Gillespie has established a significant practice with numerous solo exhibitions, awards and residencies. She was recently awarded the 2020 Wallace Art Awards Jury prize, and has been finalist and highly commended in many sculpture prizes including the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Award, National Contemporary Art Award, Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, Waiheke Small Sculpture Prize, John Fries Memorial Prize, the Blake Prize, and the National Sculpture Prize. She received the Art and Australia Credit Suisse Private Banking Contemporary Art Award in 2014. Her solo projects have been funded by the Australian Arts Council, City of Melbourne, Arts Victoria, Creative New Zealand, and Heart of the City (Auckland Council).

As part of public programs for my exhibitions at galleries and museums as well as artist residencies, I teach art/craft workshops. These include chip carving and abacus making workshops.

Public sculpture for Boon Sculpture Trail

Teaching ornamental relief carving, bird carving in the round and chip carving.

Creating a large 'Circular Economy' interactive abacus sculpture for the 2022 Sculpture on the Gulf trail. Limited editions were commissioned for private collectors after the event.

PhotographyPhotographing of incoming loaned art works and new acquisitions, as well as art works from the permanent collection pre and post conservation work.Exhibition photography and opening event photography. Digitisation/editing/retouching and archiving of old film exhibition documentation.Photographing/digitisation/editing and retouching of historical documents and photographs from the Frances Hodgkins collection.Photographing and digitising documents, objects and photographs from artist archives for the research library and publications.Paper conservation Art handling and cutting mattes for framingGallery technicianInstalling a variety of art works from sculpture, painting, works on paper, installation and new media.Framing works on paper for display.Lighting through out gallery with track lighting systems. Working with curators, exhibition designers and subcontractors to realise exhibitions.

Artist in residence at the Cite des Arts, courtesy of the Art Gallery of NSW Moya Drying studio. Created a costumed performance photography project and research. Open studio exhibition at the residency conclusion.

Artist in residence at the Institute of technology Bandung and Jatiwangi Art Factory, Magalengka. Involved developing several photographic and sculptural projects, teaching photography, curating an exhibition of student photography work in the university gallery.