Denise Lithgow Australian, b. 1955

Overview

Denise is a textile artist, creating 2D & 3D felt objects and machine embroidery wall works.

She exhibits her work widely in Australia and Internationally and her works have been selected for the biannual, World of Threads exhibition in Canada, Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Mini Textile Art, Ukraine and recently a finalist in Australian Textile Art Awards. In 2019 her 2D machine embroidery pieces were selected for a travelling exhibition throughout Europe and Australia and she participated in a sculpture exhibition in Buren, The Netherlands and at Chateau De Gizeux in France. She was also invited as the guest artist for the 44th Annual Camden Art Prize. She has won many prizes including the Hornsby sculpture prize.

 

She teaches felting in places such as Portugal, London and the AGNSW. 

Her book “Living in a Felt World” has just been published. “The Link” sculpture has been published in the “Worldwide Colours of Felt” book, Netherlands and her work is included in the Dimensional Cloth, Sculpture by Contemporary Textile Artists book by Andra Stanton USA, and Australian Textile Art Award 2020 by Artwear Publications and many art magazines.

Her works are in private and public collections.

 

She says “growing up on a sheep property in South Australia has inspired her love of working with Merino Wool.” Denise’s works are produced using an intuitive layering of fibre and fabric for both her sculptures and 2-dimensional works. She works with vivid and tonal colours and her inspiration comes from an emotional response to her surrounding landscapes. She uses felt as it’s an ecological, sustainable textile and her 2D works are fabrics which are upcycled and eco dyed.

 

Works
Biography

Education

2022 Professional Development Seminar, Textiles Sydney, Primrose Park NSW

2017 Dionne Swift Machine Embroidery, Sydney,NSW

2016 Fiona Duthie Samplers, ContextBlue Mountains, NSW

2015 Cas Holmes Stitching / Anita Larkin Nature Forms, ATASDA, Sydney NSW

2015 Marjolein Dallinga Form in Felt Context, Hazelbrook, NSW

2013 Jorie Johnson,Mastering New Techniques in Fine Felting ATASDA, NSW

2013 Meredith Woolnough, Sculptural Embroidery& Resin Casting ATASDA, NSW

2011 Felicity Clarke, Embellisher /Judy Dominic Sculptural Basket Fibre Orange forum, NSW NSW          2010 Lynne Britten Dyeing with Drimarene-K ATASDA NSW

2009 Adrienne Sloane, Artful knitting/ Kirry Toose Art to Wear ATASDA, NSW

2009 Jean Collyer, Stitching ATASDA, NSW

2008 Cecila Player Stitching ATASDA, NSW

2007 Carolyn Sullivan Bayueau Stitch /Carol Wilkes, Embroidery, /Leah Jones Felting, NSW

2006 Jenny Hopper Felting ATASDA.Bronwyn Hunter Felting Karinga Arts Centre TAFA, NSW

2005 Ken Smith, Sheer Heavenly Machine Embroidery Grafton Artsfest, NSW

2004 Colleen Weste, Painting On Silk Grafton Artsfest, NSW

2002 Gabriella Verstraeten, Sumptuous and Exotic Fabric Panels” Grafton Artsfest, NSW

2001-2015 Sydney Day Surgery, RN, NSW

1999-2000 Medical Staffing Manager Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games NSW

1986-1988 Fashion Design Course, East Sydney and TAFE College, NSW.

1980-1999 Post Graduate Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. NSW

1976-1980 Post Graduate training, Royal Adelaide Hospital SA

1973-1976 General Nursing Training Royal Adelaide Hospital SA

 

Professional Experience

2022 Teaching Textiles Sydney workshop, Felt Fleece Rug making, Primrose Park Arts Centre, NSW

2022 Teaching 3D Felt Workshop, Hervey Bay, Qld

2021 Presentation Australia Design Centre Felt Talk & Demo, Sydney, NSW

2021 Teaching ATASDA felt 3D workshop, Sydney, NSW

2020 Teaching 3D Felting Bowral District Art Society, Bowral, NSW

2019 Teaching AGNSW

2019 Teaching workshop The Corner Store Gallery, Orange NSW

2019 Teaching Portugal, Olhao

2019 Teaching AGNSW, Sydney, NSW

2018 Teaching Arkaroola Art Adventures Northern Flinders Ranges SA

2018 Teaching AGNSW, Ryde Art Society,

2018 Judged Tumut Art Society Fibre Exhibition

2018 Teaching ArtEst Art School, Leichhardt, NSW. Canowindra Felt workshop, NSW,

2018 Teaching The Design Gallery, Terrigal, AGNSW, 3D felting vessels

2017 Teaching Context Hazelbrook, NSW & AGNSW

2017 Teaching Portugal,Olhao , London International Felt makers Association, Arkaroola Art Adventures

2016 Teaching Arkaroola Art Adventures Northern Flinders Ranges SA

2016 Speaker South Sydney ATASDA group Felting Techniques , NSW

2016 Teaching ATASDA felting workshop

2016 Teaching felt workshops AGNSW & Willoughby Art Centre

2015 Felt demonstration /exhibition London, Alexander Palace, Knitting & Stitching show, UK

2015 Teaching Felting Workshops AGNSW & Willoughby Art Centre

2015 Teaching Workshop Portugal Art in the Algarve Fantastic Felt Forms Vessels & Jewellery

2015 Macarthy Textile Group Studio visit & Presentation Felt Vessels, NSW

2015 Speaker Leura Harvest Festival, From Cottage industry to Gallery NSW

2015 Speaker Oxford Club, Studio, Leichhardt NSW

2014 Speaker Spinners and Weavers Guild, Burwood Creating Large Sculptural Felt Vessels

2014 Speaker ATASDA meeting, Marketing Strategies NSW

2013 Speaker 12th Southern Hemisphere Feltmakers Convergence, Illawarra, NSW

2012 Speaker ATASDA Meeting, Dence Park, Art Practice NSW

2011-2013 Eveleigh Artisans Market, Sydney, NSW

2006 started to create Art-To-Wear and textile works of art.

 

Solo Exhibitions

2021 Sculpture Wet Felting group, Guest Artist, 8yrs retrospective Exhibition, international online

2019 Guest Artist /The 44th Annual Camden Art Prize Camden NSW

2016 Denise Lithgow Textile Artist, Art Est, Leichhardt NSW

2016 Coast and Beyond, The Design Gallery, Terrigal NSW

2015 From the Ocean to the Desert, Red Poles Gallery, McLaren Vale, SA

2014Travelling West-From the Ocean to the Desert Musswellbrook Regional Art Centre, Muswellbrook

 

Group Exhibitions (Selected)

2022 Affordable Art Show Sydney Brenda Colahan Fine Art stand, Sydney, NSW

2022 Royal Art Society Guest Artist “Imagination & Abstraction”, North Sydney, NSW

2022 Finalist “Remagine sculpture prize” Wallarobba Hornsby, NSW

2022 Finalist Petite Miniature Prize, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Wangaratta, Vic

2022 Finalist Tumut  Fibre Art Exhibition, Tumut, NSW                                                                                   

2022NSW & ACT Fibre Textile Artists Connection Point, Canberra Museum & Gallery, ACT

2022 Finalist Wiild Wool, Australian Art Felting, Gallery 76, Concord West, NSW

2022 Finalist Bowral sculpture Prize, BDAS, Bowral, NSW

2022 Finalist Birdland11 Heritage Centre, Blackheath, NSW

2021-2022 Signatures, Untethered Fibre Artists, Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW

2021 Response to Landscape Peter Griffen and Denise Lithgow, Brenda Colahan Fine Art, Sydney

2021 Finalist Greenway Art Prize, Mungo Scott Building, Summerhill, NSW

2021 Arkaroola 3 Perspectives Exhibition, The Shop Gallery, Glebe, NSW

2021 Finalist HeArt of Annandale Open Prize, Annandale, NSW

2021 Finalist Sculpture on the Farm, online, Dungog, NSW

2021 Finalist Sculpture in the Gardens, Rosby Winery, Mudgee, NSW

2021 Abstracts from the Lowlands & Down Under 2, De CultuurHoek Gallery, The Netherlands

2021 Finalist Australian Fibre Art Awards, Gallery 76, Embroiderer’s Guild, Concord West, NSW

2021 Finalist Birdland11 exhibition, Heritage Centre, Blackheath, NSW

2021 Group sculpture exhibition sculpturesque decadence Audrey Fine Art Gallery, Pymont, NSW

2021 Signatures, Untethered Fibre Artists, Australian Design Centre, Sydney, NSW

2021 Finalist Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Prize, Australia Design Centre, NSW

2021 Finalist Bowral Sculpture Prize, Bowral NSW

2021 Found Narrative, Untethered Fibre Artists, Gallery M, Marion SA

2021 Gang of Five, Chapter 21, Bowral District Art Society, Bowral, NSW

2020 Gang of Five, The Shop Gallery, Glebe, NSW

2020 Group Exhibition Lockdown ArtEst, Leichhardt, NSW

2020 Finalist Petite Miniature Prize, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Vic

2020 Finalist Australian Textile Art Awards, The Embroiderers Guild, Vic

2020 Finalist Bowral District Art Society Sculpture Prize, Bowral, NSW

2020 Gang of Five A New Vision BDAS, Bowral NSW

2020 Finalist Birdland11 Heritage Centre, Blackheath, NSW

2020-2019 Responses to the Landscape, Peter Griffen & Denise Lithgow Leichhardt Library, Leichhardt,

2019 Finalist Sculpture in the Garden, Rosby, Mudgee NSW

2019 Finalist Greenway Art Prize, ArtEst Gallery, Leichhardt, NSW

2019 Abstracts from the Lowlands & Down Under Buren, De Oude Synagoge, The Netherlands

2019 Gang of Five Bowral & District Art Society Gallery, Bowral NSW

2019 Wandering West The Design Gallery, Terrigal NSW

2018 Finalist Greenway Sculpture Prize, ArtEst Gallery, Leichhardt NSW

2018 Finalist Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Prize, Australia Design Centre NSW

2018 Traces 3 Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra ACT

2018 Guest Artist with the collection & selected Stitch Cloth Thread Exhibition NSW Embroidery Guild

2018 Sculpture in the Garden Rosby, Mudgee, NSW

2018 Sculpture on the Farm, Dungog ,NSW

2018 Round about HeArt of Annandale NSW

2018 Finalist Buda Contemporary Textile Prize, Castlemaine, Vic

2018 Synthesis, Untethered Fibre Artists, Gallery One 88, Katoomba, NSW

2018Sculpture Chateau de Gizeux, Loire Valley, France

2018 The Space in Between Palm House Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney NSW

2018 Finalist Petite Miniature Textile Prize, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Wangaratta, Vic

2018 In Transit, Untethered Fibre Artists, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, ACT

2018 Earth Poetry Red Poles Gallery, McLaren Vale, SA

2018 Art Month Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW

2018 10 years Anniversary ArtEst Gallery, Leichhardt, NSW

2017 Finalist Hornsby Sculpture Exhibition, Wallarobba Arts & Culture Centre, Hornsby, NSW

2017 Finalist Greenways Sculpture Prize, ArtEst, Leichhardt, Seaview Gallery, Dulwich & Bankstown ,  2017 In Transit, untethered Fibre Artists, Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre, Hornsby 

2017 Sculpture in the garden, Rosby Winery, Mudgee NSW                                                                      

2017 Traces 2, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra ACT                                                                                               

2017 Ebb & Flow, untethered Fibre Artists,  Musswellbrook Art Centre, NSW NSW                                                  2017 Ebb & Flow, Untethered Fibre Artists, Belconnen Arts Centre, Canberra, ACT

2017 8th International Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Mini Textile Art “Scythia”, Kherson, Ukraine

2016 Hunters and Gatherers  Red Poles Gallery, McLaren Vale, SA.                                                         

2016 Finalist Hornsby Sculpture Prize Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre, Hornsby, NSW.                                      

2016 Finalist Greenways Sculpture Prize ArtEst Gallery, Leichhardt, Seaview Gallery, Dulwich, Campsie 2016 Ebb and Flow ATASDA Untethered group, Wallarobba Gallery, Hornsby, NSW.                  

2016 Finalist Buda Contemporary Textile Prize Castlemaine Vic                                                                  2016Finalist Art Unlimited, Dunedoo NSW                                                                                                  

2016 Finalist Petite Miniature Textile Biennial Prize, Wangaratta Art Gallery, Wangaratta Vic                                                                                     

2016 Finalist Stanthorpe Sculpture Prize, Stanthorpe Qld,                                                                                             

2016 Two person exh-Landscape-My Perspective-The Design Gallery Terrigal, NSW.                               2016 Finalist Warringah Contemporary Textile Prize seed stitch, Warringah, NSW                                   

2016 HeArt of Annandale-Future, Annandale, NSW                                                                                   

2016 Tumut Fibre Art Exhibition, Tumut NSW.                                                                                                             

2016 Finalist, Hunters Hill Sculpture Prize, Sydney ,NSW                                                                          

2016 Façade, ATASDA Palm House Gallery, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, NSW                                 

2016 Landscapes-Ways of Seeing Pandora Gallery, Coolah, NSW                                                              

2015 Finalist Hornsby Sculpture prize Wallarobba Arts & Cultural Centre, Hornsby, NSW.                                         

2015 Out of Hand, ATASDA Untethered Fibre Artists -Wallarobba Arts Centre, Hornsby, NSW.             2015 The Two of Us Breathing Colours Gallery, Balmain, NSW                                                                

2015 Finalist, Sculptures in the Garden Rosby Winery, Mudgee, NSW                                                              

2015 Finalist, Harbour Sculpture Prize, Woolwich, NSW.                                                                  

2015 Coastal Watch  Peter Griffen & Denise Lithgow CurveGallery, Newcastle, NSW.                              

2015 Sheepshape Guest Artist Craft NSW Gallery, Sydney, NSW                                                                              

2015 Collectors Choice Artsite Gallery, Camperdown, NSW

2014 Collectors Choice Artsite Gallery, Camperdown, NSW                                                                   

2014 Finalist, A common thread, School House Gallery, Hobart, Tasmania                                              

2014The Red & The Black International, World of Threads Festival, Ontario, Canada,                                   2014 Elevation Pandora Gallery, Coolah, NSW                                                                                             

2014 The Figure, Flowers &Felted Vessels 2person exhibition, Painters Gallery, Manly, NSW 

2014 Hunters Hill Art Prize Hunters Hill, & Tumut Fibre Art Prize,Tumut, NSW                                                                                      

2014 Royal Sydney Arts and Crafts, Homebush, NSW                                                                                    

2013 Collectors Choice Artsite Gallery, Camperdown, NSW                                                                       

2013 Finalist Outback Open Art Prize, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, NSW                         2013 Brooch Show, Contemporary Art Society Fitzroy/Richmond, Melbourne, Vic                                      

2013 Finalist Cotton Fibre Expo, Narrabri, NSW                                                                                          

2013 Finalist Hunters Hill Sculpture prize, Hunters Hill, NSW

2013 Royal Sydney Arts and Crafts                        

2013 Tumut Fibre Art Exhibition, Tumut, NSW                                                                                    

2012 Variegated Threads, A common thread International, World of Threads Festival, Ontario, Canada. 2012 Beyond the Surface, Gallery 54, Paddington, Brisbane, Qld                                                               2012 Fragment ATASDA Royal Botanical Gardens, Sydney, NSW                                                                 

2012 Finalist Broken Hill Regional Gallery Art Prize, Broken Hill, NSW                                                                

2012 Finalist Petite miniature Textiles Wangaratta Art Gallery, Wangaratta, Vic                                          

2012 Finalist Hunters Hill Art Prize, Hunters Hill NSW                                                                                     

2012 Royal Sydney Arts and Craft ,Homebush, NSW

2012 A Retrospective Two person, Grenfell Regional Gallery, Grenfell, NSW                                                 

2011 The Salon Show, Painters Gallery, Avalon, NSW                                                                                             

2011 Jane Goodall save our forests, Carriage works, Sydney, NSW                                                             

2011 Royal Sydney Arts and Craft, Homebush, Sydney, NSW                                                                

2011 Afghanistan-Australian Arts Project, Kubal, Afghanistan

2010 Strike A Pose Collaborative work with Peter Griffen, Double Bay, NSW                                                

2010 Royal Sydney Arts and Craft, Homebush, Sydney NSW                                                             

2010Voyages of the Imagination, ATASDA, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, NSW                                     

2010 Finalist Totems Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, Qld                                                             

2010-2009 Shelf Life, Delmar Gallery, Ashfield, NSW                                                                                     

2009 The Art of Recycling, Brisbane Textile Art Festival, Brisbane, Qld                                                         

2009 Royal Sydney Arts and Craft, Homebush Sydney, NSW                                                                       

2007 Shelf Life Delmar Gallery, Ashfield, NSW                                                                                            

2007 Yarrawonga Arts Council, Yarrawong, Vic                                                                                             

2007 FinalistTextile Biennial Fibres and Fabrics, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, Qld                           

2006 Finalist Up over Down Under ATASDA, NSW Parliament House, Sydney, NSW                                 

2005 Small Wonders Delmar Gallery, Ashfield, NSW

 

Touring Exhibitions

2019-2021 Found Narrative, Untethered Fibre Artists,,,Wallarobba Arts Centre, Hornsby, Muswellbrook Regional Gallery,NSW, Gallery M, Marion, SA

2019 Unseen, Untethered Fibre Artists, Gallery M, Adelaide, SA, Goulburn Regional Gallery. NSW,  Manning River Gallery, Taree, NSW

2019 Collective Stitches NSW Embroidery Guild Croyden NSW

2018 Collective Stitches Sala Polifunzionale, Tornareccio, Abruzzo, Italy, Knitting and Stitching show, Olympia, London, Hawar, Oldeberkoop, Netherlands, Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace, London, Knitting and Stitching Show, Dublin, Ireland, Knitting and Stitching Show, Harrogate, Yorkshire

2010 Finalist The Art of Recycling, Brisbane Textile Art Award, Melbourne art and craft fair,

2009 Exotica: Bugs, Botanica, ATASDA Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide, and Canberra.

 

Residencies

2019 Selected as Artist in Residence, Camden Art Prize 44th Annual Exhibition, Camden, NSW

2012 Artist-in-residency Alerayc, France,

2011 “Designing Minds” The Studio Gallery, Gosford Regional Gallery & Arts Centre

 

Awards, Prizes, Grants

2022 Highly Commended, Bowral Sculpture Prize, Bowral, NSW

2021 Winner Excellence in Felt Prize, Australian Fibre Art Awards 

2021 Highly Commended, Bowral Sculpture prize Bowral, NSW

2018 Highly Commended, Camden Sculpture Prize NSW

2017 Major Prize sponsored Dobbs Gallery, Textures of One, Blayney, NSW

2016 Highly Commended, Buda Contemporary Textile Castlemaine, Vic

2016 Sculpture Prize, HeArt of Annandale, Future, Annandale NSW

2016 Highly Commended, Art Unlimited, Dunedoo, NSW

2015 Highly commended Hornsby Sculpture Prize, Wallarobba Arts & Cultual Centre, Hornsby, NSW

2015 Fibre Art Prize, Textures of One’, Blayney, NSW

2014 ATASDA NSW Grant

2014Hornsby Sculptural Prize, Wallarobba Arts & Cultual Centre, Hornsby, NSW

2014 Royal Sydney Arts and Crafts: 1st Hand Bag, 2nd Wall Hanging & Sculptural Vessel,

2013 Royal Sydney Arts and Crafts: 2nd wall hanging, 3rd sculpture vessel,

2013 Fibre Section, 2ndprize Tumut Art Society Fibre Art, NSW

2012 Royal Sydney Arts and Crafts: 1st wall hanging, 2nd handbag 3rd embellished jacket

2011 Royal Sydney Arts: 1st wall hanging, 3rd hand bag, highly commended sculpture vessel

2010 Royal Sydney Arts: 2nd wall hanging, 3rd felted jacket, highly commended mixed media

2009 Sydney Royal Arts 1st wearable art, 2nd wall hanging, 3rd handbag.

2009 Winner Brisbane Textile Art Festival, Brisbane, Art to wear, Qld

 

Professional Affiliations

International Felt Makers Association

Australian Textile Arts and Surfaces Design Association, ATASDA

The Australian Forum for Textile Arts, TAFTA

NSW Embroidery Guild

Untethered Fibre Artists Group

 

Commissions and Collections

2021 In & Out of Drought sculpture, Private Collection, Louise Bourke, Sydney, NSW

2019 “My Mud Map” Alistair Stevenson Private Collection, Sydney, NSW

2015 Commission Ambrosia Medical, New South Head Rd, Sydney 3-Mixed Media Works

2015 Dancing Sea Horses Hugh Kraefft150x50cm, NSW

2014 Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre collection Sculptural Felt Vessels/Textile Work

2014 Max Watters Collection, Mixed Media work

2010 Commission “Kimberley Canyon” 1.7x1.1mts, Felt Vessel, Katina Sweeting, Sydney NSW, Australia

2009 “Paradise Landscape” Private Collection, Lois Going, New Zealand 

2008 “Coastal Landscape 2”, 26x20cm mixed media private collection, California USA.

 

Exhibitions
Bibliography

Publications:

2021 Australian Felt Magazine, Dec issue: Profile, Article Process Felting "In & Out of Drought" & Australian Fibre Art Awards

2021 Textile Fibre Forum Magazine, Dec Issue, Readers Gallery Denise Lithgow

2021 Australian Fibre Art Awards book, Art Wear publications, editor Lynda Worthington

2021 Living in a Felt World, Book Self Published, Design by Kym Griffen

2020 Australian Artist Magazine issue April 2020, Three Prespectives

2020 Australian Textile Art Awards, Artwear Publications, editor Lynda Worthington

2019 Hand Eye online magazine Wallworks & Sculptures, Denise Lithgow April issue

2018Studio La Primitive Arts Zine issue 26 July pages 38-51 online Denise Lithgow 

2018 Textile Fibre Forum publication 131

2018 Dimensional Cloth Sculpture by Contemporary Textile Artists, USA, Andra F Stanton

2017 Hand Eye online magazine Earth Connection Denise Lithgow Sculptured Felt Vessels June issue

2016 World Wide Colours of Felt,Textile- Link, Ellen Bakker, Netherlands

2015 Spotlight on Australia & New Zealand, Felt Matters, International feltmakers association, Issue 120

2015 3D Sculptural Felt Vessels Textile Fibre Forum Issue No 119,

2014 Travelling West - From the Ocean to the Desert. Fibreline Issue158 page 25

2014 Denise Lithgow Featured Artist World of Wool, UK,

2012 The Art of Marketing Fibreline Issue 147

2010 Featured artist, Fibreline Issue 142