Indigenous Interiors - Alison Williams

Aboriginal artist Alison Williams is a descendant of the Gumbaynggirr tribe who lives in the Clarence Valley, NSW, Australia and is recognised as one of the leading contemporary Indigenous artists on the North Coast of NSW. Alison has been practising art since she was about 8 years old and proffessionally for approximately 20 years and produces a diverse range of fine arts from fibre crafts and sculpture to drawings and paintings.

"I am a strong advocate for cultural awareness and strive, as a Gumbaynggirr descendant and artist, to share the wisdom and knowledge of my culture. I believe that understanding is the key to acceptance and therefore unity."

BRIEF CV: PROFFESSIONAL PROFILE

CERT I Indigenous Language, CHEC TAFE

CERT IV Indigenous Leadership, Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre, Canberra.

CERT IV Assessment and Workplace Training, North Coast Instiitute of TAFE, NSW.

CERT IV Business Governance.

WORK EXPERIENCE
2011 2009- 2008-	Visual Artist, mentor, teacher, arts consultant Curator, Wadjar Art Gallery, Yarrawarra Cultural Centre. Aboriginal Project Officer for Arts Mid North Coast Inc. Event Co-ordinator, Yarrawarra Women's Gathering, annual retreat. Guest Speaker, Building Blox Forum, Dunghutti Ngaku Aboriginal Art Gallery. Kempsey Performance artist, Darlington Beach Resort & Sydney Weekender Film Crew Artist in Residence, Morden, Manitoba. 2 months. Guest speaker, Magregor collegiate school, Manitoba. CANADA Interview: Aboriginal Peoples' Television Network (APTN) re: Canadian art tour Guest Speaker, Saint Claude Collegiate School & Morden Collegiate School, Manitoba. CANADA Curator/ Artist, Grafton Regional Gallery. NSW. Guest speaker FEHVA, Bangalow, NSW Interviewed by Message Stick ABC, re Arrawarra Fish Traps. Guest Tutor UNE NAIDOC week at Coffs Harbour Education Campus.
2006-08	Staff/ Centre Manager, Yarrawarra Cultural centre, Corindi Beach, NSW
2005-	Arts co-ordinator, Yarrawarra Aboriginal Corporation. Teacher- Fine Arts, Coffs Harbour TAFE. Art & pottery teacher, Paragon Potters workshop, South Grafton NSW Indigenous artist
2004- 1998-2002-	TAFE Outreach Teacher, Aboriginal Arts & Cultural Practices, Potters' Workshop South Grafton NSW. Sole proprietor, Paragon Potters' Workshop (2002- 2005) TAFE fine arts teacher, North Coast Institute, Grafton Correctional Centre, Acmena.

AWARDS & PRESENTATION
2010 2009- 2008-	finalist NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Prize 'A Special Kind of Vision' Contemporary Aboriginal Art from the Northern Rivers Finalist, JADA Grafton regional Gallery Awarded NSW Indigenous Art Fellowship, Sydney City Council & Arts NSW NIDAC Logo competition certificate of appreciation. Feature in Stepping stones Book, Arts Northern rivers. Peoples Choice Award, NAIDOC Expo, Coffs Harbour Museum.
2007-	WINNER Clarence Valley Indigenous Art award. Finalist, NSW Parliament Indigenous Art Prize. WINNER Naidoc Art Expo, Coffs Harbour
2005-	Finalist, NSW Parliament Indigenous Art Prize
2002-	Coffs Harbour Annual Art & Craft Prize- commendation award Coraki Tea Tree Art Prize -1st Place, Peoples Choice Award -2nd Place , sculpture section.

EXHIBITIONS & COMMISSIONS
2009- 2008-	'Collectors Paradise", Northern Rivers Art Gallery, Ballina.GroupShow 'A Special Kind of Vision', group exhibition and booklaunch, Retrospect Gallery,Byron Bay. "Black Tie Gala" Philanthropic Art Auction, Waldorf Astoria, New York. USA Gurgun Art Sale, Australia Day Long Weekend, Lismore community Chambers The Art of Dreaming, Irvin Head, Alison Williams and Marcel Debreuil, Cranberry Portage Canada, Morden manitoba. Televised show APTN Winnipeg, Canada Jacaranda Aquisitive Drawing Award (JADA) finalist, Grafon Regional Gallery, NSW. "Identity" showcase exhibition, Grafton Regional Gallery "Year of the apology", Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina NSW. Mural commissioned by Saint Francis Xavier School, Woolgoolga, NSW. NAIDOC Expo, Coffs Harbour Museum, NSW. Stepping Stones Indigenous Art Project "Express Respect" NPWS Aboriginal Art Prize, Tweed River Gallery, NSW.
2007-	"Sweet Transformations" Grafton Regional Gallery & Illuka Library, NSW NSW Parliament Indigenous Art Prize touring exhibition. National Parks & Wildlife Aboriginal Art Award, Grafton Regional Gallery. Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award.
2006-	"O'Grady Sisters Redrawn", Grafton regional Gallery Commission- Yarrawarra Aboriginal corporation & Marine Parks Authority for 7 illustartions depicting the Arrawarra Fish traps and cultural significance. Commission- North Coast Area Health Service, public artwork/ mural at Coffs Harbour Base Hospital. Exhibition "Seven Spirits" Pembina Hills Art Centre, Morden Manitoba, CANADA. Commission- Greater Western Area Health Service, 3 artworks.
2005-	NSW Parliament Indigenous Art Prize, Parliament House Sydney. Commission- NSW Department of Health, North Sydney. Artwork for cultural awareness project. "Spirit of the Valley" joint exhibition Grafton regional Gallery. ARTSFEST, student exhibition. coffs Harbour annual art & craft expo, Southern Cross University, NSW. Wadjar art Gallery opening, Yarrawarra Cultural centre, Corindi Beach, NSW.
2004-	"Beyond the buffer zone" solo exhibition, Gloucester Community Gallery NSW. Sunrise art exhibition, Lismore City Hall. Coraki tea Tree Art Prize, Coraki, NSW. Australia Day exhibition of excellence, council chambers, Grafton. NSW.