Biography

After graduating as a school teacher in the late 1960s, Joy(Eftihia) McDonald decided to leave behind her teaching and began a career in the arts in the theatre as an actor & puppeteer in Sydney.

During this time and the ensuing years she took time out to study Fine Arts at Sydney University before moving to Adelaide and then the north NSW coast some years later.

Here she attained a TAFE certificate in studio ceramics and painting and began exhibiting (between puppet shows and teaching). This encouraged her to further her studies in the ACT and in 1997 graduated from the Australian National University School of Art with a degree in Arts Visual as the recipient of the Lyall T. Cullen Memorial prize in 1997.

In 2001 she was awarded the Export Craft ACT Canberra Souvenir Prize.

Since 1998 Joy has been a regular exhibitor as a professional artist in ceramics, painting and other media overseas, interstate and locally and her work may be found in several private collections including the Canberra Museum and Gallery, the Canberra Italo-Australian Club & in 1998 the International Craft Exhibition Centre, Itami, Japan (ceramics), Spencer Stuart Gateway, Macquarie Place Sydney.

Solo Exhibitions

PAINTING

  • 2009 Illusion (Prints) Megalo Access Arts Gallery
  • 2008 Journeying back Megalo Access Arts Gallery, Watson ACT, Multicultural Festival
  • 2007 The Colour of ABC ANCA Gallery Dickson, Canberra Living Artists Festival week

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS ACT (various media)

  • 2009 UNRAVEL Craft ACT Accredited Professional Members Exhibition
  • 2009 Megalo members’ Exhibition
  • 2009 Squares Strathnairn gallery ACT
  • 2009 Artmoment Gallery Bondi
  • 2008 Exquisite Craft ACT
  • 2008 Strathnairn Members Exhibition
  • 2008 Megalo Annual Members’ Exhibition
  • 2008 print media work Megalo V-Space
  • 2008 Weereewa Works on Paper Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, Lake George Festival
  • 2008 In the Fold, Australian National Capital Artists Gallery, Canberra
  • 2007 Studio Pieces Craft ACT
  • 2006 2 Materials Craft ACT

THEATRE

  • 1968-69 Professional actor/puppeteer Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Sydney

PERFORMANCES:

  • ‘The Explorers – Burke & Wills’ -cities and regional theatres Australia
  • Little Red Riding Hood schools tours national

  • Puss In Boots schools tours national

  • 1976-77

PERFORMANCES with Marionette Theatre of Australia

  • Wacky World of Words schools tours national
  • ‘Roos’ Sydney Opera House & regional centres Australia
  • ‘Hands’ Sydney Opera House & regional centres
  • ‘Tintookies’ Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre

Australia: Promotional work with Channel 9 Marilyn Mayo and Humphrey B. Bear

  • Excerpts for Playschool ABC Television
  • Bungawallop Series ABC Children’s Television
  • 1978-81 Independent performance stories Woollahra Library
  • 1983 Performance reporter Australia Council
  • 1982, 1983 ‘On The Line’ Adelaide Puppet Festival follow up
  • 1990 ‘Black and Beyond’ Coffs Harbour season NSW
  • 1968-1990 NSW Department of Education ( teacher,Librarian,ES)L …

Reviews & Articles

RECENT

  • Canberra Times March 3 2008
  • Canberra Times Feb 26 2008
  • Arts Capital Feb 2008

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES

  • 2008-9 artworkers.org (online gallery)
  • 2009 artwhatson.com.au/artmoment gallery
  • 2008 Brisbane Art Off the Wall http://www.artoffthewall.com.au
  • 2008 Capital Arts magazine March issue and Canberra Times August
  • 2007 www.abc.net.au/canberra/stories
  • 2007/8 Craft ACT Professional Members website
  • 2006 Voices & Spaces Indigenous & Multicultural ‘Writers in dialogue’
  • 2006/2008 Australian National Capital Artists website (Past members)
  • 2004
    • p12 V15/2 Friends; National Museum of Aust
    • pp 26-29 V15/3 Friends; National Museum of Australia
    • Nov.2004 pp.14-15 Museums Australia
  • 1998

Affiliations

AFFILIATED SITES * CRAFT ACT(http://www.craftact.org.au/portfolios/artist.php?id=293) * Australian National Capital Artists ANCA(http://www.anca.canberra.net.au/artist_profile.php?id=90& IdText=Joy+McDonald)

ARTS ORGANIZATIONS 2005 Jigsaw Theatre Board member 2001 ANCA Board member 2001 Peer Assessment Committee Arts ACT 1998-2010 CAPO Canberra Art Patrons Org. 1983 Performance reporter Australia Council MEMBERSHIPS 2006-10 CCAS Canberra Contemporary Art Space 2008-9 Strathnairn Arts centre 2007-10 Artworkers Alliance Inc Qld 2006-10 Megalo Print studios 2000-10 Accredited Professional Member of Craft ACT 1994-2010 Member NGA 1998-2010 NAVA

Grants, Awards & Prizes

PRIZES * 2001 Export Craft ACT Canberra Souvenir Prize 1997 Lyall T. Cullen Memorial prize GRANTS 2011 Arts ACT Project Devt. Grant 2010 CAPO Rosalie Gascoigne Award/Grant 1990 Production Grant, NSW Arts Council (Puppetry) Black and Beyond 1983 Production Grant, Theatre Board, Australia Council (Puppetry) to write, design & perform On The Line (a puppet show for adult audiences) FINALIST all media 2011 Fleurieu Water Prize (Highly Commended), Vistas Prize (Highly Commended) Landscape Prize 2008 Fleurieu Water Prize finalist(painting) 2008 Weereewa Works on Paper Bungendore Wood Works Gallery
Lake George Festival 2005 29th Alice Craft Acquisition Exhibition Alice Springs
(mixed media sculpture) 2001 Export Craft ACT Inaugural Canberra Souvenir (First Prize) 2000 Presiding Officer’s Acquisitive Craft Prize Exhibition, Parliament House, Canberra 2000 Millennium Platter Exhibition Ceramic Art Gallery, Paddington