About
Jorji Gardener lives on Peramangk land, in the Adelaide Hills. She says of her art practice: Our environmental situation is precarious, and my intention is for my artwork to facilitate further understanding and appreciation of the beauty and importance of biodiversity and ecology. I draw on my background in botany, as well as my love of natural history, all of which I weave into my work. A large focus of my art is in highlighting the connection we have with the natural world and bringing the wonder of nature to the public’s attention.
Born in London, in 1965, she emigrated to Australia with her family in 1971. In 1985 she moved to Cairns to study horticulture and ran her own landscaping business specialising in Australian native plants and revegetation. Jorji worked with First Nations communities on several award-winning projects including the Tjapukai Aboriginal Dance Theatre.
She completed a Certificate in Printmaking at Lismore TAFE college 2003, and on moving to Adelaide in 2004 continued further studies in Printmaking at the Adelaide Central School of Art. In 2018 she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts with Flinders University, Adelaide College of Arts, and is currently midway through her Honours degree at Adelaide Central School of Arts.
With a background in horticulture and botany, as well as a life-long love of the natural world it is no surprise that her art practice revolves around the natural environment. Working in printmaking, drawing, and installation her work focuses on natural history, flora, and fauna.
She has exhibited regularly in group exhibitions in South Australia, and her work has been selected for many exhibitions, such as the Adelaide Parklands Art Prize, The Rick Amor Print Prize, Melbourne, Ink masters Print Prize, Cairns, and the South Australian Living Artists exhibition at Hill Smith Gallery in 2017.
Important to her art practice is connecting with community. She is experienced in teaching workshops for a variety of groups, including Skylight mental health services, and the Indigenous Ngarrindjeri Community from a successful grant application in 2018.
Artistic Portfolio
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Flight, An Illustrated Notebook of Bird Life and Loss, Jorji Gardener, Viv Szekeres, [Curated Sky Publications, Adelaide, 2022]
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2023 | Flight, South Australian Museum, Adelaide
2022 | Flight, Exhibition and Book Launch, West Torrens Auditorium Gallery, Adelaide
2019 | Out of Context, Mrs Harris Shop, Torrensville, Adelaide
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2022 | Westside Stories - Little Galleries Adelaide Fringe Festival, West Torrens
2021 | Overwintering Project, South Australian Museum
2021 | Finalist in Gallery M Contemporary Art Prize, Gallery M, Adelaide
2019 | Winner of the Premier Art Prize, Gallery M Contemporary Art Prize
2018 | Drawing on Country, SALA in the Coorong, Tailem Bend Gallery
2017 | AC Arts Graduate Show, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide
2017 | Finalist, AC Arts SALA, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
2017 | Strange Plants, Norwood Art Images Gallery, Adelaide
2016 | Finalist, Parklands Art Prize Festival, Theatre Gallery, Adelaide
2015 | Finalist, Rick Amor Print Prize, Montselvat, Melbourne, Victoria
2015 | Finalist, Solar Art Prize, RSASA Gallery, Adelaide
2014 | Finalist, Inkmasters Biennial Print Exhibition, The Tanks, Cairns
2014 | Finalist, Parklands Art Prize Festival, Theatre Gallery, Adelaide
2013 | Harvest Urban Cow Studio, Adelaide
2011 | Colores de Otoño, Museum of Riogordo, Spain
2010 | Finalist Solar Art Prize, RSASA Gallery North Terrace Adelaide
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2014 | Flora and Fauna Urban Cow Studio, Adelaide, with Andrea Wyatt
2015 | Flora and Fauna, Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf, with Andrea Wyatt
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2013-2014 | Finalist, The Era We Live In, Regional Galleries of Adelaide
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2019-2022 | South Australian Museum
February, 2013 | Cleland Wildlife Park
April 2016 & 2017 | Baker’s Flat Archaeological Dig, Kapunda