“On Location, Margaret River” Joe Webster, Stu McMillan 20th July 2019

Stuart McMillan Artist – Paintings, Drawings, Sculpture

Born in South Australia, Stu McMillan visited Margaret River for a working, surfing holiday in 1999 and fell in love with the unique stretch of coast, making it his base ever since. His exploration with art until this time had been mostly self taught, and with the inspiration of the Indian Ocean and surrounding energetic environment, he decided to pursue his art approach more seriously. After completing a Tafe certificate III in contemporary Art & Craft in 2005, Stuart was accepted for a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley which he completed in 2008. Stu McMillan uses a diverse sensory pallet including painting, print making, sculpture, photography, video and sound installation for artistic expression. This allows his ideas to translate into both traditional and contemporary dialogues.

Artist Statement

Born in 1979, Whyalla, South Australia, Stuart’s family relocated to the river port town of Goolwa in the early eighties. Enamoured by water and nature at an early age, his passion for adventure, surfing, and road trips to new and uncharted environments grew into his mid and late teens. After completing high school, Stuart headed off on a two month sojourn up the east coast of Australia in a camper van with one other friend. This triggered an inner compass to search further beyond the parameters of home. With the excitement of meeting new people and discovering new places, this caused significant shift in intuition and view of the world. Relocating to Margaret River, Western Australia in 1999 for a surfing/working holiday, Stuart Instantly fell in love with the Indian Ocean and surrounding environment with its multifaceted wonderland of burgeoning bushland, huge ancient caves, rocky outcrops, reef formations, extensive bays, towering forests, and winding waterways. There is a raw beauty about this environment unlike any other place on earth. Around this time a more considered and dedicated approach to creating art begun. Deciding to expand on his mostly self taught repertoire of artistic skills, Stuart studied a Certificate III in Contemporary Art & Craft in 2005 at Margaret River TAFE. This fuelled passion for printmaking, photography, painting and sculpture, pushing him to pursue further art studies. He was accepted for a Bachelor of Visual Arts at in 2006 at Edith Cowan University, Mt Lawley completing his studies in 2008. Stuart McMillan has exhibited in several solo and group exhibitions, collaborated on public art commissions, curated/directed exhibitions and participated in international residency programs; including, Arteles Creative Residency Program, Finland 2017, Cottesloe Sculptures by the Sea 2016 – 2017,, Brighton Jetty Classic Sculptures, Adelaide 2015, Alexandrina Art Prize, SA, 2014, to name a few.

His artwork continues to evolve, working across a broad range of mediums, including and not limited to; sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, video and soundscapes. This allows his ideas to translate into both traditional and contemporary dialogues. 

Stuart McMillan is interested in contemplating our place within the environment (both natural and urban).

“Humans seem to be at odds with nature and ourselves, connection and harmony to these elements are vital for our survival”.

Curriculum Vitae

• Born: South Australia 1979

Education

• 2008- 2006 BA of Visual Arts, Edith Cowan University, Perth, W.A
• 2005 Certificate III in Art and Contemporary Craft, South West Regional TAFE, Margaret River W.A

Solo Exhibitions

• 2017 “Unseen, Unheard, Unspoken, Selected works, Art of Freo Gallery, J-shed, Fremantle, W.A
• 2015 “Ships of the Desert”, Recent works, La petite Galerie, Northbridge, W.A
• 2014 “The Space Between”, Photography show, Q Gallery, Strathalbyn, S.A.
• 2010 “In Transience”, Riseborough Estate Gallery/Winery, Gingin, W.A
• 2008 “Creatures of Habitat” Kurb Gallery, Northbridge, Perth, W.A
• 2007 “The Road So Far” Wino’s, Margaret River W.A

Group Exhibitions

• 2017 Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe, W.A
• 2016 Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe, W.A
• 2015 Brighton Jetty Classic Sculptures, Brighton Beach, Adelaide, S.A
• 2014 Contemporate Sculpture Trail, Surf Art Fest, Middleton, S.A
• 2014 Surface Tension, Group Exhibition, Goolwa, S.A
• 2014 Alexandrina Art Prize, Goolwa, S.A
• 2014 Emergence Creative Festival, Live video projections, Margaret River, W.A
• 2013 Undercurrent, Groupshow, Sculpture and photography, Port Elliot, S.A
• 2012 The Sketch Book Project, International touring exhibition.
• 2012 SurfAid Surf Art Charity Auction, Yallingup Surf Film Fest, Yallingup, W.A
• 2011 Old Customs House, Open Studios, Artsource Building, Fremantle, W.A
• 2011 Chapman & Bailey, Belle Arti Art Prize, Melbourne, Vic.
• 2011 Town of Mosman Park Art Awards, Mosman Park, Perth, W.A
• 2010 “Wandering Mind” Photography Exhibition, King St Arts Centre, Perth, W.A
• 2009 Town of Mosman Park Art Awards, Mosman Park, Perth, W.A
• 2008 “Bellwether” ECU Graduates, Mt Lawley, Perth, W.A
• 2008 Group show “Osmosis” Margaret River Galleries, Margaret River, W.A
• 2007 Town of Vincent Art Awards, Perth W.A
• 2006 Group Show “The Northbridge Project” Spectrum Gallery, Perth, W.A
• 2005 Group Show TAFE Graduates, Margaret River, W.A
• 2003 Finalist in Margaret River Shorts, Short Film Festival, W.A

Awards, Grants & Commissions

• 2018 Public Art Commission, Percent for Arts, North Perth School of Early Learning, Collaboration with Bjorn Rainer Adamson
• 2015 Mukinbudin Shire W.A Commission, Collaboration with Luke O’Donohoe
• 2014 Country Arts South Australia Grant, Alexandrina Council, Contemporate Sculpture trail, Part of the Salt Water Festival and Surf Arts Program, Middleton South Australia.
• 2014 Award, Second Prize, Emergence Creative Festival, Photography Competition, in conjunction with Elements Gallery Margaret River.

Studio Residencies

• 2017- Arteles Creative Centre, Hameekyro, Finland, April, Back to Basics, One month Artist Residency Program.
• 2015 – 2017 Old Customs House, Artsource, Fremantle, W.A
• 2011- 2012 Old Customs House, Artsource, Fremantle, W.A
• 2011 Fremantle Fibonacci Centre, Fremantle, W.A

Collections

• Local, interstate and international private collections.

Publications

• 2017 Artsource Artlines Magazine, Reflections- Digital Detox – Art, Nature and importance of re-connection, Arteles Creative Residency.
• 2016 The West Australian, March 4, Pg 7. Quirky profound fun on the sand.
• 2013 Riptide Magazine Australia, Shooting Gallery Photo spread
• 2011 Soggy Bones Magazine, Photo Annual, Western Australia