| James Powditch about | ||
| James Powditch is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Marrickville, Sydney. His work combines elements of sculpture, assemblage, painting and architecture and is heavily influenced by cinema history. | ||
| personal history | ||
| 1966 | Born Sydney, Paddington Women's Hospital - now apartments.
Father Peter Powditch (also an artist). Mother Jenny Magrath. |
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| 1967 | Divorced | |
| Grew up with his mother in Sydney and on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland | ||
| Spent entire youth in a beanie with lego in front of the tele - favourite movies - anything with Kim Novak or William Holden, preferably both, Picnic being the ultimate. | ||
| 1979-1984 | North Sydney Boys High School. Makes Super 8 film for HSC major work. Sneaks into R rates horror movies instead of pubs. | |
| 1985-1987 | Attempted BA in Visual Arts at City Art Institute (now COFA) majoring in film, heroes - Scorcese, Kubrick, Scott, Coppola. Failed to complete art school. | |
| 1987-1990 | Barman/Waiter, worked for Ray Hughes Gallery as general shit kicker, started making stuff (art assemblage type stuff) | |
| 1990-1992 | Overseas travel to Europe. Lived Spain, Greece, England and France. Worked on Eurodisney | |
| 1992-1997 | Moved into Martin Luther King mural building in his beloved Newtown. His lounge room - The Oxford Hotel, King Street. Home of first studio. Later saves above-mentioned mural from development. Works set building and props making for Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Theatre Company, The Australian Museum amongst others. Learns many skills. | |
| 1996 | Met Diane Adair, long time girlfriend, the night after Labor lost the federal election - vowed to stay with her only until Labor regained office - many years on with a huge mortgage and 2 children - they are still together | |
| 1997 | First show with friend Rodney Simmons (painter) at TAP Gallery, an artist-run space in Darlinghurst. | |
| 1999 | First commercial gallery gig at Dickerson Gallery, Woollahra of sculptures inspired by the buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright. Travelled the Americas - Canada, US, Mexico - saw buildings of above-mentioned Frank | |
| 2000 | First film based show Widescreen at Dickerson Gallery, followed by Technicolor and Cinemascope | |
| 2001 | Bought 640sqm factory in Marrickville, Sydney, a new home and studios for Diane (graphic designer) and James. Pluses - walking distance to airport and an auxillary shed for extra storage | |
| 2002 | Returns to Ray Hughes Gallery as an artist. Starts work at the Art Gallery of NSW as a casual with the packers and installation crew. | |
| 2003 | The Powditch and Powditch Show - a joint show with Peter Powditch, dad | |
| 2005 | First solo show Ray Hughes Gallery - Boo! | |
| Wins Blake Prize with Intelligent Design - God is in the detail | ||
| 2006 | Leaves Ray Hughes Gallery | |
| 2001-2007 | Finalist: Sulman 02/03/04/07, Wynne 05/06, Dobell Prize for Drawing 07, Salon des Refuses 04/05/06/07, The Year in Art 03/05/07, Mosman Art Prize, Woollahra Sculpture Prize 01, Sculpture by the Sea 02, ABN Amro Emerging Artist Prize 05, Blake Religious Prize for Art 04, Paddington Art Prize 07 | |
| 2007 | Wins Mosman Art Prize with Butterfly Effects | |
| 2008 | Finalist: Archibald, Wynne & Sulman (first Archibald hanging with a portrait of actor Aden Young) | |
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