Profile
Liadaan has drawn and painted all her life and was encouraged by and took lessons from her beloved artist father Harry Thomas who was a past student of Archibald Colquhoun. [Meldrum School] Liadaan used to work under the name of Lyndel Thomas. [Lyndel Thomas Art]. She now uses the nom de plume of Liadaan.
MEDIA AND ACTIVITIES
Her main media is oil, however she also enjoys pastels, gouache and drawing media. Her plein air work is a regular activity. She draws and paints from the model on a weekly basis. Sculpture is also part of her artistic life.
AWARDS
The Botticelli prize, Florence, 2014
Finalist Len Fox painting Award 2011 and 2013
First overall prize winner Society of Melbourne Women Painters and Sculptors, 2003
Finalist James Farrell Portrait Prize
Overall winner Traralgon rotary and winner sculpture section Castlemaine rotary and judges choice of an oil painting plus many highly commended awards
FURTHER STUDIES
Because of her love of chiaroscuro she studied with various teachers from the tonal school in Melbourne. She also studied painting at Monash University for a short while and took several study trips to Europe and India as well as the U.S. Liadaan is a contemplative painter working in the tonal method. The light, atmosphere, mood and poetry of the subject is what she aims for. She favours late afternoon and crepuscular subjects in her landscape and contemplative poses in her figure paintings. Her paintings have been described as contemplative, lyrical and serene. She is also very interested in symbolism and enjoys working and experimenting with this genre and has a great love and admiration of the Pre-Raphaelites. She majored in sculpture with a credit at the Ballarat University, School of mines in 1999 and completed a clay sculpture workshop with Debra Fritts in New Mexico, U.S. in 2015.
GALLERIES PRESENT AND PAST
Her work has been exhibited in many group exhibition’s both in Australia and overseas but in recent times mostly overseas [see time frame below and news/exhibitions/media]
Her paintings are presently on exhibition in Rome at the Rossocinabro Gallery and represented in Venice at the Studio Arte Carapostol. Also work on exhibition at the Galerie Metanoia, Paris.
Past galleries are Spectrum Gallery Balwyn, Williamstown Gallery Melbourne, Helen Miles Gallery, Essendon, C.V. Jones Antique and Art Gallery Ballarat, Victorian Artists Society Gallery, Pantechnicon Gallery Daylesford, Without Pier Gallery and Heron’s Gallery, Castlemaine.
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS
Liadaan ran her own Studio/Gallery/School in Daylesford in the 90’s where she held classes and her paintings and sculpture were on constant display to the public. She also taught pastels at the Helen Miles Gallery, Essendon and tonal painting at Brace, Ballarat in the early nineties along with a workshop at the University of Ballarat. In the mid eighties she taught pastels at the Altona Artist’s Society and the Yarraville Neighbourhood house.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Public collections are held at the RSL, Footscray, Victoria and The Latrobe Regional Hospital, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia also at The Skopelos Foundation of the Arts, Greece.
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
The Skopelos foundation of the arts, Skopelos, Greece, 2015
THE PAINTING LIFE
Since participating in the Florence Biennale in 2013 Liadaan has been concentrating on exhibiting in Europe and she exhibited her paintings in Verona, Italy in June 2016 along with other European showings of her work. Her love of Europe and travel are a big influence on her work. She has won many awards for both her painting and sculpture and her work is held in private and public collections in Australia, Europe, U.S.A, Canada, New Zealand and India. Two of her paintings are held by the Skopelos Foundation of the Arts collection in Greece. Her last major awards and selected exhibitions were in Italy [The Sandro Botticelli prize, Florence] – and she was represented in Rome, Venice, Milan, Palermo, Noto, Pisa, Lecce and Brindisi also selected to exhibit in France, Scotland Austria, Germany and Spain. [The Carousel Du Paris 2015, France and the Galerie des Carmes, Toulouse, France, 2016 along with “The Magic Art Wonder” in the MAMAG Modern Art Museum, near Vienna, Austria and the Dundas Gallery, Edinburgh] She was also selected to exhibit at the Museum of Marrakech, Morocco in March, 2016 and exhibited 5 paintings at the Triennale of Contemporary Art, Verona, June 2016. Her work was also exhibited in New York, Washington and Tokyo in August ’16.
In March 2015 she completed a successful open studio exhibition of mixed media works as part of the Castlemaine State Festival. This was held with Kurt Forrer, dream mentor and writer.
In April 2011 she held a solo exhibition of 29 women’s portraits, which included children and animals. This project was sponsored by the Bendigo Bank and held at the historic and elegant Dudley House, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It was opened by Noel Waite, at that time President of the Victorian Artists Society.
The most important thing to Liadaan is the act of creation! Life is art and art is life! Animal welfare is extremely important to her and she tries to be a voice for them where she can.
TIME FRAME
2024
Finalist Kennedy prize S.A. August/September
Finalist Maldon landscape prize July
2023
Goth festival pop up gallery August – Maldon town
21st June to 16th Aug – SOLO EXHIBITION – Convent Gallery, Daylesford
5th May to 3rd July – SOLO EXHIBITION – Gallery 127 Avoca, Victoria.
4th Feb -Firenze Contemporary – A landscape in a selected exhibition by the Rossocinabro Gallery Rome
2022
I am honoured and delighted to have my work on show at the beautiful Convent Gallery in Daylesford. There are paintings and some bronze sculptures and I have been offered an artists residency. June 17th for 6 weeks. Thank you Tina and Marija.
International Art Curator Magazine June
2021
OPEN STUDIO/SCULPTURE GARDEN – Launched my Open Studio/Sculpture Garden 11th April in Maldon, Victoria. Open weekends and holidays.
CASTLEMAINE STATE FESTIVAL – Solo exhibition – Sculpture garden, paintings, haiku – 19th March to 11th April
BOOK OF PAINTINGS AND HAIKU – Published a book of paintings and haiku in Italy which was launched at the Castlemaine State Festival open studio.
2020
ROSSOCINABRO GALLERY, ROME CO-EXISTENCE 7 – Group Exhibition – March/April
ASHTREE GALLERY, TARADALE – ARTS OPEN – 7TH TO 15TH March
ARTS OPEN, MEET THE MAKERS – Solo exhibition of paintings and sculptures – 7TH TO 15TH March
BYARTS STUDIO MULTIFUNZIIONALE, group exhibition Milan, Italy – 1 – 14 Feb
2019
GRANDE DELL’ART, group exhibition. Palermo, Italy Dec
CASCADE ART, MALDON – Solo foyer exhibition 27 paintings
PREMIO INTERNAZIONALE MICHELANGELO, Italy, July – By invitation – 1 painting
CASCADE ART, MALDON -FROM NATURE SPRUNG -A plein air group exhibition [by invitation]- 5 plein air paintings on show at Maldon’s art treasure, Cascade Art from 6th June to 7th July ’19
ASH TREE GALLERY, TARADALE -LIVE BODIES/STILL LIVES – A group exhibition by artists from the Tara Creative Centre Taradale bing held at the Ash Tree Studio Taradale Victoria 16th March-28th March – 11 paintings on show
ARTISTS DELL’ANNO, Italy [ARTIST OF THE YEAR’ Jan 2019 – 1 large oil painting – ‘Blinded by the light’
CASCADE ART 1A Fountain Street, Maldon. THE LONG SUMMER SALON 2nd Jan ’19 opening 2pm 12th Jan and closing on 3rd March – 10 paintings on show
Traveling group exhibition – ‘Small works from a big place’ – Nov/Dec – Riddells Creek, Castlemaine, Bendigo December through to March
2018
Cascade Art Christmas Show – 24th Nov to 24 Dec – 2 works both sold – Winner peoples choice award
Traveling group exhibition – ‘Small works from a big place’ – Nov/Dec – Riddells Creek, Castlemaine, Bendigo December through to March
Group exhibition 26th July-12th August – Backspace Gallery, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, ‘When I grow up’.
Selected to exhibit in the International Prize GIULIO CESARE – ART EMPEROR. Rome
Selected to exhibit in the International prize Raffaella Bologna, Italy, May
ArtExpo gallery, Italy
Selected to exhibit at the Galerie Metanoia, Paris, France from Dec 8 ’17 to Jan 6th 2018
Paintings currently represented by the RossoCinabro Gallery, Rome, Italy
Paintings currently represented by Studio Arte Carapostol, Venice, Italy
Self publishing an ongoing set of cards and prints
2017
Selected to exhibit at the Galerie Metanoia, Paris, France from Dec 8 ’17 to Jan 6th 2018
Paintings currently represented by the RossoCinabro Gallery, Rome, Italy
Paintings currently represented by Studio Arte Carapostol, Venice, Italy
Selected for publication in the Nov/Dec Art International Contemporary Magazine…Il Genio dell’ Arte, Italy
One of the selected artists to exhibit in the Premio Internazionale Paolo Levi Milano Dec ’17
Selected to exhibit in the International Prize Andrea Mantego,Italy Dec 2017
One painting selected for the Citta di Mantova, Mantua, Lombardy Italy, Dec ’17
Selected for the Premio Internazionale Berlino, Germany September ’17
Selected to exhibit at the International Award Francisco Goya in Barcelona, Spain May ’17
Exhibiting in the Effetto Arte top selection at the Effetto gallery in Palermo Italy April 8 – 30th [Invited artists only]
Selected for inclusion in the International Award Dante Alighieri, Verona, Italy, March 31 – April 3rd
Selected to exhibit in the Biennale Peschiera del Garda, Province of Verona, Italy March 31-April 3rd
Selected for inclusion in the International Galileo Galilei award in Pisa, Italy January
Self publishing an ongoing set of cards and prints
2016
Art auction in aid of C.A.L.F. animal sanctuary, United Kingdom, December 10th.
Video exhibition ‘Shakespeare in Art” – The 21st Century Art Book – The following dates and locations are:
New York – October 13th, 2016 – Jolly Madison Towers Hotel 22E, 38th St.
Washington – October 16th, 2016 – Sofitel Washington Dc Lafayette Hotel.
The editor Mr. Sandro Serradifalco
The art consultant Mr. Pietro Serradifalco
The conference interpreter Mr. Manuele Pirrone
November – 1 painting selected for the exhibition ‘Contemporaries at the UFFIZI’ in the Saint Pier Scheraggio room inside the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
Possum Gallery Fine Arts Gallery, Victoria, Australia – Group exhibition titled ‘Man and Beast’, opening 29th October- 2 paintings
Group exhibition with 2 paintings at the RossoCinabro Gallery, Rome titled ‘Composite Identity’. Opening Saturday 15th October and ends 30th October curated by Cristina Madini.
Taking part in the PRIMO TROFEO INTERNAZIONALE ARTE IMPERO with 3 paintings [Video exhibition]
Parigi – Carrousel du Louve – October 16
Vienna – Isituto Italian Culture, Sternberg Palace – November16
Roma – Palazzo Brancaccio – December 16
Critical presentation by Paolo Levi
August – Paintings exhibited in New York and Tokyo by the Rossocinabro Gallery, Rome
12 paintings represented by Studio Arte Carapostol, Venice
Primo Trofeo Internazionale Arte Impero. Three paintings have been selected for the following travelling exhibition. Parigi – Carrousel du Louve – October 16. Vienna – Isituto Italian Culture, Sternberg Palace – November16. Roma – Palazzo Brancaccio – December 16. Critical presentation by Paolo Levi.
Presently working for a solo exhibition in Australia as well as constantly exhibiting abroad.
June 17th – Paintings now on show in Italy at a lovely little gallery called the Rossocinabro Gallery in Rome.
Mid June – Selected to exhibit in Verona, Italy at the Triennale of contemporary art – PalaExpo Verona which will move on to New York on Oct. 16th and Washington Oct 13th. Selection for the Shakespeare in Art awards and selection of one painting to be published in the book ‘The 21st Century Art Book’..
April 25th – Shortlisted for the International Prize Canaletto, Mira – Venice. Selected painting to be represented in the Art International Contemporary Magazine.
April 23 – 26th – Selected to exhibit in the Biennale Riviera del Brenta, Mira, near Venice.
1st-9th March – Selected to take part in Women’s Art World at the Museum of Marrakech, Morocco.
February 28th – Published in the Austrian book by K. Heinz Playner, ‘Relevanze in der Kunst. Fine Art Masters des 21. Jahrhundert’. – Presented at the MMAG Modern Art Museum in Schloss Hubertendorf, Osterreich, Austria.
February 8th – 13th -Selected to exhibit one painting at the Galerie des Carmes, Toulouse, France by D.ssa Adelinda Allegretti, [storico dell’arte, giornalista, curator independent] The exhibition is entitled ‘Red Passion [Waiting for Valentine] After this event the painting will be shown in other European exhibitions as yet to be disclosed.
Jan 29th -Selected to take part in the International prize Leonardo DaVinci in Florence.
2015
Selected for the Nov/Dec publication of Art International Contemporary Magazine – Il Gerino dell’ Arte, Italy
Selected for the exhibition by the Accademia Italia in Arte nel Mondo Assoc.ne Culturale “Premio Internazionale d’Arte “Il David di Bernini”2015 in Lecce, Italy Dec. 17th 2015.
Selected to exhibit in the International Prize Cita’ Di Noto, December
Selected to exhibit in The International Prize Michelangelo in Rome, December
Exhibiting at ‘Artists at the Castle’, held at the Orsini Castle of Nerola near Rome in December.
Selected to exhibit in Edinburgh, Scotland in the exhibition ‘I Segnalati’ and also representation in the book ‘The best of Modern and Contemporary Artists 2015’.
Selected as an Artist for Unicef exhibition to be held at the “Sala deli specchi”, Politeama Theatre, Palermo, Italy on November 8th.
To participate in an artists residency with the Skopelos Foundation of the arts, Greece in September on the island of Skopelos
Selected for exhibition at the Marco Polo International Prize, ‘Palazzo Marin’, Venice, Italy – Sept.
Selected for a juried exhibition of fifty artists at the Villa Castelnuovo ‘Contemporary Paradise’ exhibition, at the Villa Casteinuovo, Palermo, Italy – 15th to 18th Oct.
Exhibiting at the Carousel Du Paris 015, France – June.
Exhibiting at “The Magic Art Wonder” in the MAMAG Modern Art Museum, Austria – June.
Study trip to Americia – Intensive ceramic sculpture workshop with Debra Fritts, New Mexico, US – April/May.
Awarded the Prize International Rome Imperial, Rome, Italy on May 19th.
Exhibited in The Inaugural 3D Maldon Art Walk – March
Held the Castlemaine State Festival open studio exhibition – working with Kurt Forrer, Dream Mentor – March.
Awarded the Botticelli Prize, Florence, Italy – curated by Francesco Saverio Russo and Salvatore Russo – March.
Invited to exhibit again at the Florence Biennale, Italy.
Represented by Herons Gallery, Castlemaine
2014
Invited by Lynne Makings to participate in the ‘Four over Four’ exhibition at the FAIRBANKS Eye Gallery, Ballarat – Oct/Dec.
Group exhibition Melbourne Painters and Sculptors
Represented by Herons Gallery, Castlemaine
2013
Selected to exhibit at the Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy
Selected to exhibit in The Len Fox painting Award, Castlemaine Gallery – finalist
Group exhibitions MSWPS also Herons Gallery
2012
Group exhibitions MSWPS
Represented by Herons Gallery
2011
‘Circles of Women’ solo exhibition, Dudley House, Bendigo
Selected to exhibit in The Len Fox Painting Award – Finalist
Group exhibitions VAS – MSWPS also Herons Gallery
2007- 2010
Group exhibitions VAS- MSWPS also Herons Gallery
2006
Study trip to Europe
Group exhibitions VAS andMSWPS also Herons Gallery
2004 – 2005
Group exhibitions VAS and MSWPS also Herons Gallery
2003
Annie Davison Oliver Award, Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors – overall winner with a sculptural piece
The James Farrell Portrait Prize, Castlemaine Gallery – finalist
Group exhibitions VAS and MSWPS also Herons Gallery
2000
Study trip to India
Group exhibitions VAS and MSWPS also Herons Gallery
1999-2004
Ran Camelot Academy of Art, Daylesford – Private Gallery/Open Studio/Art school
Study trip to Europe
Majored in sculpture with a credit, School of Mines, University of Ballarat
Group exhibitions VAS and MSWPS also Herons Gallery, Castlemane
1997
Study trip to India
Group exhibitions VAS and Open studios
1983-92
Studied oils with Melbourne artists Shirley Bourne, Patricia Moran, Graham Moore, Michael Henwood and later with Don James. Watercolour with David Taylor
Group exhibitions – VAS
Represented by Spectrum Gallery, Balwyn, Melbourne, The Williamstown Gallery, Williamstown, Melbourne, The Helen Miles Gallery, Essendon, The Pantechnicon Gallery, Daylesford, Victoria, Open studios.
1979
Commenced studying drawing and painting with Australian artist/teacher, Lance McNeill
Initially studied with artist father, Harry Thomas
Chiaroscuro and poetry are of prime importance to Lyndel.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2018
Art International Contemporary Magazine directed by Salvatore Russo – by invitation
ArtExpo’ gallery, Italy – Essenza 2018 ‘Catalogue d’Arte Contemporanea’. – by invitation
Art Edit Magazine Summer 2018 – by invitation
2017
Art Edit Magazine – invitation
Effetto Arte top selection Palermo – invitation
International Galileo Galilei Pisa – invitation
Biennale Peschiera del Garda Verona – invitation
International Award Dante Alighieri Verona – invitation
International Award Francisco Goya Barcelona – invitation
Premio Internazionale Berlin – Invitation
International Biennale of Mantova – invitation
2016
The best 2016 modern and contemporary artists – curated by Salvatore and Francesco Russo, Italy
Art International Contemporary Magazine, Italy [3 publications]
Canaletto Prize Artistic Career Award Catalogo
Biennale Riviera del Brenta Catalogo Generale Delle Opera
Catalogo D’arte Internationale Celebrativo – Omaggio a Rembrandt -Tribute to Rembrandt – Associazione Culturale Accademia Italia In Arte Nel Mondo, Brindisi Italy
Catalogue Women’s Art World, Museum of Marrakech, Morocco – Hayat Saidi
ART International Contemporary Magazine, Italy – directed by Salvatore Russo
Relevanz in der Kunst. Fine Art Masters of the 21st Century, MAMAG Modern Art Museum I’m Schloss, Hubertendorf, Osterreich [Austria] K. Heinz Playner
2015
Effetto Arte Publication, Italy
EA Editore Italy – Sandro Botticelli Prize 2015 – curated by Francesco Saverio Russo and Salvatore Russ
2013
The New Florence Biennale Ethics DNA Of Art, Italy
La Nazione – Firenze, Dec
2011
More Than Just Gumtree’s by Juliet Peers Australia
MSWPS 100th Annual Exhibition Publication Australia