I recognise and respect that we are living and creating on Aboriginal Lands. My family and I are committed to working together to honour the living culture and Country of our First Nations People.
Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land!
Lara Tilbrook works on the beautiful ancient lands of the Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri and Narungga Nations. Her practice is fundamentally grounded in environmentalism with deep listening and change making at its core.
Tilbrook hand-crafted sculptures, body adornments and installations are composed of materials close at hand. Gathered and selected for their evocative potential and empathy towards regenerating endemic flora and fauna.
Her visual works heighten the worth of our shared fragile ecologies, and function as important records of biodiversity.
Alongside her creative practice, Tilbrook is an organic farmer and environmental advocate, working to honour Country, through genuine and sustainable landcare. She works from her remote studio on Karta Pintingga (Kangaroo Island) and Ngaltingga (Aldinga Beach) in so called South Australia.
Major exhibitions include, Harbingers: Care or Catastrophe (2023) at Port Pirie Regional Gallery (2022) at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery commissioned by Country Arts SA in conjunction with Murray Bridge Regional Gallery; Neoteric (2022) for Adelaide Festival, commissioned through Arts SA; Tatiara Art Prize (2021) at Walkway Gallery where she received a Honourable mention; Our Futures in Landscape (2021) at Adelaide Town Hall. Tilbrook’s solo exhibition Duty of Care (2020) at Sauerbier House – held in the lounge gallery, hallway gallery and wash house – was enabled by a 2020 GRAFTd grant through Onkaparinga Arts. Duty of Care was also developed and supported by the 2018 Guildhouse Catapult Mentorship with leading South Australian artist Sera Waters.
Other exhibitions include, The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize at The South Australian Museum (2018 and 2012), where her work was awarded Highly Commended and toured to the The National Archives of Australia in Canberra, in 2012. Tilbrook’s work is currently held in the City of Adelaide Contemporary Art Collection, as well as private collections both nationally and internationally.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Lara Tilbrook
Born 1975, Adelaide.
EDUCATION
2023 Bachelor Of Visual Arts(Hons) Adelaide Central School of Art
1996 Bachelor of Design, Jewellery and Metalsmithing (Hons), UniSA
ART, DESIGN & ENVIRONMENT
2013-23 Bush Organics Kangaroo Island
Director, brand & package design, apiarist, organic grower, maker
2008-23 Studio practice, Karta Pintingga & Ngaltingga
Design, illustration, painting, sculpture and precious object creation
2022-23 Landcare Association of SA
Membership board and Indigenous sub committee
2022-23 National Landcare Network
Members council
2021-22 Kangaroo Island Cultural Burn Workshop - Event Co-ordinator
Traditional Owners, Firesticks Alliance, Nature Conservation Society SA
1998-22 Lara Tilbrook - Commissions & Collections
Design and production of fine jewellery
2020 The Wild South, Community Environmental Group, Port Willunga
Design logo and illustration
2018 Land for Wildlife Kangaroo Island
Design logo & sign design with illustration of flora and fauna
2015-18 Coastal Restoration, Stokes Bay and Vivonne Bay, KI
DEWNR Coastal Protection Grant
2014 Jackey’s Marsh Forest Festival, Western Tiers, Tasmania
Sculptural installation of environmental shelters
Wide Open Space, Music, Art, Desert Culture, Alice Springs
Facilitating bush jewellery workshops
2013 Beach Nesting Birds Murals, Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island
6m x 20m life, habitat and environment murals, collaboration with Gay de Mather
Our Life the Beach, by Lara Tilbrook and Gay de Mather
Co-authored and illustrated a conservation themed children’s book
2012 Art Feast, Kangaroo Island
Assistant to the art directors
2011 DEWNR Department of Environment, Kangaroo Island
Interpretive educational environmental signs, design and research
2007 Titjikala Gallery, Northern Territory
Gallery assistant
2000-06 Sweet Pea Jewellery – Boutique, Showroom, and Studio, London
Director, designer and production manager of international jewellery label
200 selected stockists across U.K., Europe, U.S, Asia, Australia, NZ
1998-00 Detail – High Street Fashion and Designer Jewellery Collections, London
Designer – costume jewellery and limited run collections for Paul Smith, mens and woman
1997-98 Dinny Hall, London
Retail design assistant responsible for design and fabrication of fine jewellery
Jacqueline Rabun, London
Technical design assistant - small batch production, concept prototypes
GRANTS, ART COMMISIONS AND PRIZES
2022 Scholarship. Adelaide Central School of Arts, Bachelor Visual Arts. Hons, South Australia,
2021 Country Arts in conjunction with Murray Bridge Regional Gallery for Harbingers: Care or Catastrophe
Arts SA for Neoteric, Adelaide Festival, South Australia
Tatiara Art Prize Highly Commended, Walkaway Gallery, South Australia
Kangaroo Island Cultural Burn Workshop, Landcare Australia
2020 Sauerbier House Cultural Exchange GRAFTd, Port Noarlunga, South Australia
2018 Waterhouse Art Prize, South Australian Museum
Guildhouse Catapult Mentorship, Adelaide and Kangaroo Island, South Australia
2015-18 DEWNR Coastal Protection Grants, Stokes Bay and Vivonne Bay, KI, South Australia
2013 Birdlife Australia Grant, Kangaroo Island
2012 Highly Commended, Waterhouse Art Prize, South Australian Museum
2011 DEWNR Interpretive Educational Environmental Signs, Kangaroo Island
ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY
2023 Bob Brown Foundation, Art for Takayna, Tasmania
2022-23 Landcare Association of South Australia
2019-22 The Wild South, Environmental NGO, Port Willunga, South Australia
2019-21 Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network Board Member, KI, South Australia
2016-21 Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network, Member, KI, South Australia
2012-21 Eco-Action Group Member, KI, South Australia
2018-19 Land for Wildlife KI, Member, South Australia
2015-18 DEWNR Coastal Protection Grant, Stokes Bay and Vivonne Bay, KI, South Australia
2012-16 DEWNR Sand Dune Rehabilitation, Vivonne Bay, KI, South Australia
2012-15 Western Kangaroo Island Landcare Group, KI, South Australia
2013-15 Wilderness Society SA, Oil Free Seas Campaign, KI, South Australia
2010-15 DEWNR Glossy Black Cockatoo Habitat Rehabilitation and Monitoring, KI, South Australia
2014 Western Kangaroo Island Landcare Group, Phytophora Awareness Grant, KI, South Australia
DEWNR Heritage Agreement Grant, KI, South Australia
2013-14 Hands Across the Sand Organiser, Wilderness Society SA, KI, South Australia
2013 Western Kangaroo Island Landcare Group, Phytophora Awareness Grant, KI, South Australia
DEWNR Coastal Protection Grant, Stokes Bay and Vivonne Bay, KI, South Australia
2008-12 DEWNR Community Consultative Committee, KI, South Australia
2012 Wilderness Society SA and Conservation Council of SA, Activism, KI, South Australia
2011 Parndarna School Environmental Art Workshops, KI, South Australia
KI Wilderness Society, Vivonne Bay Surf and Music Festival Campaign, KI, South Australia
2010-11 DEWNR Glossy Back Cockatoo Monitoring, Western River KI, South Australia
2009-11 Vivonne Bay and Districts Progress Association, KI, South Australia
1992 Bob Brown Foundation, Tarkine Forest Conservation and Protection, Tasmania
AUSTRALIAN SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Harbingers: Care or Catastrophe, Port Pirie Regional Gallery, South Australia
2022 Harbingers: Care or Catastrophe, Murray Bridge Regional Gallery, South Australia
Neoteric, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide, South Australia
Being Here, Tributary Projects, Ainslie + Gorman Art Centres, Canberra, ACT
2021 Tatiana Art Prize, Walkaway Gallery, Bordertown, South Australia
2020 Our Future in Landscape, Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide, South Australia
2020 Duty of Care, Sauerbier House, Port Noarlunga, South Australia
2018 Waterhouse Art Prize Exhibition, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia
Common Ground, Fleurieu Arthouse, SALA, McLaren Vale, South Australia
2017 Summer Fleurieu Arthouse Exhibition, Fleurieu Arthouse, McLaren Vale, South Australia
2013 Me Natives, Chapman River Winery, Kangaroo Island, South Australia
2012 Waterhouse Art Prize Exhibition, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia
Waterhouse Art Prize Touring Exhibition, National Archives, Canberra, ACT
How do we love thee, National Wine Centre, SALA, Adelaide, South Australia
2011 How do we love thee, National Wine Centre, SALA, Adelaide, South Australia
2010 How do we love thee, National Wine Centre, SALA, Adelaide, South Australia
2007 Carrats, Miss Gladys Sym Choon, Rundle St. Adelaide, South Australia
1996 Some days are…, Miss Gladys Sym Choon, Rundle St, Adelaide, South Australia
INTERNATIONAL SOLO AND GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2005 Sweet Pea, Tranoi, Paris, France
Sweet Pea, Installation, HP France Bijoux, Tokyo, Japan
Sweet Pea, Metropolitan, New York, USA
Sweet Pea, Place Vêndome, Paris, France
2004 Sweet Pea, Maxfields, L.A, USA
Sweet Pea, Joyce Gallery, Palais Royal, Paris, France
Sweet Pea, Tranoi, Paris, Liberty, London, UK
Sweet Pea, Tranoi, Paris, Metropolitan Hotel, London, UK
2003 Sweet Pea, Paul Smith, Milan, Italy
Sweet Pea, 10 Corsa Como, Milan, Italy
Sweet Pea, Relais St Suplice, St Germain, Paris, France
2002 Sweet Pea, Liberty, London, UK
2001 Lara Tilbrook, Paul Smith House, Notting Hill, London, UK