Irene Ferguson

This article is about the artist. For the pilot, see Joy Ferguson.

Irene Ferguson (born 1970 in Hokitika, New Zealand) is an artist best known for her portrait paintings. Ferguson was awarded the New Zealand Portraiture Award in 2008.

Training and Experience

Ferguson gained a Diploma of Fine Arts with Honors from Otago School of Fine Art, Dunedin in 1993 and a Master of Fine Arts from the New York Academy of Art in 2005. From 2005 to 2006 Irene lived and worked in New York City. In 2010 she travelled to Italy to complete training in portraiture at the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy.^[1]

Fellowships and residencies

In 2002 Ferguson was awarded the William Hodges Fellowship residency by the Southland Art Foundation.^[2] In 2008 Ferguson was the Artist in Residence at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Wellington.^[3]

Awards

• In 2008 Ferguson won the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Adam Portraiture Award with The Blue Girl, Johanna Sanders in her Back Yard.^[4][5]
• In 2006 she was a finalist in the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery, London.^[6]

Artist Residencies

• 1996 The Southland Art Foundation 'Artist in Residence' programme^{[citation needed]}
• 2002 William Hodges Fellowship^[7]
• 2008 Artist in Residence at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School, Wellington.^[8]

Exhibitions

Solo

• 2012 Colossal, {Suite} Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand^[9]
• 2011 Torrid Grey, Aratoi – Wairarapa Museum of Art & History, Masterton, New Zealand^[10]
• 2010 Pine, {Suite} Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
• 2008 Wayward, Janne Land Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
• 2003 sample; flesh and blood, Janne Land Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand^[11]
• 2003 sample; flesh and blood, Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill, New Zealand^[12]

Group

• 2013–14 The Parkin Drawing Prize^[13]
• 2013 Runner up, The 7th International Drawing Biennale, The Polish Art Foundation, Melbourne, Australia^[14]
• 2008 Strive Towards Your Destiny, group show, Hirschfeld Gallery, Wellington^[15]
• 2006 BP Portrait Award, National Portrait Gallery, London.^[16]

Work in Collections

Ferguson's work is predominately held within New Zealand collections.

• James Wallace Art Trust, Auckland, New Zealand^[17][18]
• The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand^[19]
• Southland Art Foundation, Invercargill, New Zealand
• Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill, New Zealand

Reviews / Writing

• 2010 Mark Amery reviews portraiture from the Adam Portrait Award show.^[20]
• 2008 Strive Towards Your Destiny, group show, Hirschfeld Gallery, Wellington. Review by Jessica Scott, City Gallery Wellington.^[21]
• 2003 "sample; flesh and blood", Jane Land Gallery, Wellington. Reviewed in Art New Zealand, 2003.^[22]
• 2003 Music and Braille, Peter Rae Gallery, Dunedin. Reviewed by Penny Hunt, Art New Zealand, Issue 109, 2003.^[23]

References

1. Wellington Artist embraces 'grey power'
2. "2002 Southland Art Foundation Artists in Residence". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
3. Samuel Marsden Collegiate School previous Artists in Residence
4. The New Zealand Portrait Gallery 2008 Adam Portraiture Award
5. "Every atom of paint right". Stuff. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
6. http://www.npg.org.uk/index.php?id=4403 BP Portrait Award 2006 – Exhibitor 12, 'No Title' by Irene Ferguson, oil on canvas, 1320 x 715mm (52 x 28 1/8").
7. "2002 Southland Art Foundation Artists in Residence". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
8. Samuel Marsden Collegiate School previous Artists in Residence
9. Suite Gallery: Irene Ferguson. Retrieved 16 January 2016
10. Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History : 'Torrid Grey' by Irene Ferguson
11. Art New Zealand : Exhibitions Wellington : Aaron Lister
12. "Southland Museum and Art Gallery Artist in Residence programme". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
13. Judges announce short-list for 2014 Parkin Drawing Award. Retrieved 16 January 2016
14. Irene Ferguson, Lisa, Pencil on paper, 2nd Place, 2013 Biennale. Retrieved 16 January 2016
15. Review by Jessica Scott, City Gallery Wellington, retrieved 16 January 2016
16. BP Portrait Award 2006 – Exhibitor 12. Retrieved 16 January 2016
17. The James Wallace Arts Trust : 'Dawn 5' by Irene Ferguson
18. The James Wallace Arts Trust : 'Factory' by Irene Ferguson
19. The New Zealand National Portrait Gallery : The Blue Girl (Johanna Sanders in her back yard) by Irene Ferguson
20. The Big Idea, 2 Apr 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2016
21. Reviewed by Jessica Scott, City Gallery Wellington, retrieved 16 January 2016
22. Art New Zealand Issue 108. Originally published in Art New Zealand 108 Spring 2003. Retrieved 19 Jan 2016
23. Reviewed by Penny Hunt, Art New Zealand, Issue 109, 2003. Retrieved 16 January 2016

External links

• Adam Award Article by Abby Cunnane published in the New Zealand Listener Magazine