Resume of Brenda Gael Smith

artist, curator, teacher, writer, mentor & judge

Rajah Award 2025

This award acknowledges an outstanding contribution to quilting in Australia as a quilting teacher, designer, author, historian, guild worker, retailer or a combination of work in several of these areas.

Solo Exhibitions

• 13 January – 14 February 2018: Natural Abstractions: Gosford Regional Gallery
• 25 November – 20 December 2014: Dreaming in Colour: Grenfell Art Gallery

Juried Exhibitions

2025

• Art Quilt Australia 2025: Approaching Equinox: Plundering Joy
• Golden Textures 2025: Forza Vitale: Phosphorescence
• Dare to Differ 2025: Wrasse
• Ahead of the Curve (Modern Quilt Invitational):  Here Comes the Sun

2024

• The New Quilt 2024: Forza Vitale: Breathe

2023

• Art Quilt Australia 2023: Banksia Filigree
• Minimalism: SAQA global exhibition Integrifolia #3: Stops & Starts

2022

• Quilts Unlimited 2022: View Centre of the Arts & Culture, New York Integrifolia #5:Propagation
  
• One Step Further 2022: Iconic Inflorescence
  
• Gosford Art Prize 2022: Banksia Filigree
  
• Australia Wide Eight: a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc Calliestemon Cascade
• Dare to Differ 2022: Landlines: Canola Country
• Fur Fangs Feathers & Fins: SAQA global exhibition Galah Gala
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2022: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria Integrifolia #9: Wide Open

2021

• Quilts=Art=Quilts 2021: Schweinfurth Arts Center, NY Acuity #5: Zemblanity
•  One Step Further 2020 (exhibited in 2021): Integrifolia #6: Awakening
• Quilts Unlimited 2021: View Centre of the Arts & Culture (Juror Invitational) Integrifolia #3: Stops & Starts
• Art Quilt Australia 2021: Shoalhaven Regional Gallery and Yarra Ranges Regional Museum Reforestation
• The New Quilt 2021: Hawkesbury Regional Gallery Acuity #5: Zemblanity and Integrifolia #7: Emergence

2020

• Revealed-the Regional Digitisation Roadshow: Wangaratta Art Gallery High Country Lupins #2
• Quilts=Art=Quilts 2020: Schweinfurth Arts Center, NY Flotsam & Jetsam
• Gosford Art Prize 2020: Integrifolia #5: Propagation
• Australia Wide Seven (2020-2022): a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc – Acuity #6: In a Twinkling of an Eye
• Art Quilt Australia 2019 at Yarra Ranges Regional Museum: Integrifolia #5: Propagation
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2020: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – Allagai: High Summer and Allagai: Suspended
• Australian Textile Art Award 2020: Canola Country

2019

• Quilts=Art=Quilts 2019: Integrifolia #3: Stops & Starts
• Gosford Art Prize 2019: Integrifolia #4: Potential
• Art Quilt Australia 2019: Integrifolia #5: Propagation
  
• Modern Quilt Show Australia 2019: Harlequin Hexagons and Integrifolia #4: Potential
  
• Dare to Differ 2019: Flotsam & Jetsam
  
• One Step Further 2019: Landlines: Hill Country
• Sydney Quilt Show 2019: Special exhibitor
• Connections: SAQA Regional Exhibition: Big Data: Contraflow
• Golden Textures 2019:  Central Gold Fields Art Gallery, Maryborough, Victoria Integrifolia #3: Stops & Starts
• Season After Season: SAQA global exhibition Seachange: Whale Tracks
  

2018

• State of the Art Quilt 2018: Grasslands (invitational)
• Tasmanian Art Quilt Prize 2018: Ebb & Flow: Flotsam & Jetsam
• Thread Stitch Cloth: 76 Queen St Galleries, Concord Sydney: Landlines: Paterson’s Curse
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2018: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – Flying Colours: Rosella
• Buda Contemporary Textiles 2018, Castlemaine, Victoria Kookaburra: Shake a Tailfeather!
• Art Quilt Australia @ Yarra Ranges Gallery Flourish!
• Australia Wide Six (2018-2020): a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc – Integrifolia #2: Unlocked  and Allagai Bay #1: After the Storm

2017

• Modern Quilt Show Australia 2017 Blue Delphiniums
• Gosford Art Prize 2017 High Country Lupins #5
• Dare to Differ 2017 Blue Delphiniums and Landlines: Tussock Country
• Art Quilt Australia 2017 Flourish!

2016

• Gallery Collection in Miniature Wangaratta Art Gallery High Country Lupins #2
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2016: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – Dyad#2
  and Wild Lupins #3
• Art Quilt Elements 2016 Wayne Art Center, Pennsylvania, USA, High Country Lupins #3
• Golden Textures at Quilt Expo at Beaujolais Dreamlines #5

2015

• Tasmanian Art Quilt Prize 2015 History, Her Story:  Secret Women’s Business – Only Women Bleed
  
• 2015 China International Patchwork Invitational Tournament and Patchwork Arts Show in Beijing, China.
• Art Quilt Australia 2015: National Wool Museum, Geelong: Flying Colours: Galah Gala and Wild Lupins #2
  
• Dare to Differ 2015:  Gallery M,  Adelaide: Kelp Forest and Landlines: A River Runs Through It
  
• Gosford Art Prize 2015 Finalist: Gosford Regional Regional Gallery –  Forest and Tundra
• Evolution, Change, Challenge: A Contemporary Quilt at Hazelhurst Gallery
• Golden Textures of Australia at Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK 7-9 August 2015
• Reconciliation 2015: Gosford Regional Art Gallery: Canberra:Meeting Place
• Golden Textures 2015  Contemporary Art Quilt Exhibition, Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough, Victoria – High Country Lupins #3

2014

• Quilts=Art=Quilts 2014, Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, Auburn, NY: Desert Tracks: Not Terra Nullius
• Australia Wide Four (2014-2016): a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc – Neptune’s Necklace #2
• Progressions 2014: Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery: Tundra and Forest
• Australia Quilts:  European Patchwork Meeting 2014 guest country exhibition
• Reconciliation 2014: Gosford Regional Art Gallery: Desert Tracks: Not Terra Nullius
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2014: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – High Country Lupins #2

2013

• Art Quilt Australia 2013: People Place & Nation: CraftACT, Canberra: Desert Tracks: Not Terra Nullius and Canberra: Meeting Place;
• Brother International Quilting Contest 2013 – Eco Challenge:  Forest;
• Dare to Differ 2013:  Gallery M,  Adelaide: Flying Colours: Eclectus Parrots and Tundra;
• FREE – AQC Challenge 2013: Flying Colours:  Uncaged
  
• Golden Textures Contemporary Art Quilt Exhibition, Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Maryborough, Victoria April 2013 – Dreamlines #5;

2012

• Australia Wide Three (2012-2014): a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc –Wild Lupins and Flying Colours: Crimson Rosella;
• Gosford Art Prize 2012 Finalist: Gosford Regional Regional Gallery –  Hope, Promise, Bounty: Reap What You Sew;
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2012: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – Pyrenees #3, Poppy Field
• Regeneration: Contemporary Quilt Textiles 2012: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney, Regrowth and Hope, Promise, Bounty: Reap What You Sew;
• Selections from the Del Thomas Contemporary Quilt Collection 2012: Visions Art Gallery, San Diego, Evergreen

2008-2011

• Dare to Differ 2011: Gallery M – Marion Cultural Centre, Desire Lines#5: After the Rain and Turf
• Seven Deadly Sins – AP&Q AQC Challenge 2011: Desire Lines #7: Lust in the Log Cabin
• One Step Further 2010: Whitehorse Art Space, Box Hill, Victoria – Desire Lines#6: Spark! and Shining Through
• Australia Wide Two (2010-2012):a travelling exhibition of Ozquilt Network Inc – Tussock
• The New Quilt 2010: Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney, New South Wales Desire Lines#5: After the Rain and Turf
• PETITE Miniature TEXTILES 2010: Wangaratta Art Gallery, Victoria – Milk Chocolate
• Remember – AP&Q AQC Challenge 2010: Timelines #1: Remember the Date!
• One Step Further 2009: Central Goldfields Art Gallery, Victoria Desire Lines #3: Running Hot & Cold
• Fantasy – AP&Q AQC Challenge 2009: Dreamlines #1: Magic Carpet 
• Re-fabricating Environments 2008: Braemar Gallery, Springwood NSW – Afterglow and Acacia Bloom
• Dare to Differ 2008: Prospect Gallery, Adelaide, SA – Grass 
• My Place travelling exhibition (2008-2010): Tudibaring – Place where the waves pound like a beating heart.

Special Projects

• Vision 2020: Curator travelling textile art exhibition
• Wonder of Eyes: Eyes of Wonder: Curator & Fundraiser – textile exhibition and art exchange to raise funds for The Fred Hollows foundation (2020)
• May 2015-October 2017: Curator, a matter of time travelling textile art exhibiton
• June 2013-September 2015: Curator, Living Colour! travelling textile art exhibition;
• 18-21 September 2014:  Curator, Australia Quilts at Carrefour Européen du Patchwork/European Patchwork Meeting – exceptional quilts from the Great Southern Land;
• July 2011-September 2013: Curator, Beneath the Southern Sky travelling exhibition of textile works; and
• 2012: Guest artist at the Craft & Sewing Shows throughout Australia and in Auckland.
• 2007-2012:  Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge

Twelve by Twelve International Exhibition Program

• April 2010Australasian Quilt Convention, Melbourne, Australia
• May 2010 Gosford Regional Gallery, NSW Australia
• June 2010 Textile Art Festival, Brisbane, Queensland
• September 2010 Craft & Quilt Fair, Hamilton, New Zealand
• September 2010 Craft & Quilt Fair, Christchurch, NZ
• April 2011 Midsomer Quilting, Chilcompton, UK
• August 2011 Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, UK
• November 2011 International Quilt Festival, Houston, USA
• April 2012 International Quilt Festival, Cincinnati, USA
• July 2012 International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, USA
• September 2012 North West Quilting Expo, Portland, Oregon, USA
• February 2012 Craft & Quilt Fair, Palmerston North, New Zealand (Colourplay)
• April 2013 Australasian Quilt Convention. Melbourne, Australia (Colourplay)
• May 2012 Pinnacles Gallery, Townsville Australia (Colourplay)
• July 2013 Midsomer Quilting, Chilcompton, UK (Colourplay)
• August 2013 AQS Quilt Show, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA (Colourplay)
• September 2013 North West Quilting Expo, Portland, Oregon, USA (2012 Series)
• October 2013 AQS Quilt Show, Des Moines, Iowa, USA (Colourplay)
• September 2014 European Patchwork Meeting/Carrefour Européen du Patchwork (Colourplay)
• October 2014 Association Belge du Patchwork exhibition (Colourplay)

Selected Bibliography & Videography

• Artist to Watch profile in Art Quilt Quarterly Issue #15 (2019)
• Twelve by Twelve: The International Art Quilt Challenge published by Lark Books, March 2011. Co-author.
• 1000 Quilt Inspirations published by Quarry Books (2015), Contributor
• 500 Art Quilts published by Lark Books (2010). Contributor.
• 1000 Artisan Textiles published by Rockport (2010). Contributor.
• Art Quilt Studio, Summer 2013 – Piece de Resistance – Karamatsu Shibori
• Modern Quilts: Improvising Using Stacks of Solids, instructional DVD and article Quilters Companion, December 2012.

• Quilting Arts magazine (February-March 2012) celebrates art quilt collaboration and includes an in-depth Q&A article about the Twelve by Twelve project.
• Patchwork- und Quiltjournal (February 2012) celebrates its 20th anniversary with a special edition. It includes an article about the Twelve by Twelve exhibition of the Theme Series at Festival of Quilts in Birmingham in 2011.
• More than thirty projects in Australian magazines such as Australian Patchwork & Quilting, Down Under Quilts, Quilters Companion, Down Under Textiles, Australian Homespun and Australian Country Craft
• Four Fantastic Quilt Finishing Techniques, instructional DVD and article Quilters Companion, May 2009.
• Meet A Quilter Profiles, Down Under Quilts, March 2006 & Homespun, October 2008.
• By the Dozen, profile of the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project, Quilters Companion, November 2008.
• Global Quilting, profile of the Twelve by Twelve Collaborative Art Quilt Project, Down Under Quilts, November 2008.

Prizes & Awards

• October 2022: Integrifolia #6: Awakening Modern Quilt category, Sydney Quilt Show 2022
  
• July 2019:  Integrifolia #4: Potential First Prize: Small Quilt category Modern Quilt Show Australia 2019
• June 2019: Integrifolia #3: Stops & Starts Judges Commendation Modern (Open) category Sydney Quilt Show 2019
  
• June 2018: High Country Lupins #5 Judges Commendation Art Quilt (Open) category Sydney Quilt Show 2018
• November 2017: Blue Delphiniums 2nd Prize Small Quilt Modern Quilt Show Australia 2017
• June 2017: Landlines: Tussock Country  Judges’ Commendation, Art Quilt (Open) Category Sydney Quilt Show
• August 2015: Flying Colours: Galah Gala Third Prize Wall Quilt (Professional) and High Country Lupins #3 Judges Commendation Art Quilt (Open) category, Canberra Quilters Exhibition.
• June 2015: Dreamlines #7:  Dreaming in Colour Third  prize, Small/Wall Quilt (Professional ) category, Sydney Quilt Show.
• September 2013: Flying Colours: Eclectus Parrots Second prize, Art Quilt (Open) category, Canberra Quilters Exhibition.
  
• August 2011: Lorikeet – Dreaming First prize, Tiny Treasures, Canberra Quilters Exhibition.
• June 2009: Dreamlines #3 – First prize, Art Quilt (Open) Sydney Quilt Show
• June 2009: Savannah -First prize New Traditions from Old Favourites
• September 2009: Acacia Bloom– Second Prize Art/Pictorial Category Australian Machine Quilters Association Show
• August 2009: Rose Moderne – Third prize, Tiny Treasures Canberra Quilters Exhibition
• August 2008: Acacia Bloom – 1st prize, Mixed Media Quilt (Open), Canberra Quilters’ Exhibition
• June 2006: Making Waves – 1st prize, New Interpretations of a Traditional Block (Amateur), Sydney Quilt Show

Training

• Creative Skills Certificate – Patchwork & Quilting 7802-10, The City & Guilds of London Institute (July 2004).
• Judging Skills Certificate awarded by Jeannie Spears, NQACJ (November 2007).
• QuiltNSW Judging Education Program (2014-date)

Judging Assignments

• 2019: Quilts Across Queensland (EKKA)
• 2018 Pacific International Quilt Festival – Mid-Century Mod and Wearable Art competitions
• 2018 State of the Art Quilt (Queensland) – solo juror
• 2017 National Quilt Symposium, Christchurch, New Zealand – chief judge and juror
• 2016 Festival of Quilts, The Quilters’ Guild of South Australia Inc
• 2014 Sydney Quilt Show, The Quilters’ Guild of NSW Inc
• 2014 QuiltWest, The West Australian Quilters Association Inc
• 2013 Festival of Quilts, Auckland Quilt Guild
• 2012 Pearl Challenge, 30th anniversary challenge of The Quilters’ Guild of NSW Inc
• 2010 Quilters Showcase, Victorian Quilters Inc

Memberships & Associations

• QuiltNSW – Exhibition Secretary (2005-2007), Sponsorship & Publicity (2010), Webmaster and Quilt Show Subcommittee (2005-date), Convenor Judging EducationProgram (2015-date).
• Ozquilt Network Inc – Secretary (2008-2010) & Website Subcommittee (2007-date).
• Studio Art Quilts Associates
• Canberra Quilters Inc – Blog Administrator (2007-2013).
• Modern Quilt Guild (individual member)
• Aotearoa Quilters