The Mandala: A Journey Back to Self
Artist Biography
KYLIE JOY MORRISON - ART BIOGRAPHY
1987 Campbelltown City Councils Youth Oriented Graphic Artists Project at Campbelltown Community Centre
1987-1989 Commissioned for series of illustrations for pamphlets by Campbelltown Community Centre, Camden Health Centre
1990 Commissioned for illustrations by NSW Dept of School Education
1990-1993 Completed Bachelor of Art Education, UNSW
1994 Awarded NSW Teachers Certificate
1994-2002 Visual Arts & Casual Teacher at Bathurst High School, Ambarvale High School, and Smith's Hill High School
2001-2002 Facilitator of School Holiday workshops for Wollongong City Gallery
2008-2009 Private weekly art workshops at Astarte Mind & Body Studio, Oak Flats
2016-2020 Monthly art workshops at Astarte Mind & Body Studio, Albion Park Rail
2017 Established The Steampunk Vagabonds theatrical dance and entertainment troupe
2020 Art Workshop Facilitator for Shellharbour City Councils Enliven Shellharbour project
2020 Kraken sculptural dance prop featured on Littmus Steampunk Bands 'Welcome' Album Cover
2021 Independent Art and Creative workshop facilitator for Shellharbour City Council
The Journey
I began my art career in my teens as an illustrator for community services and local businesses, before completing a Bachelor of Art Education at UNSW in 1993. I spent the next 8 years working as a casual teacher in Visual Arts, as well as across multiple other departments, in High Schools across NSW.
In 2002, with no permanent teaching positions available, I left the education system to pursue a new career in the health and fitness industry, while re-channelling most of my creative energies into my dance practice and creative performance performance projects.
In 2008 I founded my own home studio business, Astarte Mind & Body, where I taught weekly belly dance, Pilates, and Art classes. Over the next 13 years I focused my energies on growing my business into a holistic focused centre, working with other local mind body focused businesses to provide a community hub for physical, creative and mental health and wellbeing.
During this time I also established a theatrical performance troupe, the Steampunk Vagabonds. With a focus on creative vintage styling, elaborate costuming and props, and a combination of dance and pantomime, we gained a reputation within the local steampunk, cosplay and festival circuits for our colourful, fun, and entertaining sets.
In 2020, a year of turmoil and introspection for many, I made a conscious decision to revisit my first love, and focus more on my professional artistic development. I was offered the opportunity to facilitate a series of art workshops for Shellharbour City Council's Enliven program and have continued my relationship with Shellharbour City Council's Arts program since, involving myself in community art projects, creating sculptural installations, and facilitating creative art workshops.
I made the heartbreaking decision to close down my physical studio in 2021, and am currently running Astarte Mind & Body and Astarte Studio Belly Dance & Fusion as online entities, while continuing to develop my artistic and creative skills in my personal time.
Commissioned Works
1997 Youth Drug and Alcohol Services logo
1998 Suicide Prevention Task Force mascot logo and pamphlet illustration
1990 Camden Community Health Centre pamphlet logo
1991 Illustrations for Sydney based graphic arts company
1991 Illustrations and handwritten text for NSW schools Asthma Awareness Kit
1993 Illustrations for My Fair Lady stage production promotional kit, St Patricks College, Campbelltown
1996 Illustrations for cookbook "Sweet Things from Appin"
2002 Illustrations for Gypsy Flames School of Belly Dance promotional posters and programs
2010 Ongoing costume and prop production for Astarte Studio dance events
2020 Kraken sculptural stage prop used as the cover photo for Littmus Steampunk Band CD
2021 Scarecrow (installation) for Shellharbour City Councils Messy Hands Create & Play event
2021 Magical Beanstalk (installation) for Shellharbour City Council Library
1998 Suicide Prevention Task Force mascot logo and pamphlet illustration
1990 Camden Community Health Centre pamphlet logo
1991 Illustrations for Sydney based graphic arts company
1991 Illustrations and handwritten text for NSW schools Asthma Awareness Kit
1993 Illustrations for My Fair Lady stage production promotional kit, St Patricks College, Campbelltown
1996 Illustrations for cookbook "Sweet Things from Appin"
2002 Illustrations for Gypsy Flames School of Belly Dance promotional posters and programs
2010 Ongoing costume and prop production for Astarte Studio dance events
2020 Kraken sculptural stage prop used as the cover photo for Littmus Steampunk Band CD
2021 Scarecrow (installation) for Shellharbour City Councils Messy Hands Create & Play event
2021 Magical Beanstalk (installation) for Shellharbour City Council Library
Art Exhibitions
1993 COFA NSW Student Exhibition, COFA Sydney
1998 NOMAD: Images of the Sahara, Project Gallery, Wollongong
2000 Art and Belly Dance Exhibition, Faces on Crown, Wollongong
2015 Suerenda & Zaghareet: An Artistic Journey into the World of Dance Orientale, Squid Studio, Nowra
2022 State of Emergence Exhibition, The Imaginarium, Shellharbour
1998 NOMAD: Images of the Sahara, Project Gallery, Wollongong
2000 Art and Belly Dance Exhibition, Faces on Crown, Wollongong
2015 Suerenda & Zaghareet: An Artistic Journey into the World of Dance Orientale, Squid Studio, Nowra
2022 State of Emergence Exhibition, The Imaginarium, Shellharbour