Laura Wills

Laura Wills is a visual artist based in Adelaide, Australia. With a Bachelor of Visual Arts and Applied Design from Adelaide Centre of the Arts (2003) she practices a diverse range of media from painting, drawing and photography to installation, media arts and community projects.

Wills has a strong interest in using found materials, collaboration and basing projects on social/environmental themes. She regular exhibits and has received numerous grants, awards and residencies locally in Australia and overseas.

A large donation of maps depicting the Adelaide city and Fleuireu region are the base for Wills' new body of work "There in Time" at Hill Smith Gallery, August 2010. Drawing within the language of the map Wills explores imagery of physical gestures in opposite modes of calm or haste.

Wills undertook an Asialink Residency to Yogyakarta Indonesia in 2009 and will be showing works from this experience in the Visual Arts Program of the Oz Asia Festival at the Adelaide Festival Center in October 2010.

Solo Exhibitions:
2010
There in Time, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
Bismania, Flinders Medical Centre, Arts in Health, Adelaide
2009
Prospecting, Hill Smith Gallery, Adelaide
View of a View, Clutural Galery, Port Augusta
2007   
Loop Project, to be continued, Vienna
Parkside Nomadic Group, Project Space, Contemporary Art Centre South Australia
Blueprints, SoMA Galleries, Adelaide
2006      
Giving and Receiving, Carclew Youth Arts Center, Adelaide         
2005       
Zimmer in Berlin, Naunyn Strasse, Berlin   
2004      
Gourmet Traveller, Organic To Go, Adelaide
2003      
Stills, The Health Gallery, Mt Gambier

Selected Group Exhibitions:
2009
The Dog Show, Artroom5, Adelaide
2008      
Under the Bunyan Tree, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide
Cellar sweatshop, Light Square Gallery, Adelaide
2007      
International Elephant, Sanskriti Kendra, New Delhi
Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, South Australian Museum
 Youth Environment Art Award, South Australian Museum
2006     
The Fleurieu Peninsula Youth Scholarship Exhibition, Penny Hills Winery
 The Mole Exhibition, TINA Festival, Newcastle and Mori Gallery, Sydney
The French Connection, Bella Cosa Sculpture Park and Gallery, McLaren Flat
2005      
Oregano, Central Gallery, Adelaide
2004       
Glean, the Foundry, Melbourne
 Drawing Today, Central Gallery,  Adelaide
 A wing and a Prayer,  Mildura Arts Centre 
Sustainable Living Festival, Create Art, Federation Square, Melbourne
 Helpmann Graduate exhibition, Drill Hall,  Adelaide

Grants:
2009
Asia Link Residency grant to Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, indonesia
Art SA, Professional Development, grant for Laughing Waters Artist in Resident
 2008       
SAYAB Project and Development grant to exhibit and develop a new body of work
Australia council grant for Just Filling Dance project through Next Wave Festival
2007       
SAYAB Project and Development grant to partake in Room Exchange residency at to be continued, Vienna
2006       
SAYAB Project Development Grant for gallery Exhibition cost at Project Space, CACSA
SAYAB Quick response grant for interstate travel  
2004       
Helpmann Academy. Travel and Students of Sustainability conference grant
SAYAB quick response grant for interstate travel
2003       
SAYAB grant for exhibition development
Awards:
2008       
First prize Foundation Front Helpmann Academy Awards night
Adelaide Fringe best visual arts exhibition for a collective
2007       
Second prize The Environment Youth Art Prize  $2000
2005       
Berlin Language Institute Art Competition, second Prize 2 weeks free tuition
2004       
First prize South Australian Youth Environment Art Award $4000
Finalist for SOYA, National Youth art competition, Australia Council
Hill Smith Fine Art Malaysian airline Travel award. Return ticket to Europe and $1000

Publications:
2008        
Open Studio, Catherine Clifton, Adelaide Matters, March 2008
2007       
 Adelaide artists take to the world, Stephanie Radok, Adelaide Review, July 2007
Laura Wills, Developments in Housing, Adelaide Review, John Neylon, June 2007