“ I never find Objects, they allow my discovery. These knowing items are telepathic, they are conscious of themselves.”
Samantha Arnull is from Sydney, Australia; born in Darlinghurst in 1973, the youngest of five children and daughter of inner-city public servants, her father loved to collect precious and semi-precious stones and objects while trailblazing on family road trips across Australia, light years away from the familiar. She grew up on the southern side of Sydney next to the Royal National Park, (est. 1879). As a child of the 70s the National Park remains a significant place, the locale of childhood making and play, still Samantha regularly disappears into the park for walks and swims.
Samantha studied Photography at TAFE in Sydney, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Newcastle, this is where she met her lifelong mentor, teacher and friend Professor Jutta Feddersen. The impact of Jutta’s work on Samantha is vast and true. After she finished her under graduate degree Samantha began tutoring in the Art school while studying for her Diploma of Art where she received Honours Class 1 for her work.
Samantha was granted an Australian Post-Graduate Award for her Master of Fine Art, at the University of Newcastle, she was the first student to be part of the exchange program founded by Professor Jutta Feddersen with the Bauhaus University, Weimar.
She is always finding and storing; these systematic operations are an essential part of her work. Her work is an intricate inquiry into Objects; a theatre of play, the time spent at the Bauhaus University Weimar has a boundless effect on her practice together with her research for Master of Fine Art across Europe’s flea markets, Germany’s bike paths and strawberry fields.
Samantha Arnull is a custodian and caretaker of Objects; she is not bound by any one art making process, she is fearless.
Samantha Arnull
BVA. Dip. Art. DipEd MFA
Samantha Arnull is an Artist/teacher specialising Visual Art, Visual Design, Photography and Aboriginal Studies.
Samantha worked at a sessional tutor in Visual Arts Education at University of Notre Dame, Sydney (2011-2014).
From her studio she conducts workshops in Sculpture/Assemblage/Collage. Her work is held in private collections nationally & internationally.
2007 Graduate Diploma of Education, University of Technology, Sydney
2001 Master of Fine Art (University of Newcastle/ Bauhaus University, Germany)
1997 Diploma of Art (Honours Class 1), University of Newcastle
1995 Bachelor of Visual Art, University of Newcastle
1992 Southern Sydney Institute of TAFE, Assoc. Diploma of Fine Art (Photography)
Selected Exhibitions
2024 New work, with Vyvian WIlson, Clifton School of Arts, Clifton
2022 Best Life, Curated by Kitty Clark, St. Cloche Gallery, Paddington
2022 What kind of times are these, Clifton School of Arts, Clifton
2022 ACB Selects: NEAP, Amber Creswell Bell creative director for Michael Reid, online exhibition
2021 Little Things Art Prize, St. Cloche Gallery, Paddington
2020 Worklife Coledale, Artists Launch & 55 Parrots Gallery Bulli
2019 Global Gallery, Affordable Art Fair, Hong Kong
2018 Timbermill Artists Collective, Wollongong City Art Gallery
2018 Magnificent, Collaboration with Sapphira Arnull, Activated Walls, Bondi
2017 Make Art from your Heart, Collaboration with Sapphira Arnull, Activated Walls, Bondi. 2016 Frontiers, a project for Activated Walls, Bondi
2015 Alumini Past, University of Newcastle Gallery, Newcastle
2015 Truth, a project for Activated Walls, Bondi
2014 Hair brushing, mandarins & giving way, a project for Activated Walls, Bondi
2003 notation Conical, Fitzroy Melbourne
2002 What’s in a name?, This is Not Art Festival, Newcastle
2002 Frei Kunst, Screening video doco/performance, Queen St Newcastle. 2002 faux,Intrados Gallery, Newcastle
2001 her own room, (Master of Fine Art) Thorn St. Apartment, Newcastle
2000 Wo ist Die Kunstlerin? National Young Writers Festival, Newcastle, With Each Love there is Death, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle, A self-portrait, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle
1999-2000 Die Homage, Van der Welde Bau, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
1998 a felt pause, Watt Space Galleries, Newcastle
The Tooth Fairy's Banquet, Watt Space Galleries, Newcastle Aleatori-us, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle, Panta Rhei, John Paynter Gallery, Newcastle
1995 The Fools Errand, Scape Gallery Sydney
An Owl’s Looking glass, Watt Space, Newcastle
Grants, Scholarships and Awards
2021 Happiness Award, Little Things Art Prize, St. Cloche Gallery, Paddington. Presented by Happiness Institute and Woolhara Council
2001 Ways Of Seeing, Photography project with young people, funded by Australia Council & NCC
2000 University of Newcastle Travelling Scholarship
1999 Awarded Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship, University of Newcastle
1998 High Commendation, Art Prize Watt Space Galleries, University of Newcastle