News

Adventures in time and personal history

It was my great pleasure to visit Georgetown, Penang in Malaysia during 2024 - a place where I spent significant time as a young child and teenager. I look forward to exploring the nature of cross cultural experience and my relationship to this fascinating multi layered place...

Pop Up Open Studio 2024
Sunday 15th December Midday to 4pm(ish)

This is a pre Christmas Opportunity to visit the studio / talk about drawing and lithography / purchase work / find out about classes / purchase cards and drawing kits etc

It will be a pleasure to see you!

I'll be getting out some works not seen for a long time.
Also I can explain stone lithography and I'll have all the materials out.
I'll have drawings and lithographs for sale as well as drawing kits (think gorgeous paper and high quality graphite pencils etc).
My new(ish) zines will be available.
And a few cards for sale too.
Plenty of parking and bike parking out the front - train station is just at the bottom of the hill.

All welcome!

Castlemaine Experimental Print Prize Entry 2024

Now in it's third iteration, the Castlemaine Experimental Print Prize opened Friday 15th September 2023 and running until 28th January 2024.
'His Story #31415' was short listed for exhibition along with 42 other finalists and was given a special mention from the Judges.

His Story #31415 2023
Stone Lithography and hand colouring
with tape to collage
Unique State

Artist Statement

‘His Story #31415’ continues on from previous work exploring women of history in Central Victoria.

To create a ‘Unique State Collage’ with this image I have cut multiple impressions from one edition - aiming to reflect the dress and its voluminous skirt.
Unexpectedly, the resulting repetition of the drawing also suggests the anatomy under the skirt.

History is most interesting to me where there are gaps in information and many unknowns. An abstract space where imperfections and incomplete narratives feed curiosity and drive a seductive kind of mystery.

The numerical reference in the title is taken from the first numerals of Pi – a number that also has an abstract element. That is, Pi continues infinitely without pattern. The cutting of the prints was not measured but done according to ‘eye’ and like Pi without pattern or predictable relationship to other elements. And Pi is considered an ‘irrational number’…

Impact 12 Bristol

Impact is an International Printmaking Conference held every two years to celebrate advanced printmaking. In September 2022 Impact 12 was held in Bristol, UK with a portfolio of prints from our local Goldfields Printmakers shared during the conference.
The concurrent local exhibition at the Newstead Arts Hub titled 'Printmakers' Garden of Imagination' ran 4th September to 25th September.
Goldfields' Printmakers brings together a diverse range of artists working in print media with ongoing exhibition and sharing opportunities. To be part of this type of arts community is always a pleasure.
My lithograph above incorporates stone lithography with hand colouring and watercolour with coloured pencil - this diptych travelled to Bristol.

From the blurb for the Newstead show titled 'Printmakers' Garden of Imagination'...

Catherine Pilgrim’s recent works revolve around narratives of women from goldfields history.
Exploring the murky ground of historical sources, Pilgrim builds imagery suggestive of missing details and acknowledging the cultural myopia of early settlers.
Imagination is required for any reading of history, especially when reviewing from a current standpoint where so much seems missing.
The colour ultramarine blue (ubiquitous in domestic spaces with Willow China) is used to reflect the singular cultural view of early colonial settlers.

‘1850’s Dress’ 2022 (Diptych)
Lithograph from one stone with hand colouring and watercolour with coloured pencil

Sorry My House is Such a Mess
Phyllis Palmer Gallery, La Trobe University, Bendigo

‘Sorry my house is such a mess’ extends Catherine Pilgrim’s Mrs Larritt Series to build an exhibition ‘lab’ in the Phyllis Palmer Gallery. Echoing a domestic space steeped in history Catherine builds an environment in which to contemplate both presence and absence, care and control. Catherine brings the viewer a space to contemplate the comforts of home and yet the constraints of our history telling.
Update – due to Covid19 Lockdowns the intended wall drawing was produced on paper in the artist’s home studio and pinned to the gallery wall. August 2021

Reflections Series - Castlemaine Art Museum

The Castlemaine Art Museum is producing a series of 'Reflections' based on responses to the CAM collection and it was an honour to be asked to contribute during the 2020 lockdown. It was just the professional nod I needed at the time when I was at home supporting teenagers through online learning. I reflected on my response to Buda Historic Home and Garden (Buda is owned by the Castlemaine Art Museum) during my informal residency there in 2014 and the subsequent history based work around Mrs Larritt. Read the reflection here -
https://castlemaineartmuseum.org.au/reflections/pilgrim-on-the-leviny-women-and-mrs-larritt

Catherine Pilgrim, (detail) Hilda Leviny (Buda Series), 2014. Graphite on Arches Satine 300gsm. Private Collection, copyright the artist. Image: Lorena Carrington.

Castlemaine State Festival 2021

Open Studio is on again - I'll be open weekends during the festival and it will be lovely to have visitors!

10am - 5pm Saturdays and Sundays
19th March to 4th April
(Please note I'll be closed the last day, Sunday 4th)
I'm very happy to open other days and times by appointment
email [email protected]
87 Farnsworth St
Castlemaine

'Mrs Larritt in Upside-down Country' - a site specific exhibition celebrating the early married life of Maggie Larritt - opened Saturday 17th November 2018 at Dudley House, View St. A second iteration of this exhibition 'Mrs Larritt' opened at fortyfivedownstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne Tuesday 29th October 2019 and was current to Saturday 9th October 2019.
www.timeout.com/melbourne/art/mrs-larritt-in-upside-down-country

'Mrs Larritt' installation view fortyfivedownstairs November 2019, Photo credit Tim Gresham

Open Studio during Castlemaine State Festival 2019

Studio Open during the Castlemaine State Festival 23rd - 31st March 2019
11-4 weekdays
10-5 weekends (Closed Monday and Wednesday) or by appointment.

Catalogue - 'Mrs Larritt in Upside-down Country' Dudley House Bendigo 16 -25 November 2018
Download the catalogue here

cp-catalogue-high_res_spreads_181109.pdf
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Grant from Creative Victoria for solo exhibition

Creative Victoria Funding (Local Makers Grant) for an exhibition at Dudley House Bendigo in November 2018 as part of the Regional Centre for Culture.
https://creative.vic.gov.au/news/2017/local-creativity-at-the-heart-of-victorias-first-regional-centre-for-culture

Open Studio - Castlemaine State Festival 2017

Open Studio happened again as part of the 2017 Castlemaine State Festival - March 17 - 26
Weekends 10 -5
Weekdays 11-3 (Closed Wednesday)
Or by appointment

Recent Solo Exhibition

Looking for the Leviny Women of Buda, 45 Downstairs, Flinders Lane, Melbourne 22nd November - 3rd December 2016
http://www.fortyfivedownstairs.com/wp2016/event/looking-leviny-women-buda/2016-11-24/

Naked Ladies (Buda Series), (detail) lithograph, 2016

Creative Collective Exhibition, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2016

This Habbot Shoe drawing, installed with the gold and silver Habbot Brogue - one of seven individually customised shoes for Creative Collective Exhibition, Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2016. Swanston Room, Melbourne Town Hall, August 26th - September 2nd 2016.

Home Nostalgia Exhibition, Queenscliff Gallery and Workshop, August 2016

Untitled (Homage to the Leviny Sisters)
Lithograph (2nd State) with hand colouring. Edition of 8. Part of group exhibition, Home Nostalgia, Queenscliff Gallery and Workshop.

Why Draw?

Terrific article from Brain Pickings...
https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/07/10/john-ruskin-drawing/

Swan Hill Acqusitive Print and Drawing Prize 2016

'Ilma (Leviny) Thompson' was shortlisted for the Swan Hill Acquisitive Print and Drawing Award and was exhibited as part of the exhibition at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery from 14th May to 10th July 2016.

National Gallery of Australia

View Catherine's lithographs included in the National Gallery of Australia's collection.
http://cs.nga.gov.au/Search.cfm?VIEW_SELECT=1&CREIRN=26175&ORDER_SELECT=1&SHOWROWS=20

Coinciding with the 2015 Castlemaine State Festival Catherine's exhibition 'Making History - Hidden World of the Leviny Women' at the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum. 28th February to 11th April 2015.

Catherine's Studio was also open as part of the Festival Open Studio programme.

Trouble Magazine Article

Link here to read the article

Tutored Drawing Groups at Buda Historic Home and Garden

As part of her ‘Artist in Residence’ Project at Buda, Catherine Pilgrim conducted tutored drawing groups aimed at beginner and intermediate drawers looking to improve their skills in observational drawing. February - June 2014. Catherine is continuing to run drawing groups from her studio, with visits to Buda and other locations. Please see the drawing groups page.

Elly Varrenti at launch of Catherine Pilgrim's 'Widow' Exhibtion, La Trobe Visual Arts Centre, Bendigo. Feb 2012

Please follow the link below to read Elly's wonderful launch speech.

elly_varrenti_talks_at_widow_exhibition_opening.doc
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