Exhibitions
Yarra Valley Open Studios
Zora Verona’s Studio, Warburton Victoria
4 & 5 November 2023
This is a wonderful opportunity to personally connect with your favourite artists, see their studios, how they create, their inspiration and gain a glimpse into the life of an artist.
A visit to my studio offers a ‘birds eye view’ of the artistic process of how birds (and myself) build their nests and the fascinating stories of our wonderful avian treasures. There will also be a gallery of sculptures from my recent The Art & Craft of Nest exhibition to enjoy and a selection of new works for sale.
Do fly in! I look forward to welcoming you.
To download a map of all participating artists and find the address details for my studio please visit www.yava.org.au/openstudios
Past Exhibitions
The Art & Craft of Nests
MiRa
2 April - 1 May 2023
Marysville, Victoria
City Library Niches
28 September – 3 December 2022
Melbourne, Victoria
For centuries, the strength, fragility and resilience of birds has captured our collective imagination. They play a central symbolic role in our mythology, religion and folklore and have inspired our desire to fly – from science to poetry, art and music. Yet could birds have inspired the origins of our textile craft?
Birds inhabit the globe and their history of textile use and technique mirrors the diversity of the cultures with which they coincide and intersect. They weave, felt, stitch and sculpt their nests using only beak and breast, yet from splitting, stripping and shaping, to coiling and random weave, these techniques are all echoed in human crafting tradition.
The Art & Craft of Nests explores the tenacity, determination, skill and ingenuity of birds to craft and curate. Artist Zora Verona emulates a birds methodology in collecting nesting materials by foraging locally for fauna, flora and found objects, re-envisioning nests that are held in natural history collections worldwide. This exhibition of sustainable contemporary art works explores the complexity of nest forms honouring birds as artist and architect. It is an invitation to awaken an understanding that every bird species is worthy of our wonder, awe and most importantly our protection.
Meet the artist
Zora Verona will be in residence at MiRa in Marysville during the exhibition on 2nd, 10th & 22nd of April 2023 with hosted artist talks at 11am & 2pm on these dates. Tickets are free for the hosted artist talks, yet please reserve your place via Eventbrite.
Environmental Art & Design Prize 2022 Northern Beaches Council
Manly Art Gallery & Museum , Manly, New South Wales
5 August – 28 August 2022
Artists and designers are agents of change, often taking the lead in responding to environmental or societal challenges. This year we invite audiences to explore the diverse ways artists and designers Australia-wide have interpreted our unique Australian landscape, responded to our climate emergency and advocated for our planet through their creative practices.
I am honoured for my sculpture ‘With What is Left I – the Nest of the Northern Oriole’ to have been chosen as a Finalist to exhibit as part of this dynamic community of artists and designers who care deeply about our future.
Yarra Valley Open Studios
Zora Verona’s Studio, Warburton Victoria
26 & 27 March 2022
This was a wonderful opportunity to personally connect with your favourite artist, see where they create, how they do it, their inspiration and gain a glimpse into the life of an artist.
A visit to my studio offered a ‘birds eye view’ of the artistic process of how birds (and myself) build their nests and the fascinating stories of our wonderful avian treasures.
Interior - Small Sculpture Exhibition
In association with the Yering
Station Sculpture Exhibition & Awards
YAVA Gallery, Healesville Victoria
10 February – 6 March 2022
This inaugural small sculpture exhibition coincided with the broader event at Yering Station. YAVA was pleased to bring a new dimension to the prestigious Sculpture Exhibition by presenting smaller work in a more intimate and personal setting.
The intimacy of sculpture, such as my sculpture ‘Cling to Life’ – the nest of the African Palm Swift invited the viewer to take notice, examining details: up close, the mark of the maker and the impression of their hand are evident. Small sculpture can speak quietly and compel a sincere reflection of the artist’s intention.
Small Works Arts Prize 2022
Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne Victoria
7 January – 21 January 2022
An annual exhibition for artists at all stages of their career practicing throughout Australia and beyond. Encompassing painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, weaving and much more, this eclectic showcase is not to be missed.
Three of my nest sculptures featured at the Brunswick Street Gallery Small Works Arts Prize 2022, including Not Rare but Rarely Seen – the Nest of the Spotted Nightingale Thrush as pictured here.
WRAP Small Artwork Prize 2021
East Gippsland Gallery, Bairnsdale Victoria
10 December 2021 – 21 January 2022
EGAG WRAP small artwork prize attracted over 300 entries from all over Australia, from Aotearoa, New Zealand, the UK and South Africa. My nest sculpture ‘Invasive Beauty’ featured at this buy-off-the-wall exhibition to be purchased by a private collector.
It’s Still Life 2021
Geelong Art Space, Geelong Victoria
28 August – 9 October 2021
A group exhibition featuring artists and makers from Geelong, the surrounding regions and beyond who utilise innovative ways of looking at everyday objects whether they be from nature, found or man-made.
My nest sculpture Testament to Resilience- the Nest of the Hoary Redpoll featured as a testament to no matter how uncertain times have been during the pandemic, we may take heart that even in the the most barren of landscapes, there is still life. Despite weighing less than 20 grams, this incredibly resilient and adaptive bird species survives and even thrives in temperatures that descend as low as – 67 degrees Celsius.
Re|Covered 2021
YAVA Gallery, Healesville Victoria
8 July – 1 August 2021
To complement the Yarra Valley Writers Festival, https://www.yarravalleywritersfestival.com/ YAVA Gallery & Arts Hub presented Re:Covered, an exhibition of illustrations by artist Elise Hurst (illustrator of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, by Neil Gaiman) alongside works from YAVA member artists, which were be inspired by a reimagining of their favourite book, poem or book cover.
My nest sculpture, “Nesting Oscar Wilde’’ is inspired by Wilde’s poignant fairytale, The Happy Prince (and his beloved swallow), which to this day I cannot read without being moved to tears.
Emerge 2021
Warburton Arts Centre, Warburton Victoria
Memo Gallery, Healesville, Victoria
8 July – 1 August 2021
With our re-emergence from lockdown 4.0, the Emerge exhibitions relaunched the exhibition programs for the Upper Yarra Arts Centre Gallery in Warburton and Memo Gallery, Healesville. My Grass & Bone nest was one of four nest sculptures that featured across these two galleries.
The exhibition featured the work of local YAVA artists created during lock down. In reflection on this time of great uncertainty for so many, my sculptures were an exploration of the nature of nests and nesting, our search for wellbeing, safety and our need for beauty in an uncertain world.
Fledglings – Nature & Nests 2021
Warburton Waterwheel Gallery, Warburton Victoria
7 – 27 April 2021
Fledglings was the inaugural exhibition of myself and partner John Christie (@George_Grace_Creative) Showcasing the beauty of natural fibres, my collection of 21 sculptures honoured the art and architecture of bird nests. John exhibited a suite of stunning black and white photographs in response to a natural world that offers much inspiration. Together our work was a celebration of flora, fauna, found objects and place.
