Elaine Miles has maintained a solo practice, continually embraced the medium of handblown glass, for over two decades. She enjoys drawing inspiration from ancient glass techniques and works with teams of leading international artists to make her artwork and installations. She has exhibited nationally and internationally in over 80 exhibitions.
Elaine holds degrees in Ceramic Design, Applied Arts (Hons), Fine Arts (Masters) and a PhD in Fine Arts from Monash University. Her artwork appears in the National Glass Collection at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Australia, and within the American Museum of Glass collection, USA. Amongst numerous professional successes she is a past recipient of the Creative Fellowship at Wheaton Arts, and is a winner of the Civic Choice Award at the prestigious Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture.
Ancient themes and philosophies of phenomenology and mediation underpin her interest in fine arts and glass. She has explored ancient meditative sounds, mystical notions and historic glass and handcrafts. Today Miles’ latest art series explores the narratives that surround ancient murrine glass, old fashioned embroidery, medieval forged metal and components of lost-wax casting. Her specialty is to adopt various hand craft practices to re-contextualize the meaning of the more familiar notions of glass objects.
Those who have commissioned Elaine’s glass artworks include high quality public venues and organisations such as The Sydney Arts Festival, The National Museum of Singapore, wPS1 art radio (an affiliate of PS1 gallery/MOMA New York), The City of Wyndham, Roulette Experimental Sound Space (New York), Melbourne Recital Centre Inaugural opening, Federation Square, Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery (The National Glass Centre) and various state run Craft Councils and State run Regional Galleries.
Within her current ancient amphora and lotus perfume bottles series, an engraved single lotus flower appears with her signature, discretely on the artworks surface. This flower is reminiscent of Elaine’s deep connection with nature, as well as being a symbol of beauty and peace. The lotus flower represents ancient notions of enlightenment; the lotus bud arises from the darkness and only flowers when it reaches the light.
Education 2002 1999 1996 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2017 2012-14 2008-09 2007 2006-08 AWARDS 2015 2012 2010 2009 2008 2007 2003 2001 2000 PUBLIC COLLECTIONS: National Glass Collection, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Australia EXHIBITIONS AND PERFORMANCES SELECTED SOLO 2012 2011 2008 2003 2001 2000 SELECTED MAJOR COLLABORATIONS 2015 2010 2009 2008 2007 2004 SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2018 2016 2015 2014 2011 2008 2007 2002 2001 2000 1999
2009
Doctorate of Philosophy – Fine Arts, Monash University
Masters of Fine Arts, Monash University
Bachelor of Applied Arts (Hons 1), Monash University
Bachelor of Arts – Ceramic Design, Monash University
Thomas Foundation Residency, Canberra Glassworks, ACT
Lecturer, Visual Arts – Glass Studio, MADA, Monash University, VIC
Curator – Visual & New Media Arts – Cube 37, Frankston Arts Centre, VIC
Creative Glass Centre America Fellowship, American Museum of Glass/WheatonArts, USA
Lecturer, Fine Arts – Glass Department, Faculty of Art & Design, Monash University, VIC
Curator – Contemporary Sculptors Association & County Women’s Association, VIC
RACV Award, Yering Station Sculpture Exhibition & Awards, Yarra Glen VIC
Indoor/Outdoor Permanent Sculpture, Wyndham City Council, VIC
Arts Development – Sidney Myer Fund, Myer Foundation
International Touring – Visual Arts – Arts Victoria.
International Pathways – Music – Australia Council.
Arts Development – Sidney Myer Fund, The Myer Foundation
Civic Choice Award, Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture, Federation Square, VIC
Presentation and Promotion – Music – Australia Council
New Work – Inter-Arts- Australia Council
New Work – Visual Arts – Arts Victoria
Presentation – Arts Victoria
Presentation – Melbourne City Council
Skills & Arts Development – Visual Arts – Australia Council
International Export & Touring Grant – Visual Arts – Arts Victoria
Emerging Artists Grant – Ian Potter Cultural Trust
Honorable mention, Cheongju 2nd International Biennial, Korea
Australian Postgraduate Award – Scholarship, AUST
Museum of American Glass, USA
The Stonnington Museum of Art, Australia
Inhabit, Solo Exhibition, Wyndham Art Gallery, VIC
Indoor/Outdoor, Solo Exhibition, Linden Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, VIC
Indoor/Outdoor Solo Video Installation, Glass Cube, Frankston Arts Centre, VIC
Volumes in Glass, Doctorate Exhibition. Monash University Faculty Gallery, Victoria
Boxes, TOTEM (The Objects That Evoke Meaning), Soho, New York
Boxes, site specific, Space Furniture, Melbourne, Victoria
Bowls, site specific, Space Furniture, Melbourne, Victoria
Glass Doors, Inaugural Opening of The Grey Area, Elaine Miles & Adrian Lander, VIC
Fractured Again, Ensemble Offspring, Great Hall of Sydney University, The Sydney Festival, NSW
Glass Percussion Project, The National Museum of Singapore, Singapore
En-trance, Glass Percussion Project, Site Specific, Melbourne Recital Centre Inaugural Opening, VIC
Glass Percussion Project, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW
Blue Collection, Glass Percussion Project. Artspace, Adelaide Festival Centre, SA
Intermezzo, Glass Percussion Project, Site Specific, Federation Square, VIC
Blue Installation, Shepparton Art Gallery, VIC
Glass Percussion Project, PS1 (MOMA affiliate) co-host with Roulette NY, USA
Poetic Nature, Elaine Miles and Holly Grace Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW
Glass Stairway, Hit me with your best shot, BOAA, VIC
Window Box # 3, Yering Station Sculpture Awards, VIC
Tidal Pools #6, Lorne Sculpture Biennale, VIC
Tidal Pools #4, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, WA
Tidal Pools #2, Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe, WA
Tidal Pools, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, WA
Remoteness, Curated by Matthew Perkins and Dr Elaine Miles, The Block, QUT, QLD
Reflections, Melbourne Prize for Urban Sculpture, Federation Square, VIC
Spotlight Presentation, Glass Percussion Project, The Australian Performing Arts Market, SA
Personal Space, Gigantic Art Space, Soho, New York, USA
Noise: Performance, The Flame workers Glass Conference USA
Bowls, Stanthorpe Regional Gallery Sculpture Awards, VIC
Clearing, Curated by Kevin Murray, Craft Victoria, VIC
Cheongju 2nd International Biennial, Korea
Cheer, Craft Queensland, QLD
Mixing Bowls, The Hutchins Art Prize, Works on Paper, The Long Gallery, TAS
RFC Glass Prize, Finalist, Australian Touring Exhibition, AUST
Glass 2000, Glass Artists Gallery, NSW