BIOGRAPHY
Ian Banksmith
Education:
Born in Hobart, Ian completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education
in 1980. In 1988 he also attained a Certificate of Horticulture.
Ian made an interstate move to Melbourne in 1994 and now resides & works in Carnegie, Melbourne,
from his purpose built studio. He is self-employed in garden design and maintenance. Ian has travelled
widely to the US, Europe, Russia and Asia with the aim of studying specific artworks and creating new
possibilities. In 2009 he again went to NYC to view the retrospective by Kandinsky at the Guggenheim
museum. During this trip he was invited to speak about his work to an audience in Great Neck, Long
Island. Artworks previously sold & commissioned in NYC were brought together for display and
discussion. A digital presentation of his artworks from 1979 to present was displayed during this event.
Exhibition:
Ian’s artworks are held in many private collections in Australia, NYC and London.
Ian successfully exhibited at the Salamanca Place Gallery, Hobart in 1984. His first solo exhibition in
Melbourne 1997 ‘Growth’ was followed by two further solo exhibitions in 1999 at the Caulfield City
Gallery and Charles Smith Gallery, Fitzroy. 1999 saw Ian was accepted into the Redlands Westpac Art
Prize, Sydney.
In 2000 at the Carlton gallery, Art Sans Frontieres, Ian had a ‘Preview’ showing of his upcoming NYC
solo exhibition, scheduled for May 2001. This solo show ‘An Australian in New York’ was held at
Gelabert Gallery, NYC.
The Australian Consul-General in NYC opened this exhibition of 26 paintings and a folder of works on
paper.
2002 saw Ian exhibit at the Atrium Gallery of the SOFITEL Hotel, Melbourne.
In 2003 Ian was accepted into a group show at Agora Gallery, SoHo, NYC, titled ‘Out From Down
Under & Beyond’.
In March 2008 Ian staged a 30year retrospective in Caulfield, Melbourne titled ‘Frames of Time 19792008’, comprising 39 works.
2009 saw Ian accepted to show his sculptural reliefs in the Glen Eira Contemporary Artist’s Exhibition
and the Darebin La Trobe Art Prize.
In April/May 2013, Ian will be having his 7th solo exhibition. This will be shown at Cambridge Studio
Gallery Fitzroy, Melbourne. Ian has also been invited to exhibit 6 works in a group show in February
2013 at this gallery.
Other major group exhibitions include:
Masterworks@Montsalvat, 2002, ‘03,
Masterworks in the Vineyard, Eltham 2005, ‘07, ‘09, ‘11.
Wyndham City Cont. Art Prize 2001, ’02, ‘03, ‘05.
Churchie Contemporary Art Exhibition 2000, ‘02
Swan Hill National Print & Drawing Exhibition 2000
Publications:
2008 Caulfield Leader March 18, pg 12,Art Almanac March pg 43 & ‘Profiles’ pg 192.
2005 Fairfax Newspaper Masterworks Oct 19, profiling art career
2003 Gallery&Studio NYC September. pg22
2001 Art in America May No5 pg120, Gallery Guide NYC May pg113, UPS Oz News winter
1999 Glen Eira News Vol 26 Feb ’99 review by David O’Halloran, Arts Co-Ordinator, Glen Eira Gallery
Art almanac March pg8, Art Almanac July ‘Profiles’ pg 75, The Herald Sun July 25 pg 98.