Ruth Maddison

Ruth Maddison (born 18 November 1945) is an Australian photographer. She started photography in the 1970s and continues to make contributions to the Australian visual arts community.

Biography Maddison is an Australian photographer who now resides at Eden on the south coast of New South Wales. She was born on 18 November 1945. As a first-year physiotherapy student, and a mother of three children, Maddison held various miscellaneous jobs before venturing into photography in 1976. This would lead to a commercial project six months later and a solo exhibition to follow within a period of three years. Although self-taught, she has seen both commercial and critical success nationally.

Maddison has also held a position as a lecturer at an Australian learning institute.

Photography Maddison's career as a freelance photographer encompasses commissioned projects for theater companies, governmental organizations, and newspaper agencies. From 1984 to 1985, she became involved in a project called artists-in-community, which was funded by the Victorian Ministry for the Arts. Since moving from the city to a more rural, sea-side location in 1996, and being a prolific photographer, her portfolio has expanded to include many recognized series from then to now focusing on the stories of people in the Eden and Pambula district in New South Wales. These include: Now A River Went Out of Eden (2002) and Girt by Sea (2008).

Collections Maddison's work is represented in major public collections in museums, galleries, art spaces and institutions nationally. These include: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane; Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney; Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart; Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne; National Library of Australia Picture Collection, Canberra; State Library of Victoria Picture Collection, Melbourne; State Library of New South Wales Picture Collection, Sydney; Tweed River Regional Art Gallery, Queensland; Griffith University Art Museum, Queensland; Charles Sturt University, New South Wales; ACT Community Health Care, Belconnen; Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne; Albury Regional Art Centre, Victoria; Trades Hall Council, Melbourne; Australian Council of Trade Unions, Melbourne; Performing Arts Museum, Melbourne; Artists for Peace Gallery, Moscow. This is an exhibition that focuses on the involvement of women in the trade union. 1988: Australian Photography: the 1980s, Australian National Gallery and State Galleries; The Thousand Mile Stare, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne Art and Working Life: More Than a Document, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Melbourne 2015: Colour My world: Hand-coloured Australian Photography, National Gallery of Australia. The first exhibition of its kind which showcases hand-coloured photographs by various artists, including Maddison. In essence, this collection celebrates a practice that went into decline but then witnessed a resurgence in recent times. 2018: Dark Rooms: Women Directing the Lens 1978-98.

Grants, awards and residencies

Selected grants, awards and residencies

1980: Australia Council for the Arts Visual Arts Fund-New Work 1984: Photographer for Victorian Ministry for the Arts 1985: Australia Council for Trade Unions Artists Residency ("And so .. we joined the Union") 1993: Photography Acquisition Award: Contemporary Jewish Artists in Australia 2001: Australia Council Visual Arts/Craft Fund - New Work NSW Ministry for the Arts, Myer Foundation 2002: Recipient inaugural Arts ACT/Photoaccess/Megalo 'Cutting Edge' artists residency 2002: Winner, Josephine Ulrick National Photography Prize for Portraiture (2002). 2004: Australia Council Visual Arts/Craft Fund - Skills & Development, Mumbulla Foundation Grant 2007: Australia Council Visual Arts/Craft Fund - Skills & Development 2007: Winner, Hobart City Art Prize for Photography/Digital Media 2008: Arts ACT Regional Arts Fund 2013: Finalist, Olive Cotton Portrait Award Exhibition 2013: Recipient of a 3-months residency at the Artspace Visual Arts Centre in Sydney. This is a program made possible by the collaboration between Regional Arts New South Wales and Sydney Gallery and sponsored by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund. It offers regional artists the space, finance, and curatorial assistance to create and exhibit their works in an urban environment, and to make contributions to the visual arts community at large. 2016: Bundanoon Artist residency 2019: Bowness Photography Prize, Monash Gallery of Art 2019: Australia Council for the Arts, New work/exhibition