Beck Wheeler is part of the ICON 5 Roadshow Illustration Salon 2008
Wednesday July 2nd 5:00-8:00pm
Roosevelt Hotel 45 E. 45th Street off Madison Avenue, New York
RSVP by June 30th to admin@theillustrationconference.org
Use Roadshow RSVP as the subject heading
www.theillustrationconference.org for more info


 

Beck Wheeler studied Sculpture and Painting in NewZealand before moving to Australia in 2000. She then went onto study Illustration in Melbourne where she now works as a artist/toy designer.

Beck combines painting,  sculpture and toy making to explore narrative and the art of story telling. Her work reflects an interest in comic book art, contemporary illustration, medieval cartography and children's toys.

Beck started making toys in 2002, and launched her label kissy kissy toys in 2004. Kissy kissy toys have been exhibited in Australia, Canada and the USA and been reveiwed in The Age, IdN magazine, Creative magazine, Australian Art Review, Make Magazine with work published by Lothian Books, Die Gestalten Verlag,  Lark Books and Chronicle Books.

Beck is a committee member of Illustrators Australia and a Lecturer within the Illustration Department at NMIT, Melbourne.

+  Latex For Fun Designer Toys for Poor People Edited by Máximo Tuja Published by Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin

+  Dot Dot Dash Designer Toys, Action Figures and Character Art    Edited by R. Klanten, M. Huebner Published by Die Gestalten Verlag, Berlin

+  Handmade in Melbourne Beautiful Things by Melbourne Artists Written by Jan Phyland, Janet De Silva Photography by Dean Cambray Published by Geoff  Slattery, Melbourne

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+  Plusharama  Curious Creatures for Immature Adults Edited by Linda Kopp Published by Lark Books, New York

+  How Absurd   Written and Illustrated by Beck Wheeler Published by Lothian Books, Melbourne (release date: 23rd August 2007)

Solo Exhibitions 

+ 2008: Hey, Hey, Which Way?                                                                            Uber Gallery, VIC

+ 2006: Get Stuffed                                                                                                  Melbourne Fringe Festival, VIC

+2006: The Toy Shop Sale                                                                                     Encounter, Craft Victoria, VIC

+2005: If I told you that I loved you would you scratch me on the ear?       Hudsons, Balaclava, VIC



 
Selected Group Exhibitions

+ 2008: ICON5 Roadshow Illustration Salon                                               Roosevelt Hotel 45 E.St, New York

+2007: Hung by The Sticky Bits                                                                    Until Never, Melbourne, VIC, AUST
(project curated by Beck Wheeler)

+2007: Colour of Munny                                                                                 Villian, Brunswick, VIC, AUST

+2007: Medical Experiments in Plush                                                           PUSH Skateshop, Asheville, NC, USA

+2007: Plastic Pimps II                                                                                      Central Station Records, Melbourne, VIC, AUST

+2007: Latex For Fun                                                                                        Vallery, Barcelona, Spain

+2007: Gas Project 07                                                                                        Global Gallery, Paddington, NSW, AUST

+2007: Pituresque                                                                                               Fringe Festival Hub, VIC, AUST

+2006: Blame it on the Rain                                                                             Misty Bar, Hosier Lane, VIC

+2006: Anti Mascot Project                                                                              Platform 2, Flinders St Station, VIC
    
+2005: Stuffed                                                                                                     This Is Not Art Festival, NSW
 
+2005: Plush Rush                                                                                             Courtland Avenue, Ohio, USA
 
+2005: Plush You                                                                                               Schmancy, Seattle, USA
                        
+2005: Beat the Pony                                                                                        Outskirts Gallery, Fitzroy, VIC

+2004: Whitewall                                                                                               Westspace, Melbourne, VIC

+2004: Performance                                                                                           Victoria Arts Centre,VIC

+2003: Linden Postcard Show                                                                         Linden Gallery,  VIC

+2003: ILLUSTRE                                                                                             Chapel off Chapel,VIC

+2003: NOISE                                                                                                     ACMI, Federation Square, VIC



Artwork Reveiwed

+ Goodweekend (Aust)
+ Urbis Magazine (NZ)                  
+ Preveiw Magazine (Aust)                  
+ Make Magazine (USA)                   
+ IDN Design Review (Aust)                    
+ Plush Toys/ Lark Books (USA)               
+ Sydney Morning Hearld (Aust)  
+ Australian Art Reveiw (Aust)  
+ Inside Design Reveiw (Aust)  
+ MX magazine (Aust)  
+ Chik Magazine (Aust)  
+ Australian Art Reveiw (Aust)  
+ Dot Dot Dash (Germany)
+ Plush-o-rama (USA)
+ Handmade in Melbourne (Aust)  


Selected Interviews

+Interview with Sarah Dunk of Outline Magazine - 2006

1. Where did you grow up/what is your background or your crafty background?
I was born in Germany, and raised in a small suburb called BeachHaven in Auckland, NewZealand......a suburb that must have been named by someone who was being extremely sarcastic as there was no beach around for miles, only a mangrove swamp and a fish n chip shop.
My family is quiet creative, my sisters all have a touch of the creative bug in them and my parents were always supportive of my intentions to become an artist.
My mum used to make all our clothes (even our underwear) when I was a young child, and she made extra cash from making toys and selling them in markets.
My dad started a gallery wall in our basement when I was in kindergarten, it showed off all our best drawings.
In high school I studied photography, art history, sculpture and painting as my main subjects. From then onwards the process of studying art continued into art school, where I studied jewellery and sculpture. On moving to Australia I studied graphic design and illustration.

2.  What were your early influences in terms of crafting/art/design etc.?
My early influences in the arts were all quiet different to my current influences.
when I started to study art seriously (in 1995) I got into minimalist art, and installation based art. My favourite artists at the time included Donald Judd, Dan Flavin and Eva Hesse
It wasnt till I took a few years off to travel europe and america that I discovered a love for Art Brut or Raw Art, and the use of images to tell stories (esp in countries where the literacy levels are low).....this is when I started getting into street art and contemporary illustration, which I then went onto study when I moved to Melbourne/Australia.
My current influences range from Raw Art, Medieval Cartography, Folk Tales/Myths and Legends and the work of contemporary illustrators like the Clayton Brothers, Edward Gorey and Chris Ware.
The lines between my illustration, artwork and toy making have all blurred into one.
I produce toys for installation based projects in reaction to current events, aswell as producing toys for sale in retail outlets.
For me my art is not only a passion and a passtime but also a  9-5  day  job. I think  creativity is a powerful asset that is too often under valued.

3. Why do you make what you make - how do you come up with the ideas for all your creatures? what inspires you?
The world needs artists, just like it needs plumbers or mechanics, I suppose as an artist it is harder to justify why you do what you do.....Its not like Im fixing something tangible like pipes and cars.
I suppose I do what I do because I see things around me that inspire me to make art. I see art as a visual commentary on the world around me.
In a world where everything in mass-made, mass-produced and mass-consumed, I seek to make art that reeks of being handmade.
The world seems to be taking huge steps towards conservatisim, and commonsense has taken a dive out the window.....hairdryers have warnings on them that say 'dont use in the shower'.....i make toys that i hope will inspire individuality and creativity in adults and children.


+ Extract from Dot Dot Dash written by Gregor Wildermann



+ Listen to Triple J radio interview with Jay and the Doctor here

+ Listen to Triple J radio interview with John Safran here