Bernadette’s professional career includes:
- Exhibiting in solo and group exhibitions, and collaborative installation and performance projects throughout Australia since 1987;
- Working: in the Arts Industry since 1988; as a Community Cultural Development Worker & Arts facilitator since 1995; Employed as an Art Therapist; Project Manager; Creative Producer, Consultant / Curator for various Australian organisations and groups who are seeking to engage in arts-focussed activities since 2005.
Her notable achievements include:
- Assisting in the establishment of the Wik And Kugu Arts Centre in Aurukun, which she co-managed between 1997 to 2000;
- Producing healthy living and oral history / cultural retention and development projects in Kowanyama and Townsville (1996 – 2021), including the publication of a Kunjen traditional bush medicine book, community health promotion resources and plans, videos, curated exhibitions of project works, public art and festival projects.
- Establishing a successful land management and cultural development project in her hometown of Townsville – the Mundy Creek Natureway Regeneration Project.
Awards
2016
Townsville City Council Excellence in Sustainability Award, Mundy Creek Natureway Regeneration Project
2012
Creating Inclusive Communities Awards – Innovative Practice, Mundy Creek Natureway Regeneration Project – Stage 1, Townsville City Council and United Industries
2003
Excellence in Drawing, James Cook University, Townsville
1994
Excellence in Sculpture, National Art School, Sydney, NSW
Education
2005
Post Graduate Certificate: Family Therapy, Child & Adolescent Counselling, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland (QLD)
2003
Bachelor of Visual Arts (Diploma Upgrade): Sculpture Major, James Cook University, Townsville QLD
1994
Diploma of Fine Arts: Sculpture Major, National Art School – East Sydney Technical College, New South Wales (NSW)
1992
Associate Diploma of Fine Arts: Painting Major, St. George TAFE, Kogarah NSW
Employment
2022
Project Officer: Mabo Decision 30 Years On, Eddie Koiki Mabo Library, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD
2021
Lead Artist / Arts Coordinator: Reconciling Histories Art Project (North Queensland), Micah Projects, (Mackay, Townsville, Atherton Tablelands) QLD
2019 – 2020
Project Officer: 50th Anniversary Projects, Eddie Koiki Mabo Library, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD
Community Artist / Educator, Enhancing Students Resilience Project, Landcare Australia, NSW
2018 – 19
Arts Coordinator / Lead Artist / Curator: Worked independently and as part of a team to plan, resource, deliver, produce and acquit the Ngethn o’ Arts & Culture Festival 2019, Kowanyama QLD (IRADF, Community Council Grants); Thawvl Wedlvn Project, Kowanyama & Townsville, QLD (Regional Arts Australia Funded);
Solo Exhibitions
2019
Travelling by String, Main Space Exhibition, Umbrella Contemporary Art Studios, Townsville
2015
Recollection, Display Case Exhibition, Umbrella Contemporary Art Studios, Townsville
2008
Lunacy & light relief, A Little White Space, Brewery, Townsville QLD
Bone Machines, Display Case Exhibition, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville
2004
1 & a bit dimensional, Umbrella Contemporary Art Studios, Townsville
Ecofiesta (June) & Full Metal Racket (August), Festival Sculpture Displays: Townsville City Council
2003
Rapt horizons, Inaugural Exhibition, Studio 533, Townsville
2001
from Seed to Saltwater – the journey, not the destination, Umbrella Contemporary Art Studios
Public Art & Commissions
2014
Jezzine / Garabarra / Kissing Point Development project (3 works), North Ward, Townsville
2013
James Cook University CLT Refurbishment with David Stefanovic, Architects North, Townsville
Selected Group Exhibitions & Collaborations
2021
Ephemera 2021, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville City Council, QLD
Golden Bee – Hive Alive, PUNQ Festival, Umbrella Studios Contemporary Arts, Townsville, QLD
2019
Today is not tomorrow; PTSD Understories, Umbrella Studio Contemporary Art, Townsville QLD
Bees Knees, Drill Hall Gallery, Townsville
Thawvl with Thawvl Wedlvn Collective, Strand Ephemera 2019, Townsville
Postcards from the North & South, PressNorth: Umbrella Studio (Townsville) 12/04/19 – 12/05/2019; Firestation Gallery (Armidale): 13 – 30 March 2019; Bluegrass Printmakers’ Co-op: Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center (Lexington, Kentucky), April 2019; Second State Press: The Crane Arts Building (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
2017
Gyllene Bi – Hunting and Gathering Intimacy, Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden
Golden Bee Dew, St Margaret’s Church of Art, Norwich, Norfolk UK
Strand Ephemera 2017, Biannual Ephemeral Art Exhibition, The Strand, Townsville QLD
Marie Ellis Drawing Prize, Finalist, Jugglers Artspace, Brisbane QLD
Bread and Circuses, Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW
2016
Compact Prints, International Print Exhibition and Exchange, Umbrella Studios, Townsville QLD
Golden Bee – Hive Alive, Alpha House Gallery, Newtown Sydney NSW
2014
Tree, Pinnacles Gallery, Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa QLD
Marie Ellis Drawing Prize, Finalist, Jugglers Artspace, Brisbane QLD
Bimblebox 153 Birds Project, bimbleboxartproject.wordpress.com
Compact Prints, International Print Exhibition and Exchange, Umbrella Studios (+ 2010 & 2012)
2013
Florae, (in collaboration with Naomi Smith), Umbrella Studio, Townsville QLD
2012
Merchants of War – an exhibition tribute to Michael Callaghan, Damien Minton Gallery, Redfern NSW
Works on Paper Prize, Finalist, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy VIC. Received: Acquisition Prize
DotCom / Mundy Creek Project Pinnacles Gallery, Thuringowa QLD
2011
Ephemera in the Mist, Inaugural Ephemeral Arts Festival, Paluma QLD
Strand Ephemera, Biannual Ephemeral Art Exhibition, The Strand, Townsville
Queensland Regional Arts Award, (Finalist) Online Exhibition, Flying Arts Queensland
Waltzing Matilda Art Prize Exhibition, (Finalist), Outback Regional Gallery, Winton QLD
Buried Light, (in collaboration with Robyn Sweeney), Umbrella Studios, Townsville
Presence, Display Case Group Show, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville (+2008 & 2010)
Linden Postcard Show, Linden Gallery, St Kilda Melbourne, Victoria (+ 2009 & 2010)
2009
Moire`, Enviropairs: with Robyn Sweeney, Artspaced Inc, Townsville
Travelling Solander, Partners in Print Exchange, Melbourne VIC
Earlier – 2005
Perc’s Purses, Perc Tucker Gallery, Townsville QLD
2003
Emerging: BVA Final Year Exhibition, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville QLD
2002
Last supper – remnants of bounty (with Robyn Sweeney), Umbrella Studios, Townsville QLD
2000 – 2016
Annual Members Show, Umbrella Studios, Townsville QLD
1995
Pet Show, Ether Ohneital Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne VIC
1994
National Art School Graduate Exhibition, Cell Block Gallery – National Art School, Darlinghurst Sydney NSW
1993
Walls Sometimes Speak (Poster Art in Australia) National Gallery of Australia, Canberra ACT
1989
Now We Are Ten (A Retrospective), Redback Graffix 1979-1989, Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney NSW
Curatorial Experience
2020
50 Treasures – Celebrating 50 Yeats of James Cook University, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville (Gurambilbarra) QLD
2019
Ngethn o’ Festival Exhibition, Kowanyama, QLD
2017
Gyllene Bi – Hunting and Gathering Intimacy, Supermarket Independent Art Fair, Stockholm, SWEDEN
2016
Golden Bee – Hive Alive, Alpha House Gallery, Newtown Sydney NSW
2014
Tree, Pinnacles Gallery, Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa QLD
2012
DotCom / Mundy Creek Project (with Denise Weightman, Barrier Reef Institute of TAFE), Pinnacles Gallery, Thuringowa QLD
2010
Arts Inc. The Exhibition, Inaugural display of works by participants in the Arts Inc. Youth Art Workshops,
Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa QLD
2008
Awesome Sweet, QYS – Reconnect Youth Art Annual Exhibition, Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa QLD
2007
Nobody’s Perfect, Queensland Youth Services (QYS) – Reconnect Youth Art Program Exhibition, Thuringowa QLD
Artful Healing, Ozcare Art Therapy Program Exhibition, Riverway Arts Centre, Thuringowa
Original Illustrations – 10 Black Ink illustrators, Umbrella Studios, Townsville QLD
2006
Bodies of Uniqueness, QYS – Reconnect Art Program, Stockland Shopping Centre, Aitkenvale QLD
2005
Don’t Judge Me – See Me As I Am, QYS – Reconnect Youth Art Program, Willows Shopping Centre, Thuringowa
2003
Uni Uncensored, James Cook University Students’ Group Exhibition, Studio 533, Townsville QLD
1998
Wik and Kugu Contemporary Arts – an exhibition, Kick Arts Collective, Cairns QLD
Cape Country Gulf Sea – Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria Aboriginal Artists Alliance, Pacific Wave Festival, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Bondi Beach NSW
Takeback! Wik and Kugu Arts Exhibition: Gallery Gabrielle Pizzi, Melbourne VIC (May 1998) / Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Gallery, Sydney NSW (September 1998)
Publications
Luke, Alma with Luke Myrtle & Boscacci, Bernadette., Uw Oykangand Oy berr – Traditional Bush Medicine from the Kunjen of Kowanyama, Black Ink Press, Townsville Q. 2011
Zagala, Anna., Redback Graphix, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra 2008.
Butler, Roger., Poster Art in Australia: The Streets as Art Galleries – Walls Sometimes Speak, Publications Section, National Art Gallery of Australia, Canberra, ACT. 1993.
Boscacci, B & Sweeney, R. Last supper – Remnants of Bounty: book of poems & essays, Wordmill Publishing, NQ. 2002
Magazines: Eyeline, Buried Light Review, Writer: Anneke Silver, No.74 p.91; Artgaze, Finding Buried Light, Sweeney & Boscacci, No.13, Autumn 2011, p.11; From Walls to Webs – Contemporary Poster Art in Australia, Art and Australia, Fine Arts Press, Vol 37 #1., 1999; Artgaze, Florae: Bernadette Boscacci & Naomi Smith, June 2013; Artgaze, Tree exhibition weaves earthy magic, Writer: Anneke Silver, November 2014.
Collections
National Gallery of Australia, ACT; James Cook University, QLD; St. George College of TAFE, NSW;
Private Collections: Australia, USA, France, Italy, UK & Sweden.