Rita Karagelinian is a Sydney based artist. She began a career as a graphic designer where her skills were noticed early on. Karagelinian rapidly moved up the ranks to eventually overlook up to 150 casual staff including team leaders, graphic artists, and editors. Moving up meant moving away from what she loved, creativity. In 2006, Karagelinian made the leap from full time manager to full time art student at the National Art School in Darlinghurst. It was there that she strengthened her artistic skills and discovered a love for drawing. During her time at art school, Karagelinian was awarded the NAS Drawing Week Exhibition Award as well as the Sydney Art Co. Studio Award. She also completed her studies with a High Distinction in drawing. Recently, her art was awarded the cover of the Aquent/Vitamin T 2014 Talent Calendar that was distributed globally to creative agencies.

Karagelinian’s style is distinct and her interests lie in ethereal, other worldly figures created mostly through an automatic painting process. This is where the hand automatically moves across the canvas to express the subconscious and to deliberately move away from rational control. The figure is then found within the marks. Transcendental Romance is a body of work that was created through this process.

Curriculum Vitae

Solo

2010 Mind Expedition, Ivan Goodacre Gallery, Sydney

Selected Group Exhibitions

2013 Digital Group Show, See.Me, SCOPE Miami Beach, Florida
2013 Creative Rising, See.Me Exhibition Space and Projection Garden (projected on Linc LIC building), Long Island, New York
2013 The Story of the Creative, See.Me, Angel Orensanz Foundation, New York
2013 Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award, Brisbane (Online Finalist)
2012 Mortimore Art Prize, Travelling exhibition (Finalist)
2012 Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award, Brisbane (Finalist)
2011 Agendo 2011, Melbourne (Finalist)
2010 Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award, Brisbane (Finalist)
2009 Liverpool City Art Prize, Casula Powerhouse, Sydney
2008 FONAS Plate Show, NAS Gallery, Sydney
2008 John Olsen Drawing Prize, National Art School, Sydney (Finalist)
2008 NAS Drawing Week Prize Winners, Xavier Art Space, St Vincents Hospital, Sydney
2007 Charity Art Auction: The Wayside Chapel, Gallery 9, Sydney
2007 John Olsen Drawing Prize, National Art School, Sydney (Finalist)
2006 Charity Art Auction: The Wayside Chapel, King St on Burton Gallery, Sydney
2006 Cockatoo Island Drawing Week Selected Works, Project Space, National Art School, Sydney
2005 Charity Art Auction: The Wayside Chapel, King St on Burton Gallery, Sydney
2005 Warringah Art Prize, Sydney (Finalist)

Group Exhibitions

2013 MOST (Marrickville Open Studio Trail), Lennox Street Studios, Sydney
2012 Open Studios, Lennox Street Studios, Sydney
2011 Creative Corridors, Open Studios, Lennox Street Studios, Sydney
2010 Shaping Inspiration, Open Studios, Lennox Street Studios, Sydney
2010 Vibe(rant), Xavier Art Space, St Vincents Hospital, Sydney
2009 Open Studios, Lennox Street Studios, Sydney
2009 Drawn to the Watch House, The Watch House, Sydney
2009 Newtown at the Beach, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
2008 Cockatoo Island Drawing Week, Project Space, National Art School, Sydney

Awards

2013 Aquent / Vitamin T 2014 Talent Calendar (Cover)
2008 Sydney Art Co. Studio Award
2008 NAS Drawing Week Exhibition Award (FONAS)

Media

2012 Video:Tina C Design Bedroom Makeover (Contestant from ‘The Renovators’ 2011)

Articles

18/09/2008 Alison Massey, “National art school winners share the spoils” The City News
10/10/2007 Kate Crawford, “Art of the Intuitive” North Shore Times

Education

Feb – Apr 2013 Life Drawing and Painting, Julian Ashtons
Sept 2010 Metal Sculpture, Art Students League of New York, New York
2006 – 2008 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), National Art School, Sydney
1994 – 1995 Associate Diploma of Graphic Design, Hornsby TAFE, Sydney