photo: Sean McComishBorn in the US, Caroline Esbenshade spent part of her childhood in Japan and migrated to Australia in her mid-20s. She now lives and works in Shepparton, Victoria where she devotes her time to her art practice, her full-time curatorial role at Shepparton Art Museum, and enjoying tea.
Working in oil painting and instant film photography, she turned to still life subjects during the pandemic. Incorporating tarot cards, flowers, drapery, and lingerie as reoccurring motifs the works reflected on the rich history of the still life genre while immortalising personal narratives, including feeling like a ‘still life’ while in lockdown in Melbourne.
caroline@cesbenshade.com
@caroline_esbenshade
c.v.
education:
2024: Master of Art Curatorship (First Class Honours), University of Melbourne. Melbourne, Vic, AU. [thesis]
2011: Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and School of Media Art & Design, James Madison University. Harrisonburg, Va, USA.
selected exhibitions :
2025 RIGHTS EQUALITY EMPOWERMENT - Beechworth Contemporary Art Space. Beechworth, Vic.
2024 Reality and its Double - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
2023 Things that shouldn’t last (solo show) - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
Imbolc - Louis Joel Gallery. Altona, Vic.
50 Squared Art Prize - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
2022 Feast - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
The Salon des Wunder Gym - 2/10 Watton Street, Werribee, Vic.
2021 Wunder Gym: Make Some Noise - Station Place Laneway, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show 2021-22 - Linden New Art Gallery, St Kilda, Vic.
2020 Still Life - No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, Vic.
Tough Love - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
2019 Repoussoir (solo show) - Trocadero Art Space. Footscray, Melbourne, Vic.
2019 ILFORD CCP Salon - Centre for Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy, Vic.
All You Can Eat - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
2018 Australasia Now - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
selected awards:
Finalist, Still Life Prize 2022 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
Finalist, Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2022 - Kangaroo Valley, Nsw.
Finalist, Little Things Art Prize 2022 - Saint Cloche Gallery, Paddington, Nsw.
Finalist, Still Life Prize 2021 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
Finalist, Agendo Art Prize 2019 - David Williams Gallery, Canterbury, Vic.
Finalist, Wyndham Art Prize 2017 - Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Vic.
selected curation:
Once upon a time... - Shepparton Art Museum, from 5 Apr 2025..
Rustic Reverie, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Musuem, from 25 Mar 2025.
Dore Stockhausen: echoes of a new eden - Shepparton Art Museum, 8 Mar - 29 Jun 2025 .
Zen embedded in craft and clay, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Musuem, from 2 Mar 2025.
Carmel Robertson: Wish you were here - Shepparton Art Museum, 23 Nov 2024 - 2 Mar 2025.
Leonard French, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Museum, from 21 Sep 2024.
Bare paper, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Museum, from 21 Sep 2024.
Face in the Frame - Shepparton Art Museum, from 26 Apr 2024.
Jen Valender: Field - Shepparton Art Museum, 3 Feb - 5 May 2024.
Ellen Lee: Landscape; of sight, of sound - Shepparton Art Museum, 21 Oct 2023 - 28 Jan 2024.
Beci Orpin: MUSH/ROOM - Shepparton Art Museum, 16 Sep 2023 - 15 Apr 2024.
After the Rain - Shepparton Art Museum, 22 Jul - 15 Oct 2023.
Little big, Big little - Shepparton Art Museum, May - Sep 2023.
All Together - Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter - Shepparton Art Museum, Nov 2022 - Apr 2023.
Aleisa Miksad: Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora - Shepparton Art Museum, Dec 2022 - Feb 2023.
Ponch Hawkes: 500 Strong - Shepparton Art Museum, Sep - Nov 2022.
PINK - Wyndham Art Gallery, Feb - Mar 2021.
LEGACY - Wyndham Art Gallery, Sep - Oct 2020. (online exhibition, co-curator with dr.megan evans)
REVEAL - Wyndham Art Gallery, Mar - Apr 2020. (co-curator with dr.megan evans)
OUT IS OUT - Wyndham Art Gallery, Jan - Mar 2020. (co-curator with dr.megan evans)
residencies and grants:
Quick Response Grant from Regional Arts Australia and Regional Arts Victoria, 2022.
Community Strengthening Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2017.
Arts Incubator Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2017.
Arts Incubator Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2016.
Residency with Wyndham Art Spaces, Wyndham City Council, 2015-16.
selected writings, interviews, presentations and videos:
“A wabi-sabi way through the bush” – MASS: Shepparton Art Museum Journal, Issue 1 (Feb 2025): 4 - 15.
“Where is here?” - Catalogue essay for Carmel Robertson: Wish you were here, Shepparton Art Museum, 2024-25.
“Mapping the land - moments of meditation,” Catalogue essay for Ellen Lee: Landscape; of sight, of sound, 2023-24.
“Aleisa Miksad - Ancient Forms Echoing,” Journal of Australian Ceramics, 62 no. 1 (April 2023): 77 - 81.
“Curator’s Note” and Narration for the PINK Exhibition online tour, Wyndham Art Gallery, 2021.
“Curiouser and curiouser: How objects we’ve collected reflect on us,” Catalogue essay for REVEAL, Wyndham Art Gallery, 2020.
Video production and interview with artist Alex Bay for Sawhill Gallery, 2011.
panels and committees:
Judge - Echuca Moama Arts Initiative ‘Nature Speaks’ Art Prize, 2024.
Peer Assessor - Creative Projects Fund, Creative Victoria, 2023.
Peer Assessor - Creative Projects Fund, Creative Victoria, 2022.
Wyndham City’s Arts & Tourism Portfolio Committee, Wyndham City Council, 2017-18.
employment:
Curator - Community, Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton, Vic, AU. Jun 2022 - present.
Arts Marketing Officer, Hobsons Bay City Council, Altona, Vic, AU. Jun 2021 - May 2022.
Visual Arts Curator, Wyndham City Council (Wyndham Art Gallery), Werribee, Vic, AU. Dec 2019 - May 2021.
Arts Program Support Officer, Wyndham City Council, Werribee, Vic, AU. Feb 2018 - Dec 2019.
Managing Director, RedWest Creative Co-op, Werribee, Vic, AU. 2017-18.
Instructor & Studio Manager, Saltwater Art Studio, Point Cook, Vic, AU. 2016-18.
Consultant & Picture Framer, Framing Fantastic Art, Werribee, Vic, AU. 2015-16.
Instructor, The ArtStation, Leesburg, Va, USA. 2013.
Assistant, James Crable (Photographer), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2011-12.
Gallery Assistant, Sawhill Gallery (James Madison University), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2010-11.
Intern, artWorks Gallery (James Madison University), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2009-10.
organisations:
Member, Art Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Member, Public Galleries Association of Victoria.
Member, National Association of Visual Artists.
Founder and President, RedWest Creative Co-op, 2017-19.
Caroline Esbenshade’s work is held in private collections in Australia, Italy, and the United States.
education:
2024: Master of Art Curatorship (First Class Honours), University of Melbourne. Melbourne, Vic, AU. [thesis]
2011: Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and School of Media Art & Design, James Madison University. Harrisonburg, Va, USA.
selected exhibitions :
2025 RIGHTS EQUALITY EMPOWERMENT - Beechworth Contemporary Art Space. Beechworth, Vic.
2024 Reality and its Double - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
2023 Things that shouldn’t last (solo show) - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
Imbolc - Louis Joel Gallery. Altona, Vic.
50 Squared Art Prize - Brunswick Street Gallery. Fitzroy, Vic.
2022 Feast - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
The Salon des Wunder Gym - 2/10 Watton Street, Werribee, Vic.
2021 Wunder Gym: Make Some Noise - Station Place Laneway, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show 2021-22 - Linden New Art Gallery, St Kilda, Vic.
2020 Still Life - No Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne, Vic.
Tough Love - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
2019 Repoussoir (solo show) - Trocadero Art Space. Footscray, Melbourne, Vic.
2019 ILFORD CCP Salon - Centre for Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy, Vic.
All You Can Eat - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
2018 Australasia Now - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
selected awards:
Finalist, Still Life Prize 2022 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
Finalist, Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2022 - Kangaroo Valley, Nsw.
Finalist, Little Things Art Prize 2022 - Saint Cloche Gallery, Paddington, Nsw.
Finalist, Still Life Prize 2021 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
Finalist, Agendo Art Prize 2019 - David Williams Gallery, Canterbury, Vic.
Finalist, Wyndham Art Prize 2017 - Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Vic.
selected curation:
Once upon a time... - Shepparton Art Museum, from 5 Apr 2025..
Rustic Reverie, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Musuem, from 25 Mar 2025.
Dore Stockhausen: echoes of a new eden - Shepparton Art Museum, 8 Mar - 29 Jun 2025 .
Zen embedded in craft and clay, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Musuem, from 2 Mar 2025.
Carmel Robertson: Wish you were here - Shepparton Art Museum, 23 Nov 2024 - 2 Mar 2025.
Leonard French, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Museum, from 21 Sep 2024.
Bare paper, part of Stories from the SAM Collection - Shepparton Art Museum, from 21 Sep 2024.
Face in the Frame - Shepparton Art Museum, from 26 Apr 2024.
Jen Valender: Field - Shepparton Art Museum, 3 Feb - 5 May 2024.
Ellen Lee: Landscape; of sight, of sound - Shepparton Art Museum, 21 Oct 2023 - 28 Jan 2024.
Beci Orpin: MUSH/ROOM - Shepparton Art Museum, 16 Sep 2023 - 15 Apr 2024.
After the Rain - Shepparton Art Museum, 22 Jul - 15 Oct 2023.
Little big, Big little - Shepparton Art Museum, May - Sep 2023.
All Together - Meredith Turnbull & Ross Coulter - Shepparton Art Museum, Nov 2022 - Apr 2023.
Aleisa Miksad: Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora - Shepparton Art Museum, Dec 2022 - Feb 2023.
Ponch Hawkes: 500 Strong - Shepparton Art Museum, Sep - Nov 2022.
PINK - Wyndham Art Gallery, Feb - Mar 2021.
LEGACY - Wyndham Art Gallery, Sep - Oct 2020. (online exhibition, co-curator with dr.megan evans)
REVEAL - Wyndham Art Gallery, Mar - Apr 2020. (co-curator with dr.megan evans)
OUT IS OUT - Wyndham Art Gallery, Jan - Mar 2020. (co-curator with dr.megan evans)
residencies and grants:
Quick Response Grant from Regional Arts Australia and Regional Arts Victoria, 2022.
Community Strengthening Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2017.
Arts Incubator Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2017.
Arts Incubator Grant from Wyndham City Council, 2016.
Residency with Wyndham Art Spaces, Wyndham City Council, 2015-16.
selected writings, interviews, presentations and videos:
“A wabi-sabi way through the bush” – MASS: Shepparton Art Museum Journal, Issue 1 (Feb 2025): 4 - 15.
“Where is here?” - Catalogue essay for Carmel Robertson: Wish you were here, Shepparton Art Museum, 2024-25.
“Mapping the land - moments of meditation,” Catalogue essay for Ellen Lee: Landscape; of sight, of sound, 2023-24.
“Aleisa Miksad - Ancient Forms Echoing,” Journal of Australian Ceramics, 62 no. 1 (April 2023): 77 - 81.
“Curator’s Note” and Narration for the PINK Exhibition online tour, Wyndham Art Gallery, 2021.
“Curiouser and curiouser: How objects we’ve collected reflect on us,” Catalogue essay for REVEAL, Wyndham Art Gallery, 2020.
Video production and interview with artist Alex Bay for Sawhill Gallery, 2011.
panels and committees:
Judge - Echuca Moama Arts Initiative ‘Nature Speaks’ Art Prize, 2024.
Peer Assessor - Creative Projects Fund, Creative Victoria, 2023.
Peer Assessor - Creative Projects Fund, Creative Victoria, 2022.
Wyndham City’s Arts & Tourism Portfolio Committee, Wyndham City Council, 2017-18.
employment:
Curator - Community, Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton, Vic, AU. Jun 2022 - present.
Arts Marketing Officer, Hobsons Bay City Council, Altona, Vic, AU. Jun 2021 - May 2022.
Visual Arts Curator, Wyndham City Council (Wyndham Art Gallery), Werribee, Vic, AU. Dec 2019 - May 2021.
Arts Program Support Officer, Wyndham City Council, Werribee, Vic, AU. Feb 2018 - Dec 2019.
Managing Director, RedWest Creative Co-op, Werribee, Vic, AU. 2017-18.
Instructor & Studio Manager, Saltwater Art Studio, Point Cook, Vic, AU. 2016-18.
Consultant & Picture Framer, Framing Fantastic Art, Werribee, Vic, AU. 2015-16.
Instructor, The ArtStation, Leesburg, Va, USA. 2013.
Assistant, James Crable (Photographer), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2011-12.
Gallery Assistant, Sawhill Gallery (James Madison University), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2010-11.
Intern, artWorks Gallery (James Madison University), Harrisonburg, Va, USA. 2009-10.
organisations:
Member, Art Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Member, Public Galleries Association of Victoria.
Member, National Association of Visual Artists.
Founder and President, RedWest Creative Co-op, 2017-19.
Caroline Esbenshade’s work is held in private collections in Australia, Italy, and the United States.