photo: Sean McComishCaroline Esbenshade is an artist and curator living and working in Shepparton, Victoria. Born in the US and raised between the US and Japan, she migrated to Australia in her twenties. Recently she completed her Master of Art Curatorship at the University of Melbourne. Her thesis, The Janus Effect: Being both ‘Artist’ and ‘Curator’, examined the unique perspective offered by artist-curators working within the contemporary artworld.
Working primarily in oil painting and instant film photography, Esbenshade is drawn to the alchemical qualities of both mediums—compressing an extended duration of time or distilling a second into a tangible object. Her work draws from art history and the Western canon, embracing and interrogating its visual language. She is particularly interested in how women have been historically depicted—as muse, allegory, temptation, or vessel—and reclaims this imagery by positioning women as active subjects with agency.
A feminist lens shapes both Esbenshade’s art and curatorial practice. Exhibitions such as PINK (2021), Aleisa Miksad: Between Scylla and Charybdis | Amphora (2022), and Ponch Hawkes: 500 Strong (2024) in particular represent this in her curation. She has had two solo shows in the last few years: Repoussoir (2019) at Trocadero Art Space and Things that shouldn’t last (2023) at Brunswick Street Gallery, the latter supported by Regional Arts Victoria. She has been a finalist in the Tacit Still Life Prize (2022, 2021), Kangaroo Valley Art Prize (2022), Agendo Art Prize (2019), and Wyndham Art Prize (2017).
caroline@cesbenshade.com
@caroline_esbenshade
c.v. [download full cv here]
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 Hillvale Photo Trophy - Hillvale Photo. Brunswick, Vic. (upcoming)
Linden Postcard Show - Linden New Art. St Kilda, Vic.
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 Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2022 - Kangaroo Valley, Nsw.
Little Things Art Prize 2022 - Saint Cloche Gallery, Paddington, Nsw.
Feast - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
The Salon des Wunder Gym - 2/10 Watton Street, Werribee, Vic.
Still Life Prize 2022 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
2021 Wunder Gym: Make Some Noise - Station Place Laneway, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show 2021-22 - Linden New Art Gallery, St Kilda, Vic.
Still Life Prize 2021 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, 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.
Agendo Art Prize 2019 - David Williams Gallery, Canterbury, 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.
2017 Wyndham Art Prize 2017 - Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Vic.
RED | redux - Wyndham City Council, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show - Linden New Art, South Yarra, 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 Museum, 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:
Selection Panel member - Beechworth Biennale Selection Panel, Beechworth Biennale, 2026. (upcoming)
Peer Assessor - Creators Fund, Creative Victoria, 2025.
Selection Panel member - Euroa Art Trail Sculpture Panel, Strathbogie Shire, 2025.
Judge - Echuca Moama Arts Initiative ‘Nature Speaks’ Art Prize, 2024.
Peer Assessor - Creators 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, Regional Arts Victoria.
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 Hillvale Photo Trophy - Hillvale Photo. Brunswick, Vic. (upcoming)
Linden Postcard Show - Linden New Art. St Kilda, Vic.
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 Kangaroo Valley Art Prize 2022 - Kangaroo Valley, Nsw.
Little Things Art Prize 2022 - Saint Cloche Gallery, Paddington, Nsw.
Feast - Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, Vic.
The Salon des Wunder Gym - 2/10 Watton Street, Werribee, Vic.
Still Life Prize 2022 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, Vic.
2021 Wunder Gym: Make Some Noise - Station Place Laneway, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show 2021-22 - Linden New Art Gallery, St Kilda, Vic.
Still Life Prize 2021 - Tacit Gallery, Collingwood, 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.
Agendo Art Prize 2019 - David Williams Gallery, Canterbury, 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.
2017 Wyndham Art Prize 2017 - Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Vic.
RED | redux - Wyndham City Council, Werribee, Vic.
Linden Postcard Show - Linden New Art, South Yarra, 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 Museum, 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:
Selection Panel member - Beechworth Biennale Selection Panel, Beechworth Biennale, 2026. (upcoming)
Peer Assessor - Creators Fund, Creative Victoria, 2025.
Selection Panel member - Euroa Art Trail Sculpture Panel, Strathbogie Shire, 2025.
Judge - Echuca Moama Arts Initiative ‘Nature Speaks’ Art Prize, 2024.
Peer Assessor - Creators 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, Regional Arts Victoria.
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.