Didier Balez
Born 12.11.1960, Aix en Provence, France
Lives in Wombarra N.S.W
Education
2000 Master of Creative Arts, Visual Arts, University of Wollongong
1993 Art Foundry Certificate, Wollongong TAFE
1980 Bachelier Fabrication Mecanique, Sete, France
Employment
2007-2020 Balez Blacksmithing PTY. Limited, Director
1990-2020 Technician, Faculty of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong
2012 Wollongong City Council, Public Artist
2003-07 Wollongong City Council, Public Artist
2005 Healthy Cities Illawarra. Tutor
2005 Illawarra Ethnic Council. Curator
2003 WEA Tutor
1987-90 Technician, Ceramics, Randwick TAFE
1988-89 Part time tutor Handicapped children, Randwick TAFE
1985-88 Email Factory, Botany
1980 Newspaper Photographer, Cap d'Agde, France
1978-80 Co-Director Photo-Club de Meze, France
Award
2007 Winning team, BAFTA Animation Patapich, Edingburgh
2006 Winner, Stacks Finance Sculpture Competition, Taree
2005 Winner, Off The Wall, Thirroul Art Prize, Wollongong
2003 People choice Award, On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2002 Emerging Artist price, On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2002 People choice Award, On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2001 People choice Award, On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
1994 Vice-Chancellor Award for Excellence, University of Wollongong
Public Art
2012 Berkeley Senior Citizen Club
2009 Evil Duck, Wollongong University
2007 Mike Dwyer Reserve, Coledale, Wollongong
2006 Stacks Finance Building, Taree
2006 Coledale Hospital, Wollongong
2005 Cringilla Community Park, Wollongong
2005 Jack Wright Memorial Stone, Coledale, Wollongong
2004 Cringilla Community Park, Wollongong
2004 Bellambi Safe Street Project, Bellambi, Wollongong
Solo Exhibitions
2003 CHESS, University of Wollongong, (Didier Balez/ Guillaume Potart)
2000 Gone Fishin’, University of Wollongong, Wollongong
2000 The Big Tea Pot, Warrawong Westfiel, Warrawong, (Didier Balez/ Deb Gully)
1999 The Big Tea Pot, Wollongong Civic Plaza, (Didier Balez/ Deb Gully)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 The Find Line, Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong
2018 Co-Labs, Eastern Creek, Sydney
2012 Art in Conflict, Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney
2011 Art in Conflict, The Centre of Contemporary Art Afghanistan, Kabul
2010 Get Nude, Long Gallery, Wollongong University
2009 Ballade Artistique Mezoise, Meze, France
2009 Hope House, Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney
2009 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Ignasus, Sydney
2008 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2008 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Dural, Sydney
2008 Drill, Long Gallery, UOW
2007 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2007 Tactics Against Fear Creativity As Catharsis, Long Gallery, UOW
2007 Wonder Caught The Attention; Curiosity Riveted It, UOW
2007 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Ignasus, Sydney
2007 The Gender Show, Long Gallery, Wollongong University
2007 Art and Craft Exhibition, The Oak College, Sydney
2007 Out on the Patio, Capilano College, Vancouver, Canada
2006 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2006 Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies UBC, Kelowna, Canada
2006 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Dural, Sydney
2006 Land and Sea, De Havilland Gallery, Wollongong
2006 Corporate Exhibition, Campbelltown Art Gallery, Campbelltown
2006 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Ignasus, Sydney
2006 Melbourne Art Show 06, Melbourne
2006 Staff Show, Long Gallery, Wollongong University
2006 Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival
2006 Leap, A look at the future, Project gallery, Wollongong
2005 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2005 Bulli Hight School, Wollongong
2005 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Ignasus, Sydney
2005 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Dural, Sydney
2005 Melbourne Affordable Art Show, Melbourne
2005 Thirroul Seaside & Arts Festival
2005 Think (Big), Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2004 John Terry, Balmain, Sydney
2004 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2004 Sydney Affordable Art Show, RHI, Sydney
2004 Pop’tart, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2004 Art in the shop, Thirroul, Wollongong
2003 Artist Unknown, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2003 Out of Closet, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2003 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Dural, Sydney
2003 On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2003 Thirroul Art Prize, Thirroul, Wollongong
2002 No Unauthorised Entry, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2002 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2002 East Coast Sculpture Show, Thursday Plantation, Ballina
2002 Heads, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
2002 On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2002 Staff Exhibition, F.C.A Gallery, University of Wollongong
2001 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2001 Bauxites de France, Photography, Meze, France
2001 On the Shore, Thirroul Beach, Wollongong
2000 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
2000 Threads of Humanity, Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong
1999 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
1999 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Joseph, Sydney
1998 Art and Craft Exhibition, Balmain, Sydney
1998 Art and Craft Exhibition, Scarborough, Wollongong
1998 Paddington Bazaar Exhibition, Sydney
1998 Art and Craft Exhibition, St Joseph, Hunters Hill, Sydney
1998 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Sydney
1998 Art in the village, Kenthurst, Sydney
1997 Art and craft Exhibition, Balmain, Sydney
1997 Bazaar Art and Craft Exhibition, Sydney
1997 Artists Make Furniture, Long Gallery, Wollongong
1997 Art and craft Exhibition, St Joseph, Hunters Hill, Sydney
1997 Art and Craft Exhibition, Hills Grammar, Dural, Sydney
1997 Art and Craft Exhibition, Waverley, Sydney
1997 Farm Sunday, Royal Easter Show, Sydney
1996 The Australian Art and Craft exhibition, Sydney
1996 Bazaar Art and Craft Exhibition, Sydney
1996 Collaboration, Long gallery, University of Wollongong, Wollongong
1996 Clogstock Take Sale, Project space, Wollongong
1995 Just a Memento, Casula Power house, Sydney
1995 Onist Kulture, Project Space, Wollongong
1995 Artist Make Furniture, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
1995 Just a Memento, Project Space, Wollongong
1995 Clogstock revisited, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
1994 Faculty of Recollection, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
1992 Staff Show, Long Gallery, University of Wollongong
1989 Ceramics show, Randwick TAFE, Sydney
1988 Ceramics show, Randwick TAFE, Sydney
1987 Changing Environment, Craft Centre, Sydney
1987 Tutor Exhibition, University of N.S.W, Sydney
Related Professional Experiences
2007 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
2006 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
2005 Curator Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Nan Tien Temple, Wollongong
2002 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
2001 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
2000 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
1999 Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
1999 Big Tea pot project, Wollongong City Council, Wollongong
1998 Asst Curator Scarborough Art and Craft Show, Wollongong
1996 Asst Liz Jonshon, Miner's Sculpture Memorial, Wollongong
1995 Asst Ann Graham, Nun's Pool Reconstruction, Wollongong
1994 Bubbler tiling, Scarborough Primary School, Wollongong
1993 Flower bed tiling, Scarborough Primary school, Wollongong
Conference Presentation
2003 Techtrain conference, University of NSW
1999 Post graduate conference, Wollongong University
Collections
University of Wollongong Dubai Campus, Wollongong City Council, Bulli High School, Coledale Hospital, Stacks Finance, Taree. St Mary Star of the Sea High School, Wollongong, Private Collections, Australia, France, UK, Spain, USA, Switzerland, Austria.
