Background:
Alison Smiles is an Adelaide-based artist working predominantly in the area of ceramic-based sculpture. A graduate from the University of South Australia, the final semester of her undergraduate degree was spent in the UK at the University of Sunderland in the National Glass Centre. Following graduation, Alison attended the Jam Factory as an associate in 2012. The following year, she co-founded an independent group studio with fellow ceramic artists, Sophia Phillips and Stephanie James Manttan and attended the Macsabal wood fire symposium in Zibo, China. She has also completed residencies in Korea and Japan (2016, respectively). In 2018, Alison completed her honours degree at Adelaide Central School of Art, where she explored heteronormative approaches in the medical field and its impacts on the queer body through her own lived experience. Upon graduating honours, Alison commenced teaching at Adelaide College of the Arts, lecturing in Ceramics and sculpture in the BVA program, which is awarded through Flinders University. In 2024, Alison was part of the assistant editing team for the Journal of Australian Ceramics and provided external mentoring for the associate program at the Jam Factory. In 2025, Alison commenced her new role at Adelaide Central School of Art, providing Academic Support to students at all levels on campus.
Exhibitions
2025 Wassail, Newmarch Gallery, Adelaide
2025 Softer/Still, Praxis Gallery exhibition, Adelaide
2025 The Figure, Art Images Gallery, Adelaide
2025 Artists At Work, Mrs Harris Shop, Adelaide
2024 YOUTH, Praxis Gallery exhibition, Adelaide.
2023 Klytie Pate Ceramics Award exhibition (finalist). ‘
2023 Gold - 50th Jam Factory Anniversary Exhibition.
2023 Outside, Inside and All the Way Around, Light Square Gallery SALA..
2023 Hard Exhibition, Melbourne Design Week - curated by Calum Hurley.
2022 Fortified, Jam Factory exhibition, RMIT Design hub, Melbourne Design Week.
2022 Animal House, Art Images Gallery, Norwood.
2021 Fortified Jam Factory exhibition, shown in Jam Factory Seppeltsfield.
2021 Ludere, exhibition Craft ACT, Canberra.
2020 Cup the Intimate Object, Charlie Cummings Gallery, Florida, USA. ‘
2020 Besties, Gallery 1855, City of Tea Tree Gully.
2019 Tools of Self, FELTspace ARI, Adelaide.
2019 Conversations with Friends Light Square Gallery, SALA festival 2019.
2019 Sculpture for Sight, Art prize finalist, St Marks College, North Adelaide.
2018 Graduate Exhibition, Adelaide Central School of Art (Honours).
2018 Small Works, Art Prize, (finalist) Brunswick St Gallery, Fitzroy, Melbourne.
2017 One + Three, The Distracted Object, Jam Factory Seppeltsfield Gallery.
2017 Tableware, Kerrie Lowe Gallery, Sydney.
2016 Flight of Fancy, Art Images Gallery.
2016 Hills Edge Clay, City of Tea Tree Gully, Gallery 1855
2015 Beyond Limitations, Clayarch Museum, Gimhae, Korea.
2015 Hills Edge Clay, City of Tea Tree Gully.
2015 Shifting Senses, M16 Artspace, Canberra, Australian Ceramics Triennale.
2014 Hills Edge Clay, City of Tea Tree Gully, Gallery 1855 group exhibition.
2013 Macsaba Symposium, Taishan Ceramics Factory Permanent Collection Museum, Zibo, China.
Qilu Ceramic & Glass Art Museum Collection, Qilu University Jinan, China. ’
2013 Bloom, Group Exhibition, Gaff Gallery, Port Adelaide
2012 National Graduate Survey, Australian Ceramics Triennale.
2012 Domestic Disturbance, Magazine Gallery, Adelaide.
2012 Clay Collect, Art Images Gallery.
2011 Rare, University of South Australia BVA graduate exhibition.
2010 Objectophile, Joint exhibition with Caren Elliss, Magazine Gallery, Adelaide.
2009 South Australian Ceramics Award, exhibition (Finalist) Adelaide Central School Gallery
2008 Other Lives, Fringe exhibition, Flightpath Gallery, Adelaide
2007 Women to Watch, Kensington Gallery, Adelaide
Residencies/Grants
2021 - South Australian Arts Recovery Grant, Arts SA
2018 - ‘Figure Ground’ Week long workshop with Sergei Isupov, Massachusetts, USA.
2016 - Joint Community activation grant, 6 Hands Studio, City of Charles Sturt Council
2015 - Joint recipient Arts SA Mentorship Grant, with Sophia Nuske
2015 - ‘Beyond Limitations’ 6 week mentorship with Vipoo Srivilasa Gimhae, South Korea
2015 - Week long residency in Arita, Japan at Kouraku Gama - Kiln factory site
2013 - Invited participant, 3 week Macsabal Woodfiring Symposium, Zibo, China,
2012 - 2013: Jam Factory Associate, Ceramics Department
2012 - Sandy Lockwood 2 day Wheel throwing workshop, Jam Factory, Adelaide
2012 – Akio Takamori workshop as part of Subversive clay conference, AC Arts, Adelaide
2011 – Arts SA Grant funded Mentorship with Vipoo Sriivilasa
2010 - 2011: University of South Australia Exchange Project, University of Sunderland, UK.
2010 - Awarded University of South Australia travel grant
2007 – 2010: Bachelor of Visual Arts, South Australian, School of Art.
2003 -2006: Part time Study at Central School of Art in Drawing