Jen Selmore

Bio-
Originally from Sydney, Jen Selmore is a Naarm/ Melbourne based artist whose practice explores the delicate tension between humanity and the natural world through sculptural works on paper. Hand drawn and meticulously cut insects combine with vintage and repurposed materials to create artworks that speak to both fragility and endurance; always with nostalgic longing.

Jen has presented solo exhibitions Living on Mute, SOL Gallery, 2025 and At Grandad's House, Off the Kerb Gallery, 2024 as well as regularly participating in selected group shows including Antipodes, Beinart Gallery, 2026. She won the Melbourne and Victorian Artists (MAVA) major art prize in 2025 for her piece A Series of Moments and has works included in private collections within Australia and internationally.

Statement-
I love using something so small, beautiful and seemingly innocuous such as hand drawn and cut paper insects, to convey commentary around themes of man vs nature.

By creating drawn then damaged and worn wings- showing the marks of survival through persistence- my work highlights what it means to claim space softly, to adapt and continue to exist under manmade pressures.

Survival is often just the refusal to let go.

My use of recycled and vintage materials is reminiscent of fabrics, textures and colour palettes from childhood creating a nostalgic longing- an escape to simpler times past while having the opportunity give new life to reused materials making the pieces truly ethical and sustainable.

CV-

Solo Exhibitions
2025 'Living on Mute', SOL gallery Fitzroy, VIC
2024  'At Grandad's House'- Off the Kerb gallery, Collingwood VIC
2016 Ent Bent, Goodness Bureau, VIC


Selected Group Shows
2026
19th Anniversary group show- Off the Kerb gallery, Collingwood VIC
Arts Precinct at Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show, Carlton, VIC
MAVA award show- Artemesia Gallery, Windsor, VIC
Cabinet of Curiosities group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC
Antipodes group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC

2025
Small Works group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC
Art for All group show- Fairfield, VIC
18th Anniversary group show- Off the Kerb gallery, Collingwood VIC
Antipodes group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC

2024
Art for All group show- Fairfield, VIC
Small Works group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC
The Paper Taxidermy Project The Carringbush, VIC
Winter Days group show- Off the Kerb gallery, Collingwood VIC
Wunderkammer group show- Beinart gallery, Brunswick, VIC
green’s the colour of Spring Neon Parlour, Thornbury VIC

2023
The Paper Taxidermy Project The Carringbush, VIC
Black Cat group show, Fitzroy, VIC
Buggin' Out group show- Off the Kerb gallery, Collingwood VIC
Art for All group show- Fairfield, VIC

2022
Art for All group show, Fairfield, VIC

2021
Dinoland group show, Incub8r, Fitzroy, VIC
Knick Knacks, Incub8r, Fitzroy, VIC
Art for All group show, Fairfield, VIC

2017
The Space Between, Balkan Art Incubator, VIC
Art for All group show, Fairfield, VIC

2016
Art for All group show, Fairfield, VIC
A1 Darebin Art Salon, Bundoora Homestead, VIC

Awards/ Prizes
2025 Major Prize Winner for 'A series of moments'- MAVA (Melbourne & Victorian Artists Inc) 2025 Art Prize
2023 Highly commended for 'Spanish Festoon Butterfly Tins'- Art For All, Fairfield VIC

Publications
2021
Gemzine- Issue 20 illustration
Frankie Magazine-  Scribble club illustration tile
2017
Cockatoo book-  Thames & Hudson, illustration

Collections
Private collections across Australia, the US and UK

Education & personal development
2026 Diploma Visual Arts, Northern College of Arts and Technology
2026 Etching 2- Aquatint and Sugar list, Australian Print Workshop
2026 Plate Lithography, Australian Print Workshop
2000 BA Design (Graphic), University of Newcastle, NSW