Frances Phoenix facts for kids

Frances Phoenix (born Frances Budden, 1950–2017) was an Australian artist. She was well-known for her amazing needlework and poster designs. Frances Phoenix was an important part of the Women's Art Movement groups in both Sydney and Adelaide. She also worked on many art projects for communities.

With another artist, Marie McMahon, she helped start the Women's Domestic Needlework Group. She also helped with Judy Chicago's famous art piece, The Dinner Party (1974–1979). Frances Phoenix kept studying and making art throughout her life. Her beautiful needlework and poster designs are now kept in national art collections.

Early Life and Education

Frances Phoenix was born in 1950. She first went to school to become a teacher. She studied at the National Art School and Alexander Mackie Teacher’s College in Sydney.

Art Career and Activism

In 1974, Frances Phoenix joined Australia's first Women's Art Movement in Sydney. Around this time, she started trying out new ideas with needlework. She used stitches to create images and messages about Australia and important social issues.

With Marie McMahon, Frances Phoenix started a special collection of doilies. They researched the history of women's needlework. They also taught needlework classes at the Tin Sheds art group at the University of Sydney.

Frances Phoenix and other artists created the Women's Domestic Needlework collection. They put together this collection for a traveling art show. This show started at the Watters Gallery in Sydney. The group also made publications and screen-printed posters to go with the exhibition.

Frances Phoenix and Marie McMahon traveled to the United States. There, they used their needlework skills to help create Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party. This was a very large art installation that celebrated important women in history.

While in Sydney, Frances Phoenix also helped start Matilda Graphics. This was a group that made art. She also helped with a local feminist art magazine called F/Arts.

In the early 1980s, Frances Phoenix moved to Adelaide. She joined the Women's Art Movement there. She led many community art projects, including Double our Numbers and The Alchemists' Teaparty. Frances Phoenix loved learning and kept studying art for her whole life. She even earned a master's degree in visual art from the University of South Australia.

Notable Artworks

Frances Phoenix created many important artworks. Here are a few examples:

• Queen of Spades (also called Kunda), 1975 – This was a doily mounted on a board.
• No Goddesses | No Mistresses, 1978 – This was a piece of red embroidery on a white doily. It was made for a part of 'The Dinner Party' artwork.
• Grow your own grassroots defiance against the capitalist plot: Victory, 1981 – This was a colorful screen-printed poster.

Art Exhibitions

Frances Phoenix's art has been shown in many exhibitions.

• Unfinished Business, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, 2018
• The D'Oyley Show, Watters Gallery and touring in Port Kembla, Nowra, Broken Hill, Orange, Bathurst, Maitland, Armidale, Lismore, 1979