Jasminka Ward-Matievic is strongly influenced by her diverse upbringing as a child of refugees.
Her early experiences have instilled a deep reverence for all cultures and for our earth. Making has always been a political act for her. Her role as a teacher also guides how she approaches her work. The inquisitive nature of her students urges her to re-examine her own ideas; to hold them up and see them in a different light. She draws inspiration from collective feminist art, craft traditions and women of the past and present.
Jasminka lives and works on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people. She is an artist and a teacher, and holds a Masters degree in German and Art History from Trinity College, Dublin.
Jasminka is a multidisciplinary artist, working with a variety of materials, drawn to different art forms; sculpture, mosaic, knitting, embroidery. Her work has appeared in exhibitions across Melbourne some of which include: Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (2009), Tea Cozies Installation acquired by City of Darebin (2011), When you think of Feminism, what do you think? George Paton Gallery (2022), Linden Postcard Show (2022), Assembly Point exhibition (2022) Uncommon Threads, FortyFiveDownstairs (2023), Dreams and Realities - Creative Spaces (2024) and Threads - For the Children of Palestine (2024). Her work is also held in private and public collections.