Charmaine Cole was born in Subiaco, Western Australia.
Her language group is from Gnaarla Karla Booja and
Wagyl Kiap Noongar Nation.
Charmaine was raised in a single-parent household in Belmont, Western Australia. Her mother was born in Katanning W.A and is a survivor of the Stolen Generations. Charmaine’s mum was removed from her parents at an early age and forced to live in Roelands Mission in Harvey W.A until the age of sixteen years. Likewise, Charmaine’s maternal grandmother was born in Carollup Mission.
Throughout her early schooling, Charmaine loved art classes especially in high school. When she was 16, Charmaine left school and enrolled into the Certificate I course in Fine Arts at the old Midland TAFE. She successfully completed three years of study in painting, drawing and ceramics. Whilst she studied, Charmaine also pursued her interest in live acting at the Aboriginal Theatre Company. As part of this theatre company, Charmaine toured internationally as a cast and crew member to Vancouver & Ottawa in Canada and then to Melbourne in 1985.
During the 1990's, Charmaine began to paint and draw towards a comprehensive portfolio of works and was commissioned to do works professionally. By the late 1990's, following the birth of her daughter, she commenced study in the Associate Degree in Aboriginal Arts at Curtin University. In the first year of her studies, Charmaine launched her first solo art exhibition at the Eastern Arts Centre, 'Kalla Yeedip Gallery' in Midland.
After completing the Associate Degree, Charmaine went onto commence the Bachelor of Fine Arts at Curtin University majoring in 3D ceramics. Following a year hiatus to raise her daughter, Charmaine transferred her studies by completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts with Honours at Edith Cowan University in 2001.
Following her graduation to the present, Charmaine Cole was a Aboriginal Public Arts lecturer with Leederville TAFE. Charmaine continues to create works and is involved in community art projects. In recently years, she has taken part in several community based arts awards and exhibitions with the City of Wanneroo, Bayswater, Stirling and the Town of Vincent.
Annually, Charmaine participates in the NAIDOC Art Competition in Canberra with her last group Aboriginal art exhibition, 'Ngatha Ni2' which was held at the Joondalup Art Gallery in 2015 also for NAIDOC. For the last several years, Charmaine has keenly pursued a dynamic interest in digital art, media production, graphic art illustrations and fine art.
Charmaine enjoys sharing art within many social contexts in order to reflect her concern for the environment, the conservation role of First Nation people, the stolen generations, reflections of childhood and how social media connects First Nation people together.
Her primary interests center on the accounts of past and present First Nations culture as well as her ancestral customs. This focus is about spiritual connections to both land and wildlife. Charmaine has completed her second solo exhibition 'Whadjuk Kallip' - a collection of written research and digital media presentation for the Joondalup Art Gallery, Western Australia. NAIDOC, July 2017, Solo Exhibition.
Her language group is from Gnaarla Karla Booja and
Wagyl Kiap Noongar Nation.
Charmaine was raised in a single-parent household in Belmont, Western Australia. Her mother was born in Katanning W.A and is a survivor of the Stolen Generations. Charmaine’s mum was removed from her parents at an early age and forced to live in Roelands Mission in Harvey W.A until the age of sixteen years. Likewise, Charmaine’s maternal grandmother was born in Carollup Mission.
Throughout her early schooling, Charmaine loved art classes especially in high school. When she was 16, Charmaine left school and enrolled into the Certificate I course in Fine Arts at the old Midland TAFE. She successfully completed three years of study in painting, drawing and ceramics. Whilst she studied, Charmaine also pursued her interest in live acting at the Aboriginal Theatre Company. As part of this theatre company, Charmaine toured internationally as a cast and crew member to Vancouver & Ottawa in Canada and then to Melbourne in 1985.
During the 1990's, Charmaine began to paint and draw towards a comprehensive portfolio of works and was commissioned to do works professionally. By the late 1990's, following the birth of her daughter, she commenced study in the Associate Degree in Aboriginal Arts at Curtin University. In the first year of her studies, Charmaine launched her first solo art exhibition at the Eastern Arts Centre, 'Kalla Yeedip Gallery' in Midland.
After completing the Associate Degree, Charmaine went onto commence the Bachelor of Fine Arts at Curtin University majoring in 3D ceramics. Following a year hiatus to raise her daughter, Charmaine transferred her studies by completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts with Honours at Edith Cowan University in 2001.
Following her graduation to the present, Charmaine Cole was a Aboriginal Public Arts lecturer with Leederville TAFE. Charmaine continues to create works and is involved in community art projects. In recently years, she has taken part in several community based arts awards and exhibitions with the City of Wanneroo, Bayswater, Stirling and the Town of Vincent.
Annually, Charmaine participates in the NAIDOC Art Competition in Canberra with her last group Aboriginal art exhibition, 'Ngatha Ni2' which was held at the Joondalup Art Gallery in 2015 also for NAIDOC. For the last several years, Charmaine has keenly pursued a dynamic interest in digital art, media production, graphic art illustrations and fine art.
Charmaine enjoys sharing art within many social contexts in order to reflect her concern for the environment, the conservation role of First Nation people, the stolen generations, reflections of childhood and how social media connects First Nation people together.
Her primary interests center on the accounts of past and present First Nations culture as well as her ancestral customs. This focus is about spiritual connections to both land and wildlife. Charmaine has completed her second solo exhibition 'Whadjuk Kallip' - a collection of written research and digital media presentation for the Joondalup Art Gallery, Western Australia. NAIDOC, July 2017, Solo Exhibition.