Mary Bronwyn Featherston (born 1943) is an Australian

interior design Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordina ...

er and designer of child-friendly play and learning environments. She is known both for her furniture and design collaboration with Grant Featherston, as well as her work researching and designing educational spaces for children. Featherston was inducted into the

Design Institute of Australia The Design Institute of Australia (DIA) is an Australian organisation that represents designers in Australia. The DIA acts as a professional body representing all disciplines of design, and undertakes work such as the promotion of ethical standa ...

Hall of Fame in 1996. She is currently Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture and Urban Design at

RMIT University RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city ...

Background

Featherston, née Currey, was born in London in 1943 and migrated to Australia with her parents in 1953. She trained in interior design at RMIT University and worked as a designer for Mockridge, Stahle and Mitchell Architects in the mid sixties. In 1965 she formed a professional and personal partnership with furniture designer Grant Featherston which lasted for over 40 years.

Work

Featherston is most known for her work designing play and learning environments for children. Major projects include the furnishing of the

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and most visited art museum. The NGV houses an encyclopedic art collection across two ...

, establishing the Children's Museum of Victoria in 1985. Featherston was involved in the campaign to establis
Community Child Care
in 1973 and Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange in 1995.

Public collections

, 8 works

Exhibitions

''Design for Life: Grant and Mary Featherston,'' Heide Museum, 30 June 7 October 2018. Curator/s: Kirsty Grant and Denise Whitehouse Currently 8 works of art in the National Gallery of Victoria.

Awards

* Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame in 1996 * Member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in 2020

References

External links

The Featherston Archive
{{DEFAULTSORT:Featherston, Mary 1943 births Living people 20th-century Australian women artists 20th-century Australian artists 21st-century Australian women artists 21st-century Australian artists Australian interior designers Academic staff of RMIT University Members of the Order of Australia English emigrants to Australia RMIT University alumni