Still searching for weapons of mass destructionRon McBurnie Still searching for a weapons of mass destruction 2009, Hard Ground Etching and Aquatint, 24. 5cm (h) x 33. 1cm (w) Ron McBurnie was born in Meanjin Brisbane, Queensland, and has lived and worked in Gurambilbarra Townsville for over three decades, becoming one of Australias most respected artists. After studying painting and printmaking at the Queensland College of Art, McBurnie moved to North Queensland and lectured at the Queensland

Ron McBurnie

Still searching for a weapons of mass destruction

2009, Hard Ground Etching and Aquatint, 24.5cm (h) x 33.1cm (w)

Ron McBurnie was born in Meanjin / Brisbane, Queensland, and has lived and worked in Gurambilbarra / Townsville for over three decades, becoming one of Australia’s most respected artists. After studying painting and printmaking at the Queensland College of Art, McBurnie moved to North Queensland and lectured at the Queensland College of TAFE which in 1986 morphed into a University art school at James Cook University (JCU). McBurnie taught at JCU for a number of years and completed a Master of Creative Arts in 2000. He has been an artist–in–residence at various overseas and Australian locations including at Carleton College, Minnesota; Frans Masereel Centrum, Belgium; Alayrac, France; ANU, Canberra; National Art School, Sydney; Tanks Art Centre, Cairns; and Artspace Mackay.

McBurnie has an extensive exhibition history including more than 30 solo and touring exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions. He has received numerous awards and grants including the Fremantle Print Prize, 1988 and the Australia Council overseas studio grant at the Cite International des Artes, Paris, in 1991. His work is featured in many Australian Regional Gallery collections, most major Australian state galleries and the National Gallery of Australia. He was an exhibiting artist in Umbrella’s landmark touring exhibition Legacy: Reflections on Mabo, which toured nationally 2019-2023, and is currently touring in POSTWORLD.