Mikaela Castledine grew up in the unconventional house of an artist and a craftsman and so very naturally fell into art and making as a way of life. However, acceding to her mother’s determination that her children have something to fall back on, she acquired a science degree at university instead of studying art, going on to study interior design and later completing a masters in writing and literature. These various areas of study, rather than diverting her attention from her art practice have instead fed into it and her work encompasses her interest in animal behaviour and architecture as well as nourishing her need for story.
Mikaela has worked as an artist since her late 20’s, expanding her practice to more seriously include sculpture in the last decade. Success with her 3D work, including winning the 2013 Sculpture Scholarship at Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe, encouraged her to continue down this path and further prizes have followed. In 2016 she won the Sculpture Inside award at Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe and was a finalist in the prestigious Bankwest Sculpture Prize. In 2018 she took out the Mandorla Art Prize, Australia’s most significant religious themed art prize as well as the people’s choice award with her work God is in the House.
