Australian Women ArtistsThe podcast(I'm afraid the recording starts with a bit of an echo off the gallery walls - but it does settle.) Episode 13 Emily George on Jane SutherlandJane Sutherland (1853–1928) was a pioneering Australian landscape painter and a key figure in the plein-air movement and the Heidelberg School. She defied Victorian-era gender expectations by pursuing a professional art career, encouraged by her father. She became an instrumental figure in the Heidelberg School despite having to leave the camps as women weren't allowed to stay. So she'd pack everything up every afternoon and head home. Her male contemporaries (McCubbin, Tom Roberts, Charles Conder) would paint what was considered heroic bush narratives. Jane Sutherland captured beautifully intimate scenes of rural Australian life often capturing women and children and putting them front and centre which was unusual for the time.It's been said that these quieter scenes challenged the male-dominated nationalistic art of the time. Her works often contained deeper commentary on societal constraints. This perspective was one of the reasons she was a trailblazer.She faced the dual barriers of gender discrimination and later physical disability, yet maintained her artistic vision throughout.To discuss Jane Sutherland I was fortunate enough to be talking to Emily George. Emily is an arts professional with experience working as a gallery assistant, art advisor and client liaison. She holds a double Bachelor of Arts majoring in Art History and Film Studies from Sydney University with a focus on women artists and feminist history, and continued her studies achieving a Master of Art Curating from Sydney University shortly after. She has worked at Arthouse Gallery for the past four years.Images of some of the works we discussed:Obstruction, Box Hill, 1887 oil on canvas, 41.3x31.1cmThe mushroom gatherers 1895 oil on canvas 41.8x99.3The mushroom gatherers (detail)Little Gossips, 1888, oil on canvas, 48.5 x 36.0After autumn rains, 1893, oil on canvas 61x112Field naturalists, 1896 ol on canvas 80.9x121.3
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Wendy Sharpe AM
Australian Women ArtistsThe podcastEpisode 12 Wendy Sharpe AMThere can be no dispute that Wendy Sharpe is one of Australia’s most acclaimed artists. She is known for her strong figurative paintings, her use of narrative and a sensuous use of paint. (For my benefit – and maybe others as well - figurative art, according to the Tate Gallery in London, describes any form of modern art that retains strong references to the real world and particularly to the human figure.)Wendy’s accolades and awards are incredibly impressive: she has won the Sulman Prize, the Archibald Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award (twice), the Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize...in fact, she’s been a finalist for the Archibald Prize eight times and the Sulman Prize an astonishing thirteen times. She has held over 70 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally. She’s been awarded many international artist residencies including Paris (twice), Egypt, The Arctic, Antarctica (twice), Mexico, China, Ethiopia. But it’s the breadth of her contributions to the arts and humanity that are just as fascinating for me, we explored those in our conversation. I joined Wendy in her fabulous Sydney studio for this conversation.images on instagram:1. Magda Szubanski, Comedy and Tragedy, 2020 Archibald Finalist oil on linen 182x1452. Lilikoi Kaos - Circus Oz, 2016 oil on canvas 210x1663. Self Portrait with Bernard Ollis 2009 oil on canvas 180x2004. One of the eight 5m long panels for the Annette Kellerman mural for the Cook + Philip Pool in Sydney5. Wendy Sharpe, Self-portrait as Diana of Erskineville, 1996 Archibald winner oil on canvas 210x1726. Black Sun - morning to night, 1986 Sulman Prize (joint) winner, oil on canvas triptych: 138 x 92 cm each
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Belynda Henry
Australian Women ArtistsThe PodcastEpisode 11 Belynda HenryBelynda Henry is a very significant figure in contemporary Australian art, renowned particularly for her evocative landscape paintings. Landscapes are to her a deeply felt experience and that experience is then reflected in her immersive artistic process – sights, sounds and the feel of the environment she’s painting in. A multiple finalist in prestigious awards such as the Wynne and Archibald Prizes, Belynda has held over 30 solo exhibitions and achieved international acclaim, with her works acquired by collectors worldwide. In 2019, she was included in Thames & Hudson’s publication, ‘A Painted Landscape’, which featured the works of leading Australian landscape painters such as Elizabeth Cummings, John Olsen and Ann Thompson, in other words, esteemed company. She’s about to have her 5th exhibition in New York. And we discuss, amongst many other things, the appeal of her Australian landscapes to an international audience. Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. Images 1. BH image supplied (@nicholas_samartis)2. Jilliby Creek, 2025 oil and wax on linen 122x1223. Golden Wattle, 2025 oil and wax on linen 152x1224. Eucalyptus No. 3, acrylic and pastel on canvas 215x2155. Full Moon Shimmer, acrylic and pastel with oil and wax on linen 152x1226. Louise Olsen, a beautiful summary, 2016 Archibald Prize finalist, acrylic and pastel on polyester canvas 157x116
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Louise Olsen
Australian Women ArtistsPodcast ep. 10Louise OlsenA fascinating conversation with Louise Olsen. A successful artist who, like many others before her, was able to combine that with an incredible skill for design. When I say incredible...she co-founded the now iconic global brand, Dinosaur Designs. We, of course, discussed her beautiful art and her processes and methodologies, her very talented mother’s art, spending two years painting in isolation in 2020 with her father John Olsen in his rural retreat, Dinosaur Designs and her first family exhibition with her artist husband and daughter amongst many other things. I started to feel like I was getting to know the Olsen family quite well! And I reckon Louise is quite the polymath. She has this ability to connect ideas and concepts from different fields...all with art and design at the core. And one of the secrets? Take your sketchbook wherever you go. It will leave an impression far greater than any photo. Head to the link in my bio to find the podcast, or go to your favourite podcasting platform and search ‘Australian Women Artists’ ‘To be an artist is to be an explorer’ Louise Olsen (AWA, 2025)
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Annika Romeyn
Australian Women ArtistsPodcast episode 9Annika Romeyn Annika Romeyn is an important figure in contemporary Australian art. This is in no small part due to her unique approach to depicting the Australian landscape and the innovative techniques she uses. Her work engages with cultural and environmental themes, and it has been described as bridging traditional landscape art and contemporary artistic practices. More recently she’s been a finalist in the Pro Hart Outback Art Prize, winner of the Mandy Martin Art and Environment Award, winner of the Burnie Print Prize, Winner of the National Works on Paper and the Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize amongst many others. She’s had nearly 20 solo exhibitions and many more group exhibitions. We talked broadly about her very distinctive and striking works that use one colour to amazing affect...and how her approach to colour has evolved over the years. One happy accident was discovering a rust stain on a floor of her studio that led to using a rusted steel sheet as a pallet (you’ll see it in the Instagram photos). Her work combines elements of drawing, printmaking and painting and the results are stunning. Join me for our conversation by heading to the link to the podcast in my bio. Annika is represented by the fabulous @flinderslanegallery in Melbourne and we are having this conversation in her amazing Canberra studio. 1. Image:RG 2. Guerilla Bay, 2019 watercolour monotype on paper 168x228 3. Endurance 7, 2021 watercolour monotype on paper with watercolour additions 228x168 4. Old Mutawintji Gorge 1, 2023 watercolour monotype on paper 168x228 5. Wana Karnu 2024, rust and ink on paper 240x360 6. The palette (image RG)
Australian women artists have been (and continue to be) underrepresented and undervalued in this country despite the stunning artistic works that have been produced since the mid nineteenth century. This podcast will shine a light on those artists and their spectacular art works. I'll be talking to the artists themselves, both established and emerging, as well as experts on Australian women artists in history.
Australia