Australian Women Artists

• Ann Thomson

  Australian Women Artists The podcast Ep. 18  Ann Thomson Ann Thomson stands as one of Australia’s most eminent contemporary painters and sculptors.  Her early passion for art was fostered by influential art figures in Brisbane and in 1957, she relocated to Sydney to pursue formal studies. Her paintings are celebrated for their vibrant, expressive compositions and their ability to evoke a sense of place without resorting to literal representation. Her style is marked by bold brushwork, dynamic colour relationships, and, as a curator described it, ‘a refusal to allow any element to recede passively into the background’.  Another hallmark of Ann’s work is her ability to oscillate between abstraction and landscape, often within the same piece. Although the term ‘abstraction’ doesn’t necessarily resonate with her.  Over the course of her career, Ann has received numerous accolades. In addition to the Wynne Prize, she has been awarded the Sydney Morning Herald Art Prize, the Kedumba Drawing Prize, the Geelong Contemporary Art Prize, and the Tattersall’s Art Prize in Brisbane.  Her legacy is evident not only in her own prolific output but also in the generations of artists she has influenced and inspired. As she continues to paint and exhibit well into her ninth decade, Ann Thomson remains a vital force in contemporary art, her work a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the endless possibilities of abstraction We are having this conversation in Ann’s fabulous Sydney studio.  Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation

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• Janet Laurence

  Australian Women ArtistsThe PodcastEp. 17.      Janet LaurenceJanet Laurence is a leading Sydney based artist who exhibits nationally and internationally. For four decades, she has captivated audiences with her multidisciplinary practice spanning photography, sculpture, installation, and video. Her work is a profound expression of her deep concern for the environment, ethics, and the intricate interconnectedness of all living things. She employs a diverse range of natural materials, including living plant matter, minerals, and oxides. Underlying themes of alchemical transformation, history, and perception weave through her evocative installations. She is known for her immersive environments and significant public artworks, often created in collaboration with architects, scientists, and environmentalists. She is an expert at translating scientific concepts into an artistic visual experience. Her work often explores fragility and loss but balances these themes with hope and empathy.Janet invites viewers to forge a deeper, more experiential relationship with the natural world. Her works are both visually stunning and deeply thought-provoking, making her a vital voice in contemporary artistic discourse. She has represented Australia at international exhibitions including the 1997 Venice Biennale and has participated in major exhibitions in Europe, Asia, and North America. We had this conversation in her Sydney studio (shared with some pretty noisy engineers upstairs that you may hear) and she was about to leave for Berlin to set up her new exhibition. Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. 

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• Emma Coulter

  Australian Women ArtistsThe podcastEp. 16    Emma CoulterEmma is a leading figure in contemporary Australian art, renowned for her bold explorations of colour, space, and perception. Her practice spans painting, sculpture, site-specific installation, and large-scale public art, consistently pushing the boundaries of how art interacts with its environment and audience. You may have seen her work that wraps around the Metro Tunnel’s building façade in central Melbourne spanning more than 100 metres. In fact, she has completed over 30 site-specific installations, including more than 10 major public art commissions. One of the most defining features of Emma’s art is her use of colour. She works with a carefully curated palette of pre-mixed, commercially produced paints through which she aims to evoke an immediate, visceral response in viewers. As a result, her art is instantly recognisable through that vibrant colour, geometric clarity, and spatial ambition. Emma is a regular finalist in Australia’s top art prizes and has received a steady stream of awards and grants. She has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally. Since her first solo show in 2005, she has participated in numerous institutional, commercial, and artist-run exhibitions, with highlights including installations in New York and Germany. Her current exhibition, 'superimposition' is at James Makin Gallery in Melbourne until 24 May. So quick sticks if you want to see it. www.emmacoulter.com.auwww.jamesmakingallery.comInstagram images:1.        Emma Coulter. Image from our conversation (supplied by artist) (you can see why I thought she had designed her own dress!)2. and 3. spatial deconstruction #23 (resilience), 2021 to 2023 synthetic polymer paint on precast façade 120 metres long x 7 metres height (wraps Swanston St and Flinders Lane facades)4.      spatial deconstruction #15 (gemstone with fireplace), 2016 synthetic polymer paint on wall, floor and architrave, existing fireplace. 280h x 350l x 100d (winner 2016 Linden Art Prize)5.      let them feel the light, 2023 painted aluminium, coloured glass and LED panels. 12 metres H x 10 metres W and variable depth ranging from 150 to 300cm total length climbing up over 25 metres wrapped around curved brick wall with integrated steel fixings. 6.      Hybrid models for the future, 2024 synthetic polymer paint on linen 167x167x3.2cm

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• Virginia Cuppaidge

  Australian Women ArtistsThe PodcastEp. 15    Virginia CuppaidgeVirginia Cuppaidge stands as a significant figure in contemporary abstract painting, whose work was formed in Australia and then blossomed in New York where she moved to be in the epicentre of abstract art. We talked about arriving in NY in 1969 and being wide eyed for a year. Taking it all in. She was surrounded by the works of Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Lee Krasner. It was an enormously influential time for a 26-year-old from Brisbane.Virginia's paintings are characterised by their luminous colour fields, ethereal atmospheric effects, and beautiful handling of space. Her distinctive use of acrylic paint—applied in thin, transparent layers (at times 40 layers!) — creates a sense of depth and radiance that invites contemplation.Over her five-decade career, Virginia has exhibited widely in prestigious galleries and museums across the United States and Australia. Her work resides in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.After spending nearly fifty years in New York's vibrant art scene, Virginia returned to Newcastle Australia in 2008, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a unique artistic perspective. And I caught up with her in her Newcastle studio. And her work and innovation continues. Virginia has an exhibition currently at the Maitland Regional Gallery until 22 June 2025.  Images:                    1               Lyon, 1972 synthetic polymer paint on canvas                  1985hx3060wx40d                  2               Bellegreen 1972 acrylic on canvas 200x305                  3               Big Blue 1972 acrylic on canvas 200x305                  4              The Big Orange, 1972, acrylic on canvas, 200 x 305cm                  5               Californian Dream 1975 acrylic on canvas 200x305                  6               Skyspace Moonlight 2023, acrylic on canvas, 40x90                  7               Skyspace Desert Moon 2023, acrylic on canvas 40x90

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• Susan Baird

  Australian Women ArtistsThe PodcastEp. 14 Susan BairdSusan Baird has a distinctive approach to capturing the unique light and atmosphere of the Australian bush. As such, she has established herself as one of the country's most evocative contemporary painters.  She is known for her sensitive plein air paintings of the Australian landscape, especially of the area surrounding the historic mining town of Hill End in rural NSW where she has her studio. And it’s the light at Hill End which has fascinated and captivated her for decades. It’s fascinating listening to her describe it and the effect it has on her. It sounds so overwhelmingly beautiful that it makes me think that maybe I could paint it. Maybe. Actually not ever, but it’s fabulous that Susan can capture it so well.   Living and working between Sydney and Hill End, Susan has built a distinguished career spanning over four decades and has been the recipient of several residencies and a finalist in numerous awards, including the Calleen Art Award (7 times), Fishers Ghost Art Award, Paddington Art Prize (6 times), Mosman Art Prize (3 times), Blake Art Prize and the NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize (twice).  And the paintings are magnificent in real life. We are having this conversation at her latest exhibition at Defiance Gallery, 12 Mary Place, Paddington, Sydney where you can see the works for yourself from 3-24 May.  Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. Try to ignore the few construction noises that pop up every now and then in the background...a natural hazard in the inner suburbs of Sydney I’m afraid. 

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