Australian Women Artists

The 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 Sutherland

Jane 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:

1. Obstruction, Box Hill, 1887 oil on canvas, 41.3x31.1cm
2. The mushroom gatherers 1895 oil on canvas 41.8x99.3
3. The mushroom gatherers (detail)
4. Little Gossips, 1888, oil on canvas, 48.5 x 36.0
5. After autumn rains, 1893, oil on canvas 61x112
6. Field naturalists, 1896 ol on canvas 80.9x121.3

Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Episode 12 Wendy Sharpe AM

There 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 182x145

2. Lilikoi Kaos - Circus Oz, 2016 oil on canvas 210x166

3. Self Portrait with Bernard Ollis 2009 oil on canvas 180x200

4. One of the eight 5m long panels for the Annette Kellerman mural for the Cook + Philip Pool in Sydney

5. Wendy Sharpe, Self-portrait as Diana of Erskineville, 1996 Archibald winner oil on canvas 210x172

6. Black Sun - morning to night, 1986 Sulman Prize (joint) winner, oil on canvas

triptych: 138 x 92 cm each

Australian Women Artists

The Podcast

Episode 11 Belynda Henry

Belynda 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 122x122

3. Golden Wattle, 2025 oil and wax on linen 152x122

4. Eucalyptus No. 3, acrylic and pastel on canvas 215x215

5. Full Moon Shimmer, acrylic and pastel with oil and wax on linen 152x122

6. Louise Olsen, a beautiful summary, 2016 Archibald Prize finalist, acrylic and pastel on polyester canvas 157x116