Australian Women Artists

 The podcast

Ep 67 Tracey Deep

 For over twenty years, Tracey Deep has been transforming forgotten remnants of the natural world—from dried botanicals to recycled organic and industrial materials—into captivating, tactile sculptures. 

 Her art celebrates the regenerative power of the earth through the art of what’s been called intentional imperfection. 

 Today her work spans gallery exhibitions, immersive installations and major public artworks across Australia. Whether delicate and intimate or monumental in scale, her sculptures invite us to slow down and reconnect with the natural world. 

 But I think the best description of Tracey is... a creative adventurer, a biology enthusiast, and magical botanical sculptor.

 “My passion for working with nature, my love for art has been the inspiration behind where I am today. Mother nature is my teacher, creating floralsculpture installations over decades has been the most inspiring tool in training my eye to assemble unique forms, patterns, shapes & tones together to create “living art”.” Tracey Deep

 We had a wonderful conversation as, amongst many things, we discussed her creative journey, her fabulous (and random) gathering process, and her devotion to protecting our land and environment.

Tracey is represented by Saint Cloche Galleries (@saint_cloche)

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation or go to wherever you find your podcasts. 

 Images of Tracey and her work were supplied by the artist

Australian Women Artists

 The podcast

 Ep 66 Dagmar Cyrulla

Dagmar Cyrulla is an Australian contemporary artist whose work grew out of a lifelong interest in people, relationships, and the emotional texture of ordinary life.

Born in Germany and raised in Sydney from age one, she developed an art practice that blends portraiture, domestic scenes, and psychological observation into stories about human connection. 

She is a distinguished figure in the Australian art scene, frequently appearing as a finalist for prestigious awards such as the Archibald, Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Dobell Drawing Prize, Portia Geach, Fishers Ghost and many more. 

She has been described, wonderfully I think, as a seasoned storyteller of the contemporary human condition.

“My work is about feelings, based on how we relate to one another. My aim is to engage the viewer in the same thought process as mine, so as to open an opportunity to self questioning. My paintings are stories which hopefully reflect my love of people. The life experiences I use to develop my work include; Father and daughter relationships, power relationships, relationships to parents, being and having a role model, sibling rivalry etc.  I have clarity with each artwork in regard to the ideas I am exploring, however  it is more important for me to be engaged emotionally with each work.  I play with colour and light to help create the mood that I want the viewer to experience.” Dagmar Cyrulla

Head to the link in my bio for our conversation and or from wherever you get your podcasts.

Dagmar (@dagmarcyrulla) is represented by Lennox St Gallery (@lennoxstgallery) and Wagner Contemporary (@wagnercontemporary)

Etre is showing at Lennox St till 25 April

Images

1.   DC

2.   The keeper of secrets, 2009, pastel on paper 205 x 142

3.   Etre III, 2025, oil on linen 50 x 40

4.   Le marriage, 2024, oil on linen, 82 x 61

5.   Woman bathing after Rembrandt, 2025 oil on linen, 41 x 36

6.   After Hopper study II, 2025 oil on paper on board 45 x 25

7.   Wendy Paris and Minerva, oil on canvas

8.   If you can’t stand the heat, 2010, oil on canvas

Australian Women Artists
 
 The Podcast
 
 Episode 65 Shay Docking
 
 Artists of Influence: Shay Docking (influencing Margaret Ackland, ep. 5)
 
 Welcome to another edition of AWA artists of influence.
 
 For those who’ve heard some of these podcasts, you’ll remember that the last question I ask is: Is there an Australian woman artist who has inspired or influenced you and if so, who and how?
 
 I’ve decided to explore a little further the artists who were named as influences by my podcast guests. 

If you’d like to hear in more detail about Shay Docking, then follow the link in my bio to a ‘mini’ podcast about this extraordinary woman.
 
 In ep. 5, I asked this question of critically acclaimed Australian contemporary artist Margaret Ackland. And the artist that was an influence on her was Shay Docking.

Shay Docking is one of the most original landscape painters of the twentieth century. The extraordinary work she produced deserves greater recognition.

Examples of Shay’s work are displayed at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra, the National Gallery Victoria and the Art Gallery of NSW as well as other major state and regional galleries across Australia and NZ.  

And Shay Docking was such a good friend and influence on Margaret Ackland that, in 1987, Margaret painted a portrait of Shay for the Archibald Prize and was a finalist. The same portrait won the Portia Geach Memorial Award the following year.

Head to my Instagram account to have a look at Shay’s work (a larger carousel of her works will follow) and Margaret Ackland’s beautiful portrait of Shay Docking. And make sure you have a listen to her episode on Australian Women Artists.

Margaret Ackland is represented by 

@flinderslanegallery

@stanley_street_gallery

Images

1 Margaret Ackland’s award-winning portrait of her friend, Shay Docking 

2 Shay Docking’s Volcano Blue Lake and Plains, 1979, pastel and acrylic on paper on board 76 x 98

More images of Shay’s work to follow on instagram

Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep 64 Celia Gullett

 Celia Gullett has developed a beautiful distinctive practice over several decades. Her abstract works explore colour, light and surface with what’s been described as, ‘remarkable sensitivity’. 

Her career has unfolded gradually, shaped by long periods of study, reflection and... life. 

A major turning point in Celia’s artistic development came in the mid to late 1990s when she began studying at the Charlie Sheard Studio School in Sydney. And we’ll talk about the importance of that to her remarkable journey. 

Her work gained recognition through art prizes and exhibitions. She became a repeat finalist in both the Mosman Art Prize and the Paddington Art Prize and just last year won the Allan Gamble Award at the Mosman Art Prize. 

Celia spoke about growing up in the country and that even as a young girl, she was acutely aware of sensory moments and being observant (a necessary skill in the country!). 

We also talked about her art school experiences and what it did and didn’t provide. Which led to her needing to get out in the world to develop her language. It was really interesting talking about her seminal experience at the Charlie Sheard Studio School. His mantra that stuck with her...It’s not what you paint, it’s how you paint it.

Of course, we discussed the fabulous influences on her personally and artistically from her time in Florence and Rajasthan. But always – colour, light and surface...and the importance of treading your own path. 

We had our conversation in Celia’s fabulous Sydney studio.

Celia (@celia.gullett) is represented by Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane (@janmurphygallery) and Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne (@sophiegannongallery)

Image of CG supplied by artist. Photographer: @markrogers_photo

More images to follow in subsequent post

Australian Women Artists

 The podcast

Ep. 63 Camie Lyons

 Camie Lyons is a Sydney-based contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, painting, and drawing. 

 Her creative approach is deeply informed by her background as a dancer, translating the rhythm and fluid lines of human movement into physical forms. Working primarily with bronze and charcoal, she often sources inspiration from the Australian landscape, using natural materials like eucalyptus branches to anchor her organic silhouettes. 

 Camie has received extensive academic training in Melbourne and Sydney, supplemented by international residencies in countries such as Sweden and Bulgaria. Her professional portfolio includes major commissions for prestigious brands like Tiffany & Co. and the Hilton Hotel, alongside numerous solo exhibitions across Australia and Asia. 

 Today, her work is held in prominent public and private collections globally, reflecting her status as a significant figure in the contemporary art world.

 We discussed the discipline of being a professional ballet dancer and her work as an artist and the fabulous influences of one over the other. How her work, despite being in the hard and heavy medium of bronze, is still very intuitive. Very little planning. I found that fascinating. We also talked about the random things that can happen in life and taking the opportunities they may present and the importance of risk and believing in your own process. 

To hear our conversation, head to the link in my bio. 

Camie (@camie.lyons) is represented by Australian Galleries (@australiangalleries) in Sydney and Melbourne

Images

1 CL

2 Girl is gone, 2025 bronze 98 x 85 x 51

3 Slow tumbling house 2025 bronze 60 x 54 x 49

4 Moving young to a new planet 2025 acrylic and pencil on linen

5 Apple and pear 2019 bronze 14 x 14 x 14

Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 62. Deborah Halpern OAM

Deborah Halpern is one of Australia’s most celebrated multi-disciplinary artists, renowned for her vibrant, whimsical public sculptures that have redefined Melbourne’s urban landscape. 

Rather than pursuing austere minimalism, which still dominated many sculpture departments, she embraced exuberance. Colour became central to her practice...and over a career spanning more than four decades, Deborah has explored a vast array of mediums, including sculpture, painting, pottery, glass blowing, and printmaking, though she is most famously identified with her monumental mosaic works... large-scale sculptures constructed from fibreglass and steel armatures, clad in hand-cut ceramic tiles.

It was a lovely languid conversation about her journey, her processes and, amongst other things, how her international residencies gave her exposure to international artists and had a huge impact on her and her work. 

It was also really interesting hearing about her seminal 10m sculpture ‘Angel’ which graced the outside of the National Gallery of Victoria...in particular the constant hurdles she faced in physically making it and finding the finance to finish it.  

She’s a big advocate for the benefit of art and public art in particular. Her work is meant to bring joy. To ‘elevate and escalate the art experience’, as she puts it.

To listen to the conversation, head to the link in my bio.

Deborah Halpern is represented by @arthousegallery, Sydney
@niagaragalleries, Melbourne 

See more of her works at

www.deborahhalpern.com

Images:

1 DH by Mia Mala McDonald

2 Family 2024 (all works are glass, steel, fibreglass) 345 x 220 x 88

3 Ophelia 1992 (the face of Melbourne)

4 Bodrig the Powerful Owl 2025 116 x 100 x 60

5 Angel 1988

6 Flying Fish 2025 50 x 56 x 30

7 Creature with Green Eyes and Tail 2026 59 x 39 x14

8 Winged Victory 2026 127 x 56 x 110

Australian Women Artists

The Podcast

Ep.61 Julz Beresford

Julz Beresford is known for her amazing gestural depictions of rivers, bushland and alpine terrain. 

 She has a very distinct, energetic approach to landscape painting which we’ll discuss. Her works showcase the movement and light of the worlds she grew up in... The Snowy Mountains and the Hawkesbury River. 

 And I wanted to find out how she is able to bring those memories and sensations to the studio. 

 Her quite rapid rise came after...a very unusual career hiatus in London which, it turns out, became very helpful to the way she works.

Julz is represented by Michael Reid Sydney (@michaelreidsydney)

And her upcoming exhibition Between Dust & Rain, with former guest @carlylecerf will be at Michael Reid Murrurundi (@murraart) from 1 - 31 May 2026

Images

Australian Women Artists

 The podcast

 Ep 60 Kiata Mason

 Kiata Mason’s work explores the quiet drama of domestic life. 

 Her paintings showcase rooms we all have and often just rush through them but, like all good painters, Kiata’s work causes us to pause. And reflect. 

 Her paintings often reference her own family history and the coastal home she now lives and works in.  

 Kiata’s formal training was at the National Art School in Sydney, where she undertook a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting. She later built on this foundation with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Drawing, and then a Master of Fine Arts (Drawing), all at National Art School. 

 She’s been a finalist and semi-finalist in many major painting prizes including the Sulman, Doug Moran, Black Swan and Paddington art prizes and she has won the Muswellbrook Art prize for works on paper. 

 Across prizes, residencies and exhibitions, Kiata has held onto a deeply personal, drawing-led practice that honours the everyday without sentimentalising it.

 Our discussion was broad and covered a lot of areas of interest to all artists I reckon. She’s a deep thinker and a very talented and compassionate painter. 

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen to our conversation. 

@kiatamasonart is represented by @akbellingergallery and   @curatorialandco 

Images

1 KM

2 Breakfast with Dorris, 2019 122 x 91

3 Because of the Spring Flowers 2019 122 x 92

4 One of Gran’s Good Plates 2017 45.8 x 61

5 Surrounded by Art 2025 73 x 90

6 From the Gallery of Small Things exhibition Paintings and Ceramics, 2026

Australian Women Artists 

 The Podcast

 Ep. 59.  Adriane Strampp

 Adriane’s is a fascinating journey. She was born in the United States and educated in the UK before settling in Australia. 

 She brings the effect of that peripatetic life to her work. Her work is defined by its sensitivity to light, memory and place. Interiors soaked in soft light, distant landscapes, objects held in suspension. 

 We talked about her fabulously eclectic group of subjects she’s explored in her art including horses, dresses, landscapes, interiors, still lifes and the thread which weaves itself through all of them.

 She has held more than 30 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally and has been selected as a finalist multiple times for a number of awards including the Sulman, Dobell, Calleen, Ravenswood, Len Fox and Adelaide Perry. 

 And alongside her studio practice, Adriane has also made a profound contribution as a teacher. She is also the Founder and Director of the Fitzroy Painting Studio which has had probably thousands of students through its doors. 

Head to the link in my bio to listen to our conversation. 

Adriane is represented by 

King Street Gallery on William (Sydney)

Jan Manton Gallery (Brisbane)

You can see some of her works there or on her website:

www.adrianestampp.com

 Images

1 AS by Hugh Stewart

2 The Wait (long days and longer nights) 2022, 152 x 152 

3 Lucy’s Light, 2022, 152 x 152

4 Celosia, 2025, 91 x 91

5 Silent World, 2025, 162 x 205

6 Paper Lamp, 2025, 91 x 91

7 Hydrangea, 2025, 30 x 30

8 Cornucopia (painting number 2), 1996, 122 x 153

9 Passage, 2019, 91 x 91

Australian Women Artists

 The Podcast

 Ep. 58 Amanda Penrose Hart

 Amanda Penrose Hart is one of Australia’s most compelling contemporary interpreters of landscape. 

 In fact, judges at the Calleen Art Award recently described her as one of Australia’s most accomplished senior plein-air painters. 

 Amanda graduated with a Diploma of Fine Art from Queensland College of Art and then a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Griffith University, she developed a practice grounded in drawing, composition and a love of paint – which is becoming a wonderful thread through a number of the artists I’ve spoken to. 

 Travelling is central to her work: from Sofala and the Central West of New South Wales to European battlefields and coastal sites, she paints landscapes that really feel familiar. 

 She’s widely exhibited across Australia and has received major recognition including the Gallipoli Art Prize (2017), the Clayton Utz Art Award (2019) and the aforementioned Calleen Art Award (2024). Her work is held in significant public and private collections nationwide as well.

 Amanda is part of the upcoming exhibition Lustre: Australian Artists in Greece & Crete WWll at Anzac Memorial Hyde Park Sydney. It will open on May 20 and will feature both Amanda and a previous guest on AWA, @joannalogue

Head to my bio above to hear our conversation

Amanda is represented by:

@kingstreetgallery
@philipbacongalleries

And you will find some of her works there as well as at her website:

www.amandapenrosehart.com.au

Images

1 APH by Michael Bradfield

2 Butter cloud 2021 110 x 110 (oil on canvas)

3 Sally’s Flat 2017, 38 x 52 (ooc)

4 Go lightly 2023 76 x 120 (oil on board)

5 Shepherds lookout ACT 2023 121 x 198 (oil on linen)

6 The Somme 1, 2017 100 x 180 (ooc)

7 Australian first division memorial, Pozieres 2017 41 x 62 (ooc)