I’m absolutely thrilled that my painting of Professor Roberta Shepherd AO has won YSC Consultancy’s EBNA Prize, and People’s Choice Award at an event hosted the MCA Quayside Room in Sydney last week. Emceed by The Chaser’s Julian Morrow, the exhibition featured portraits that celebrated leadership in our community. You can see me discussing my muse and process in the short video below, prepared by YSC.
I’m pleased to be exhibiting new work as part of ‘Interfacing’ - a collaboration with artist Tom Christophersen that explores the entanglement of technology and the human experience. The show is currently on view at Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney.
12th September - 6th October
Opening Thursday 20 September, 6-8pm
Stanley Street Gallery
1/52-54 Stanley Street
Darlinghurst NSW
'Hostage' | oil on canvas | 91.5 x 122 cm
I'm exhibiting a new body of work as part of 'Undercurrents' at Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne. Delving into the hidden depths of the subconscious, 'Undercurrents' explores the dark, curious and peculiar worlds of creative possibility.
On the 8th of September, I'll be participating in an artist panel discussion chaired by writer, researcher and curator, Andrew Gaynor alongside contributing artists, Ryan Pola, Martin Tighe and Holly Pearce. For enquiries or a preview of the catalogue, please contact the gallery on (03) 9654 3332 or at info@flg.com.au.
DATES
4th September - 22nd of September
Opening Saturday 8 September, 1-3pm
LOCATION
Flinders Lane Gallery
137 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC
I am still pinching myself after winning the Young Artist Prize at the Royal Art Society of NSW on Friday evening for my portrait of Professor Roberta Shepherd. Thank you so much to the team at the RAS of NSW for putting together this prize, to judge Kon Gouriotis for your kind words about the work and to Roberta for being such a terrific subject. Congratulations to all of the finalists and prize winners. I am truly honoured to receive such recognition. (Photographed alongside judge Kon Gouriotis and RAS President John Perkins.)
Roberta is a pioneer in the field of physiotherapy, publishing the very first paediatrics textbook for physiotherapists and continuing ground-breaking work in the areas of paediatric and neurological physiotherapy for more than 50 years with her research partner and friend, Janet Carr. She’s a wonderful human being, and was an absolute pleasure to paint.
I'm overjoyed to have found out that I've won the Inaugural 'SBS Portrait Prize' run by Southern Buoy Studios in the Mornington Peninsula with my painting 'Reverberate' or artist Sarah Tracton. Congratulations to the other finalists, and a big thank you to my talented muse and the team at Southern Buoy Studios for their support.
I've been featured in the January issue of The Music as one of Maxin Boom's top talents to watch in 2018. A great way to start the year, and an honour to be featured alongside such a talented bunch of young Australian artists.
Last weekend, I joined 2017 Doug Moran Portrait Prize judge, Wendy Sharpe, on ABC Weekend Breakfast to discuss being a finalist in Australia's richest portrait prize. For those who missed the interview, it is now available to view below.
My painting of entertainer Paul Capsis has been selected as one of 30 finalists for the 2017 Doug Moran Portrait Prize, the world's richest portrait prize. Tim Storrier's portrait of fellow finalist McLean Edwards, The Lunar Savant, has won the $150,000 cash prize, with Dagmar Cyrulla being highly commended for her self-portrait I Am Woman. The exhibition will be on view at Juniper Hall, 250 Oxford Street, Paddington NSW until the 17th of December.
I am exhibiting a new body of work at The Other Art Fair in Sydney from the 26th to the 29th of October. Sponsored by Saatchi Art, The Other Art Fair is Australia's leading artist-run fair. l be one of 110 artists hosting a booth throughout the fair. This is a ticketed event, however complimentary tickets are available through the following link: http://sydney.theotherartfair.com/free. Please just use the code 'TOAFMichaelS' as your promo code when booking. If you would like to preview available works, please just reply to this email with a request.
DATES
Thursday 26 October (Opening Night): 6pm-9:30pm*
Friday 27 October: 12pm-9pm
Saturday 28 October: 11am-7pm
Sunday 29 October: 11am-6pm
*Opening Night ticket allows re-entry on Friday-Sunday of the fair
LOCATION
Australia Technology Park
2 Locomotive Street
Eveleigh NSW 2015
I was recently interviewed by Maria Stoljar for her podcast series Talking With Painters where Australian painters talk about their lives and art. You can listen to the full 40 minute interview at www.talkingwithpainters.com, or you can subscribe to the podcast series on your mobile device.
It was such a pleasure to share my journey through the art world and discuss my upcoming projects with Maria. You can also watch a short video of me discussing my process by clicking here.
I'm very excited to be one of 11 artists participating in 'Exploration 17' at Flinders Lane Gallery in Melbourne. This group exhibition for emerging and unsigned artists runs from May 23 to June 17, with opening drinks 1-3pm on Saturday May 27.
Other artists in the show include Kate Banazi, Anna Madeleine, Chelsea Gustaffson, Holly Pearce, Kay Kochel, Jimmy Langer, Ryan Pola, Annie Simpson-Barry, Raymond Carter and Marie Masnfield.
You can view my works for the show by clicking here. For all sales and enquiries, please contact Flinders Lane Gallery on info@flg.com.au or call 03 9654 3332 .
I'm honoured to have had my piece, ‘Weight’, reviewed by Perth writer Annette Ong for the Contemporary Art Awards.
Thank you Contemporary Art Awards and Annette for this thoughtful analysis of my work. You can read the full text by clicking here.
I'm excited to unveil Brink, a solo exhibition at Cambridge Studio Gallery in Collingwood, running from March 29 through to April 23. This will be my first Melbourne show, having won the Cambridge Studio Gallery Portrait Prize in 2016. Inspired by subjects on the cusp of change, this series of paintings and drawings are both literal and allegorical expressions of transformation. You can view an online catalogue of the show here. For all enquiries, please contact the gallery on info@cambridgestudiogallery.com.au or on (03) 94860169.
The show will be opened by esteemed artist, Godwin Bradbeer at drinks this Sunday, 2-4pm. Godwin was the judge of the 2016 Portrait Prize, which awarded me this solo show at the gallery. I hope to see you there.
Opening Drinks: Sunday the 2nd of April, 2 - 4pm
Exhibition Dates: 29th March to 23rd April
Hours: 12 – 5 Wednesday to Sunday
Cambridge Studio Gallery, 52 Cambridge St, Collingwood VIC 3066
I'm honoured to have won the Cliftons Sydney Art Prize, as well as the Cliftons People’s Choice Award last night with my painting 'Transendence'.
Thank you Cliftons Art Prize for your generous support of the arts, and thank you to all who voted for me in the People’s Choice Award. I’m so incredibly grateful for this recognition.
Congratulations to the other finalists and winners. It was a terrific exhibition.
Here's a virtual tour of my current exhibition at the Project 504 Gallery, 65 Berry Street, North Sydney. I've been a resident artist at Project 504 since July, and am so thrilled to be working alongside the inspiring creatives who are involved in this collective. A special shout out to our amazing gallery manager Zeynep Dilek for hanging this show while I was in Perth. The gallery is open 12-5 Monday to Friday or by appointment.
As part of the tenth anniversary of the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture and Portrait Month at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, I will be conducting a workshop and participating in a floor talk about my painting of Thomas Keneally - author of such acclaimed novels as Schindler's Ark and The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith.
Click here for full details on my workshop at the Art Gallery of Western Australia.
My floor talk will take place on Friday the 14th of October, also at the AGWA, alongside fellow Black Swan finalists Peter Barker and Thomas Delohery. If you're in Western Australia, I hope to see you there!
I'm absolutely over the moon to have been selected as a finalist in the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture in Perth. My painting of the much-revered Australian author, Thomas Keneally, will be on display at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from the 8th until the 31st of October. It will then tour to the St John of God Healthcare (Subiaco and Murdoch campuses) from the 7th of November until the 10th of December. What a great privilege.
It's also ben an honour to meet and paint such a great Australian who has enriched the lives of so many through his compassionate novels. Congratulations to all finalists, and an enormous thank you to Tom and the team at the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts for making this happen.
The latest piece in my 'Reverberate' series featuring artist Sarah Tracton has been selected as one of 25 finalists in the Marie Ellis Drawing Prize at Jugglers Art Space in Brisbane.
A massive congratulations to Michael Armstrong , who won the overall prize for his stunning drawing 'The Traits of the Living (Dying)'. The exhibition will run from the 5th to the 27th of August. at 103 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane QLD.
My painting 'The Selfie' has been selected as a finalist in the 2016 Emerging Artist Award, presented by fortyfivedownstairs in conjunction with Future Leaders.
My piece will hang alongside 16 other artists’ work at the fortyfivedownstairs gallery, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, until the 2nd of July.
I've included the written statement accompanying my work below for those who are unable to view the exhibition in person. It's a great privilege to be selected, and I wish all finalists the best of luck.
"In the time I’ve spent preparing this statement, 532,079 people have taken photos of their faces and uploaded them to Instagram using the hashtag #selfie. Never before in history have we had the tools to self-publish our daily minutia and bodies so explicitly. We share so much of ourselves via social media, but how much are selfies used as a device to hide what we are truly experiencing? In depicting the peculiar and often disturbing nature of the selfie’, my work takes aim at the selectively curated life. Painting on a polyester surface with artificial lighting, I intended to convey the more superficial and dark undertones of the selfie culture – the crafted and masked identity. I invite the viewer to consider the deeper meanings behind why individuals snap and share their selfies online. In effect, the painting is an exploration of the disparity between the authentic and disembodied virtual self."
My painting of musical theatre performer, Kerrie Anne Greenland, has been selected as a finalist for the biannual Percival Portrait Painting Prize in Townsville.
It's a privilege to be hanging alongside such talent in this $40,000 aquisitive prize.
Well done to Queensland-based artist Lisa Adams, who won the major prize with her intricately painted and surreal self-portrait 'Revelation' - and also to Barbara Cheshire who won the 150th local prize with her soulful painting, 'I Remember'.
It's wonderful to see portraiture embraced so fondly by the people of Townsville. Thanks to everyone involved who makes this event happen. The exhibition will run at the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery until the 10th of July.
Photo courtesy of Kim Guthrie.
My painting of Kerrie Anne alongside Paul Jackson's portrait of iconic comedian Paul Livingston (aka 'Flacco').
