Photo by Rachel Kara

 

Paintings and monotypes by Laura Jones convey a focus on the complex relationships between humanity and nature in their composition, subject matter and in the looseness and lack of resolution in the paint itself. The vulnerabilities of the environment are expressed alongside her own domestic interiors, exposing the private (and human) in parallel with the natural world. They unfurl their narratives, opening like a flower to expose precious sensitivities, also expressed in the space that invites us between the brushstrokes.

‘I have always turned my concern for the environment into art. My recent work weaves more private moments into the tapestry of the natural world. I am interested in capturing moments of vulnerability and wonder. This gives context and heart to the ineffable, expressing the rawness of how it feels to be alive right now. I try to conjure familiar emotions and describe them with paint in a new way. Hopefully, I can remind people that fragility and optimism can coexist.’

Jones grew up in nature in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney. She studied Japanese and art history, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (2003). She completed a Masters of Art (printmaking) from the College of Fine Arts, University of NSW (2006). Her work has been exhibited in public and private galleries since 2011, with residencies at the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island, Heron Island, The Glasshouse Regional Art Gallery, Byron Bay School of Art, New York, Japan, and Antarctica. In 2023 she was awarded the Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence at Tweed Regional Gallery. She is a many times finalist in art awards including the Archibald Prize (2023, 2022, 2019) and Wynne Prize (2021), Sulman Prize (2024), and won the People’s Choice Award at the Paddington Art Prize (2021). Her work has been acquired for the Artbank Collection and national and international private collections. In 2024 Jones won the Archibald Prize with a portrait of author Tim Winton.


 

CV 

 

EDUCATION 

2006 Master of Art (Printmaking), College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales 

2003 Bachelor of Arts- Asian Studies, University of Sydney 

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 

2023 The Geometry of Longing, Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney  

Solo presentation at Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney

2022 Music for Trees, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne 

Hot Pink Mountains, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne Art Fair 

2021 Monotypes, Olsen Gallery Annexe, Sydney 

Dirty Pretty Things, Olsen Gallery, Sydney 

2020 The Garden, Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney 

The Listening Ship, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne 

Arcadia, Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Port Macquarie 

2019 Olympia, Olsen Gallery, Sydney 

2018 Works on Paper, Olsen Gallery Annexe, Sydney 

Too Much/ Not Enough, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne 

2017 Bleached, Olsen Gallery, Sydney 

2016 Wildflower, Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney 

2015 I Woke Up Like This, Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney 

Laura Jones- Still Life, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor, NSW 

2014 Punch, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW  

Shadow and Soul, TDF Collect, Melbourne 

Light is Fugitive, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW 

2013 With Flowers, Maunsell Wickes Gallery, Sydney 

The Conductor’s Project, St James and Museum Stations, Sydney 

2012 On Air, Maunsell Wickes Gallery, Sydney 

  

GROUP EXHIBITIONS 

2024 The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW Sydney

The Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

Salon des Refuses, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney

Winter Group Show, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne

New South, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, NSW

Still Life, Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane

2023 Light and Life, Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW 

Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney  

2022 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

The Art of Music, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

2021 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, NSW  

The Paddington Art Prize, Defiance Gallery, Sydney 

The Environmental Art & Design Prize, Manly Art Gallery & Museum 

Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney  

EZY Art Show 2, EZY Mart, Darlinghurst, Sydney 

2019 The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Olsen Gallery, Sydney 

2018 A Painted Landscape, Special Group Studios, Sydney 

Paper Contemporary, Sydney Contemporary Art Fair 

The King’s School Art Prize, Sydney 

Spring, Sophie Gannon Gallery, Melbourne 

All We Can’t See: Illustrating the Nauru Files, Fortyfive Downstairs, Melbourne 

The Art of Music, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

All We Can’t See: Illustrating the Nauru Files, Yellow House, Sydney 

2017 Still: National Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW 

Salon des Refusès, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

Good Neighbours, Artbank, Sydney 

2016 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney  

EMSLA Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW  

602 Art Fair, Olsen Irwin Gallery, Melbourne, VIC 

Gallipoli Art Prize, Gallipoli Memorial Club, Sydney 

Percival Portrait Painting Prize, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville 

Flora Australis, Bega Regional Gallery, NSW 

The Art of Music, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

2015 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW 

Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

           Sydney Contemporary Art Fair, Olsen Irwin Gallery, Carriageworks, Sydney 

Manning Art Prize: Naked & Nude 2015, Manning Regional Art Gallery, Taree, NSW 

Mug Shot, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW 

Kogarah Art Prize, Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre, Sydney  

          NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, NSW Parliament, Sydney 

Group Show: 5 Artists, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW 

In the Still, Arthouse Gallery, Sydney 

2014 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

The Shirley Hannan Portrait Award, Bega Regional Gallery, Bega, NSW 

The Boondocks Experiment: Off the Beaten Track, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Windsor, NSW 

Efflorescent- A Contemporary Take, Goulburn Regional Gallery, Goulburn, NSW 

2013 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

On the table- Still lives, Olsen Irwin Gallery, Sydney 

Autoportrait, Gallery Ecosse, Exeter, NSW 

Yen Female Art Award Finalists Exhibition, Gaffa, Sydney

2012 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Moran House, Sydney 

2011 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

Salon des Refuses, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

2010 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

2008 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Brett Whiteley Studio, Sydney 

The Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney 

2007 The Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney 

Smash Hits, Parramatta Artists’ Studios, Sydney 

Blacktown City Art Prize, Blacktown Arts Centre, Sydney 

The Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney 

2006 COFA Annual, Cofaspace, University of New South Wales, Sydney 

The Last Supper, Kudos Gallery, University of New South Wales, Sydney 

2005 Thai- Australia Contemporary Prints, Chiang Mai University, Thailand 

COFA Spring Fair Printmakers’ Exhibition, COFA, UNSW, Sydney 

Money Makes the World Go ‘Round’, Kudos Gallery, UNSW, Sydney 

 

AWARDS 

2024 Winner, The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

2023 Finalist, The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

2022 Finalist, The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

2021 Finalist, Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney  

Finalist in 2 categories, Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, NSW 

Winner People’s Choice, The Paddington Art Prize, Defiance Gallery, Sydney  

Finalist, The Environmental Art & Design Prize, Manly Art Gallery & Museum 

2019 Finalist, The Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 

2018 Finalist, The King’s School Art Prize, Sydney 

2017 Finalist, Still: National Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW 

2016 Finalist, EMSLA Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery 

Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award, SH Ervin Gallery, NSW 

Finalist, Gallipoli Art Prize, Gallipoli Memorial Club, Sydney 

Finalist, Percival Portrait Painting Prize, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, QLD 

2015 Finalist, Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW 

Finalist, Manning Art Prize: Naked & Nude 2015, Manning Regional Art Gallery 

Finalist, The Kogarah Art Prize, Kogarah Library and Cultural Centre, Sydney  

Finalist, NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize, Parliament House, Sydney 

2014 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

Finalist, The Shirley Hannan Portrait Award, Bega Regional Gallery, Bega, NSW

2013 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

2012 Finalist, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Moran Hose, Sydney 

2011 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney  

2010 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Award, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney 

2008 Finalist, Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Brett Whiteley Studio, Sydney  

Finalist, The Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney 

2007 Finalist, Blacktown City Art Prize, Blacktown Arts Centre 

Winner, The Young Emerging Artists’ Award, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney 

  

RESIDENCIES & PROJECTS 

 2023 Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence, Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW 

2021- present Incognito Art Show Founder 

2019 Artist Residency, Byron Bay School of Art, NSW 

Artist in Residence, Glasshouse Regional Art Gallery, Port Macquarie 

2017- presentPrintmaking residency at Whaling Road Studios, North Sydney 

2017 Heron Island Research Station, University of Queensland 

Three-month painting residency, Private Studio, Brooklyn, NYC 

2016 Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station, Queensland 

Guest Artist in Residence, Studio A, Sydney 

2011 Drawing Marathon, New York Studio School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture, New York, USA 

Printmaking residency, Skopelos Foundation for the Arts, Greece 

2000 Student Exchange, Kashiwa High School, Japan 

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS  

2023 Charlotte Middleton, Collectors Love: Laura Jones, Art Collector, Issue 103, January-March  

2022 Charlotte Middleton, Artist Profile: Laura Jones, Art/ Edit, November issue 

Karina Dias Spires, Artists at Home, Thames & Hudson, Australia  

2021 Emma Kate-Wilson, Laura Jones: The Garden, Art Almanac, Cover story, January/ February issue  

2018 Amber Creswell Bell, A Painted Landscape, Thames & Hudson, Australia 

2017 Lucy Feagins, Laura Jones- Bleached, The Design Files  

Eliza O’Hare, Brett Whiteley feature, Harper’s Bazaar, May issue 

2016 Michael Slezak, Bleached, Laura Jones’ Hope for the Reef, The Guardian, 30 December 

Annie Sebel, Laura Jones: Wildflower, Art Almanac, Cover story, March issue 

  

COLLECTIONS 

Artbank, Sydney