Archibald Prize Artists

Bluethumb is the Home of Australian Artists. As Australia's largest art marketplace, we connect art lovers and collectors with emerging and established local artist talent.

We are proud to present the list of Bluethumb artist Archibald Prize finalists from recent years. Plus congratulate Blak Douglas as the Archibald Prize Winner for 2022.

Celebrating Australian Portrait Painting

The Archibald Prize has a rich history as one of Australia's most prominent and coveted art prizes.

Awarded annually since 1921, the Archibald Prize celebrates portraiture through the artistic flair of its entrants and their subject matter, most often distinguished Australians from the fields of arts, letters, science or politics.

Finalists are exhibited at the Art Gallery of NSW, home also to the prestigious Sulman Prize, Wynne Prize and the Dobell Drawing Prize.

Bluethumb Archibald Prize Finalists

Blak Douglas

12134 Views

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245 Followers

Archibald Prize Winner 2022, Finalist 2015 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2022

Archibald Prize Winner 2022. Born to a Dhungatti Aboriginal father and caucasian mother, Blak Douglas trained in illustration and photography. An award winning and groundbreaking artist with a style influenced by the study of graphic design and devoutly politicised per social justice.

Kim Leutwyler

141393 Views

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867 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2015 / 2017 / 2019 / 2021 / 2022

Born in America, Sydney-based Kim Leutwyler migrated to Australia in 2012. She works in a variety of media including painting, installation, ceramics, printmedia and drawing. Leutwyler holds concurrent bachelor degrees in Studio and Art History from Arizona State University, and additionally graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a Painting and Drawing degree.

Dagmar Cyrulla

4908 Views

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162 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2021

Melbourne-based artist Dagmar Cyrulla constructs contemporary narratives in her paintings and sculptures, encouraging contemplation and discussion of what it is to be human in this ever-changing and socially challenging world. Dagmar’s works have been featured in several solo exhibitions, together with exhibiting in a number of prominent group exhibitions. She has been awarded several national and international residencies and grants. Dagmar’s works are held in both private and public collections.

Eddy Jack Humphrey

6997 Views

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69 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2020

Sydney-based Edward captures political, environmental, societal and personal contexts into real life portraits. 2020 was a milestone year after he was selected as an Archibald Prize Finalist.

Loribelle Spirovski

84318 Views

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607 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2017 / 2018 / 2019

Born in 1990 to a Filipino mother and Yugoslav father, Loribelle is known best for her portraits, which often incorporate elements of surrealism and photorealism. Loribelle has been a finalist in the Archibald Prize multiple times and won the 2021 Bluethumb Art Prize.

Kate Gradwell

119382 Views

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1995 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2019

UK born with a PhD in Chemistry, art is a second career for Kate Gradewell after working at the CSIRO. Painting across a range of styles and media, her work encompasses landscape, portraiture and figurative work, and is held in private collections around the world.

Amani Haydar

47179 Views

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315 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2018

Amani Haydar is an artist, lawyer, mum and advocate who uses painting and mixed media. Her self-portrait, 'Insert Headline Here' was a finalist in the 2018 Archibald Prize, and her writing and illustrations have been featured on SBS Life and ABC News Online.

Jamie Preisz

21381 Views

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244 Followers

Archibald Packing Room Prize Winner 2018

Archibald Packing Room Prize winner in 2018, and repeat finalist for prestigious awards including the Doug Moran Portrait Prize. Jamie works predominantly with painting and drawing, with a playful love of abstraction and realism.

PHIL MEATCHEM

18125 Views

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388 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2017

Born in Sydney in 1958, Meatchem studied for a year at the Julian Ashton Art School. After a 40-year career as a director of television commercials, he recently took up painting full-time. This is his first time in the Archibald Prize, but is regularly a finalist in many of Australia's most prestigious art prizes.

Melissa Ritchie

30428 Views

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418 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2016

Born in Georgia USA in 1978, Melissa moved to Australian as a baby and grew up in Windang, on the South Coast NSW. Melissa established a career in advertising since 1999, and started portrait and still life painting in 2012. Melissa has been a finalist in many Australian Art Prizes including the Archibald Prize, Eutick Memorial Still Life Award, Kennedy Prize, Kilgour Prize, Pirtek Still Life Award, Shirley Hannan Portrait Prize, Brisbane Portrait Prize, Black Swan Portraiture Prize, Portia Geach Memorial Art Award, John Copes Portrait Prize and the Percival Portrait Prize. Melissa won Wollongong Art Gallery’s ‘Postcodes from the Edge Art Prize’ in 2016.

Nicolee Payne

13041 Views

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122 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2014

Nicolee Payne began her career drawing licenced characters for a leading toy manufacturer, and designing style guides for the ABC Children's Television Department. Her passion lies with animal portraits, though her work took a new direction in 2014 when she was selected as a 2014 Archibald finalist with her portrait of Rugby League legend Fui Fui Moi Moi.

Mertim Gokalp

23926 Views

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227 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 2013

Mertim Gokalp came to Australia in 2009. Within a few year after his migration, he has been selected as a finalist in all the top portrait exhibitions here: the Archibald Prize; the Doug Moran Portrait Prize; and the Black Swan Art Prize. These accomplishments in short time allowed him to receive a distinguished talent visa by the Australian Government for him to live and work in Australia. He recently became an Australian citizen.

Leeka Gruzdeff

21241 Views

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210 Followers

Archibald Prize Finalist 1986 / 1988

Leeka Gruzdeff was born in Lithuania and arrived in Australian1960 and did her degree at the National Art School. She has been a life long artist and teacher. Gruzdeff has been awarded over 110 prizes and has been twice hung in the Archibald Prize, in 1986 with her portrait of Rita Hunter and in 1988 with her portrait if Don Burrows.

List of Archibald Prize Winners

  • 1921 - W B McInnes
  • 1922 - W B McInnes
  • 1923 - W B McInnes
  • 1924 - W B McInnes
  • 1925 - John Longstaff
  • 1926 - W B McInnes
  • 1927 - George W. Lambert
  • 1928 - John Longstaff
  • 1929 - John Longstaff
  • 1930 - W B McInnes
  • 1931 - John Longstaff
  • 1932 - Ernest Buckmaster
  • 1933 - Charles Wheeler
  • 1934 - Henry Hanke
  • 1935 - John Longstaff
  • 1936 - W B McInnes
  • 1937 - Normand Baker
  • 1938 - Nora Heysen
  • 1939 - Max Meldrum
  • 1940 - Max Meldrum
  • 1941 - William Dargie
  • 1942 - William Dargie
  • 1943 - William Dobell
  • 1944 - Joshua Smith
  • 1945 - William Dargie
  • 1946 - William Dargie
  • 1947 - William Dargie
  • 1948 - William Dobell
  • 1949 - Arthur Murch
  • 1950 - William Dargie
  • 1951 - Ivor Hele
  • 1952 - William Dargie
  • 1953 - Ivor Hele
  • 1954 - Ivor Hele
  • 1955 - Ivor Hele
  • 1956 - William Dargie
  • 1957 - Ivor Hele
  • 1958 - William Pidgeon
  • 1959 - William Dobell
  • 1960 - Judy Cassab
  • 1961 - William Pidgeon
  • 1962 - Louis Kahan
  • 1963 - Jack Carington Smith
  • 1964 - No Award
  • 1965 - Clifton Pugh
  • 1966 - Jon Molvig
  • 1967 - Judy Cassab
  • 1968 - William Pidgeon
  • 1969 - Ray Crooke
  • 1970 - Eric Smith
  • 1971 - Clifton Pugh
  • 1972 - Clifton Pugh
  • 1973 - Janet Dawson
  • 1974 - Sam Fullbrook
  • 1975 - Kevin Connor
  • 1976 - Brett Whiteley
  • 1977 - Kevin Connor
  • 1978 - Brett Whiteley
  • 1979 - Wes Walters
  • 1980 - No Award
  • 1981 - Eric Smith
  • 1982 - Eric Smith
  • 1983 - Nigel Thomson
  • 1984 - Keith Looby
  • 1985 - Guy Warren
  • 1986 - Davida Allen
  • 1987 - William Robinson
  • 1988 - Fred Cress
  • 1989 - Bryan Westwood
  • 1990 - Geoffrey Proud
  • 1991 - Bryan Westwood
  • 1992 - Bryan Westwood
  • 1993 - Garry Shead
  • 1994 - Francis Giacco
  • 1995 - William Robinson
  • 1996 - Wendy Sharpe
  • 1997 - Nigel Thomson
  • 1998 - Lewis Miller
  • 1999 - Euan Macleod
  • 2000 - Adam Cullen
  • 2001 - Nicholas Harding
  • 2002 - Cherry Hood
  • 2003 - Geoffrey Dyer
  • 2004 - Craig Ruddy
  • 2005 - John Olsen
  • 2006 - Marcus Wills
  • 2007 - John Beard
  • 2008 - Del Kathryn Barton
  • 2009 - Guy Maestri
  • 2010 - Sam Leach
  • 2011 - Ben Quilty
  • 2012 - Tim Storrier
  • 2013 - Del Kathryn Barton
  • 2014 - Fiona Lowry
  • 2015 - Nigel Milsom
  • 2016 - Louise Hearman
  • 2017 - Mitch Cairns
  • 2018 - Yvette Coppersmith
  • 2019 - Tony Costa
  • 2020 - Vincent Namatjira
  • 2021 - Peter Wegner
  • 2022 - Blak Douglas
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