10 Local Sydney Artists You Should Know
Looking for a local Sydney artist to support? Shopping locally is the trend du jour these days, and with so many benefits it’s easy to understand why. Not only will your brand new artwork arrive blindingly fast, but you’ll also be reducing the environmental impact and helping the planet, especially if the artist hand delivers to your door (which many do!). With the current bushfire crisis on, lessening our contributions to climate change is closer to the forefront of the collective conscious than ever.
To help you support artists in your local area, we’re beginning a new series of blogs to help you discover top artists within a short drive of your home. We’re kicking off with the largest city – Sydney! Below discover 10 local Sydney artists that you should definitely keep a close eye on.
1. Marnie McKnight
Marnie McKnight in her natural habitat – her art studio.
If you’ve been following Bluethumb for a while, you’ve no doubt already come across best seller Marnie McKnight. In 2019, the superstar artist sold the most individual artworks of anyone on Bluethumb. Mainly known for her breathtakingly beautiful abstracts, Marnie also paints quirky portraits and minimalist beach landscapes. Talk about multi-talented!
2. Ben Tankard
Ben is mostly known for his Unpopular Penguin book series, but his Monopoly works are a close second!
On Bluethumb Ben Tankard is synonymous with his Unpopular Penguin series. But that’s not all this local Sydney artist paints – a lover of all things pop culture, he’s explored portraits of his favourite musicians, album covers and everyone’s favourite board and card games, as well as surrealist landscapes. His bright works make the perfect gift for book-lovers, as all you need to do is pick their favourite title. He also loves to take on commissions and can turn anything into a textural, slightly distorted version of the original.
3. Natasha Junmanee
Natasha hard at work on Dancing Tulips.
Featuring on last year’s season of The Block, Natasha Junmanee‘s highly detailed and ultra-realistic still life paintings have enraptured the nation. Her work is inspired by the Dutch and Flemish Masters and often incorporates a symbolic element depicting the beauty of stillness, memory and transience. Keep your eye on Natasha, as her bucketloads of talent with a brush is sure to take her far!
4. Sally Browne
Sally Browne’s home studio and art collection is the subject of an upcoming blog – so keep your eyes peeled for its release.
Sally Browne quickly rose up the ranks of Bluethumb when she joined in 2017, and finished the following year as our top selling artist. Since then, she’s delved deep into experimental mode and explored new mediums. The results? Spectacular acrylic and oil paintings to complement her signature crisp watercolours. Our design clients go particularly wild for her abundance of pastel pink works!
5. Kim Leutwyler
Kim Leutwyler with her impeccable portrait, Cole.
A three-time Archibald finalist, Kim Leutwyler is one of the most collectible artists on Bluethumb. Her masterful portraits celebrate a variety of inspirational queer figures – covering everyone from sports icons to Sydney’s Lord Mayor to reality stars. Not to mention she recently painted a commission of Bluethumb office dog Grungle and his family!
6. George Hall
Local Sydney artist George Hall is a proud resident of Kings Cross – what he calls “the heart of Sydney”.
A painter, printmaker and illustrator with a background in graphic design, George Hall creates atmospheric abstracts that explore the interplay of nature and colour. Often inspired by the moods of the weather, his works range from calming rainy patterns to uplifting summer gardens. His abstracts are consistently popular on Bluethumb, and there’s always one of his works to be found on our Just Sold page.
7. Belinda Nadwie
One of our most popular artists, Belinda Nadwie creates stunning abstract landscapes on a large scale.
Impressively large and breathtakingly beautiful are what comes to mind when viewing the work of Belinda Nadwie. Her gorgeous abstracts run the gamut of colours and make a spectacular statement in hundreds of homes around Australia. Another artist who has featured on Channel 9’s The Block, Belinda’s work lends an elegance to any space it hangs in.
8. Katerina Apale
Katerina Apale‘s quirky sense of humour comes through in her still life scenes!
Katerina Apale is the queen of still lifes. Her beautiful paintings celebrate the beauty of floral arrangements, and often feature a quirky element, such as a fish or using a teapot as a vase. Her work is completed in 2 different colour palettes – a quiet muted mix of natural hues or bright, glowing blues, pinks and reds.
9. Kate Gradwell
Scientist-cum-portrait prize finalist, is there anything Kate Gradwell can’t do?
Another Archibald finalist hidden within the city’s depths is Kate Gradwell. The former scientist has embraced art full-time for the last few years, to much success. Her diverse work explores many styles and mediums, but landscapes are her main calling and make up the majority of her portfolio. With a gift for conveying atmosphere and channelling light, it’s easy to see why she keeps coming back to them!
10. Sandra Oost
Collector’s are drawn to the joyful nature of Sandra’s work – like in this piece, Cats & Oranges!
Local Sydney artist Sandra Oost is forever chasing what she considers the ultimate compliment for her art – a smile. And it’s hard not to smile when you see her colourful florals, for they’re imbued with a strong sense of joy and radiance. Working with a range of mixed media techniques, Sandra struck a chord with collectors in 2019, earning her a spot amongst our top 25 best sellers.
After more artists in your nearby area? Browse our artists by state – discover more local Sydney artists in our NSW page.
I am humbled to be included in this list. Many thanks Bluethumb and congratulations to the other artists