30 Under 30 – Meet The Young Guns of Australian Art (Part 2)
With so many strong portfolios, it’s hard to believe these artists aren’t even 30 yet! If you liked Part 1 of our 30 under 30 list, you’ll be sure to find a piece of art you love in Part 2. In no particular order, we present 15 more artists under the age of 30 making a splash in the arts scene.
16. Penny Prangnell
Melbourne Summer by Penny Prangnell.
Having always boasted a great eye for film and photography, Penny Prangnell’s striking landscapes capture nature in its rawest form – with a limited presence of people. Penny has always found a home in nature. As a teenager, she would often spend hours after school wandering the countryside and capturing the landscape on her dad’s film camera. Her keen interest in film would later become the foundation of her passion for landscape photography. When Penny attended university in Melbourne, she fell in love with the aerial perspective. After graduating, Penny worked professionally in aerial photography before pursuing a lifestyle of travel.
Penny holds a Bachelor of Film and Television and has exhibited her work in several venues across Melbourne. She offers limited edition fine art prints observing the landscapes of locations around the globe.
17. Jemma Cakebread
Woman on a Bed by Jemma Cakebread.
Melbourne-based artist, Jemma Cakebread, has already demonstrated immense skill in both painting and textiles, receiving the Academy of Design’s Award of Distinction and the 2016 Melbourne Studio of Art Prize at Smallworks. Jemma uses art as a way to continually resolve the disconnection she experiences between her corporeal ‘mind’ and physical body. Jemma explains, “as I paint more ‘imperfect’ bodies, I hope to come closer to accepting my own.” As such, Jemma’s art practice serves as a means of bodily acceptance.
As well as practicing art for this reason, Jemma also aims to redefine the relationship between fine art and craft through the use of various mediums. Jemma’s portfolio includes works of oil paint, textile sculpture, embroidery and taxidermy.
18. T’keyah Ware
Camping Under the Moonlight by T’keyah Ware and her mother, Kelly Taylor.
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and this is certainly true for the Ware family. T’keyah Ware, along with her two sisters, Kelilah and Taliyah, have all inherited their mother’s artistic aptitude. After “hating” art in school, T’keyah finally fell in love with the creative process of painting and now intends to pursue an art career full-time. The young artist says that learning how to place cultural symbols on canvas and tell stories through art has taught her patience. T’keyah explains that continually learning from her mother, Kelly Taylor, encourages her to be a better artist every day.
T’keyah’s and Kelly’s collaborative art has been featured in several publications, including Vogue Living and SBS NITV. In 2020, the mother-daughter duo also collaborated with the Royal Flying Doctor’s Service for their NAIDOC Week celebrations.
19. Etre Britta
‘Soft’ and ‘Home’ prints by Etre Britta.
From Paris to London to Sydney, Etre Britta’s work has been exhibited all over the globe. With such an extensive background in travel, it comes as no surprise that Britta’s style is ever-evolving and her career is blossoming. Since completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts, Britta has gone on to found and direct her own digital marketing agency, Etre Britta Studios. Britta simultaneously creates and sells her own art while running her business.
Britta’s work is defined by organic line work, which presents women in their most natural state – the nude. Her figurative line drawings are raw depictions of everyday women doing everyday things. Britta has a knack for turning the mundane into the magnificent through her simplistic art.
20. Oli Ruskidd
A tram mural painted by Oli Ruskidd.
Best known for creating large-scale public murals with aerosol, Oli Ruskidd has defined his own unique style that blurs the lines between the physical and the digital. Oli is inspired by his own fascination with ancient creatures and mysterious glyphs. His work combines vibrant colours with hypnotic patterns to create ambiguous, psychedelic forms. Oli’s art aims to capture “a cosmic realm that exists beyond the mind’s eye.” Much of his available work is in the form of organically-shaped wall pieces, such as those in the ‘Mirror Fragment’ series, some of which have the option of being backlit with neon light.
Oli’s distinctive style has caught the attention of a variety of council commissions, including City of Melbourne, ABC Studios and Crown Casino, for whom he has created several large-scale mural installations. An interdisciplinary artist, Oli has also worked in game development 3D modelling. His psychedelic patterns can be seen across Melbourne – you may have already walked past one of his numerous public murals!
21. Natarsha Doyle
Hunting Ground by Natarsha Doyle.
A proud WakaWaka woman, Natarsha Doyle finds her muse in everything from nature, to science, to spirituality. Art is woven into the fabric of her childhood, as Natarsha explains: “I’ve been passionate about all things creative since I was a small child and as I grew the urgency to create grew with me.” She takes pride in her culture and wants to share that pride with the world through her practice. Natarsha’s captivating paintings combine traditional Aboriginal dot painting techniques with a bright rainbow of colour. Natarsha recently decided to share her creative joy and sell her artwork online. Natarsha’s artwork is still priced very affordably, and having already sold dozens, she is certainly one to watch.
22. Lachlan Garutti
Ersfjorden Northern Lights by Lachlan Garutti.
North Queensland native, Lachlan Garutti, is a landscape photographer and filmmaker based in Norway. Lachlan has a natural ability to bring all the beauty of the Northern Lights to you through his camera lens. At just 29, he’s already visited many of the world’s most beautiful remote landscapes, the essence of which he has been able to capture through his striking landscape photographs. As Lachlan expresses, “these locations are filled with an abundance of nature and unique wildlife” from which he draws continual inspiration.
Lachlan’s work has gained international recognition, with his films being selected for film festivals in London and Germany. He has also worked for a number of international brands, including Scarpa and Quiksilver.
23. George Arnold
The Grove by George Arnold.
Contrast, composition and colour are what will draw you into George Arnold’s abstract landscapes. Despite his relative youth, George has already perfected the art of elevating every brushstroke so that each stroke stands prominent on the canvas. George skilfully captures the movement and richness of the Australian landscape in his paintings through his loose, impressionistic style. The Brisbane-based painter aims to take his viewers on a journey through time and space. His work constantly challenges the viewer to reflect on what Australian landscape means to them.
George currently works from his office in Brisbane and is taking commissions. Take yourself on a journey through George’s portfolio here.
24. Brittany Dixon
Murphey the Highland Cow by Brittany Dixon
Going viral for looking like Kate Middleton isn’t Brittany Dixon’s only claim to fame. A self-taught artist, Brittany has made a name for herself with her art portfolio, which consists of sun streaked still-life paintings, natural landscapes and animal portraits. Placing nature at the fore, her best known series depicts mostly animals, as she sees them as preserving the connection between humankind and the natural world. Going forward, she hopes to look at “the preservation of natural habitats and that interconnectedness of ecosystems.” Brittany’s strikingly realistic oil paintings are the product of painting nearly every day since she completed her degree in Communications in 2015.
If you are looking for a more affordable way to get Brittany’s art onto your walls, there are limited edition prints available of some of her most captivating work, like Charlie the Highland Cow.
25. Amber Fisher
Bold Winds by Amber Fisher.
Hailing from Hervey Bay, Queensland, Amber Fisher’s earthy, intuitive artworks are as fluid and soft as the environments she grew up surrounded by. With a background in real estate, Amber’s work is inspired by architectural design and interior styling. Her versatile pieces aim to complement the aesthetic of any space. Amber’s organic, free-flowing style perfectly incorporates her passion for interiors with organic, natural elements of her environment.
Fluid acrylics and earthy inks make up most of Amber’s portfolio, so if you are looking to soften your space, Amber will have the perfect artwork for you.
26. Emma Duck
Paloma at Dawn by Emma Duck.
With a background in floristry, it is no surprise that Emma Duck is an emerging superstar of Australiana and Nature art. Emma’s skilful and bold use of colour allows her to capture the true essence of her subject matter and create a meaningful scene. Since picking up a brush for the first time in 2017, she has dedicated herself to a life in the Arts and has exhibited in several galleries. She describes her work as “sometimes peaceful, sometimes playful, always extraordinary.” Emma hopes her work will remind us to slow down and reconnect with nature.
Emma loves collaborating with clients on commissions, so if you are looking for a custom landscape or animal portrait for your place, reach out to Emma here.
27. Holly Harper
Lily of the Valley by Holly Harper.
Having been selected as a finalist for the Dean Cogle Portrait prize in both 2018 and 2020, Holly Harper is slowly but surely making her mark on the art world. Encapsulating the grace of the female form, her work aims to bring elegance to any surrounding. Holly’s sophisticated and pensive portraits, like Lily of the Valley, are inspired by the strength of women, captured with a light and delicate touch. Tap into the gamut of emotion and lived experience with her vignettes of daily living.
Holly also elevates the everyday with her mix of both bold and soft still-life floral artworks. When she is not busy making art, Holly spends her time creating jewellery and homewares for her online store.
28. Zainub Khan
Parallel Perspective by Zainub Khan.
Perth-based artist, Zainub Khan, draws inspiration from her surroundings, creating urban landscapes that juxtapose architectural dwellings with the natural environment. Zainub skilfully designs her compositions to seamlessly draw her viewer’s eye to the horizon. Linear perspective is paramount in such artworks, and Zainub’s precise line work and realistic composition allows her to create just that.
As Zainub expresses, “my artwork is a reflection of what inspires me,” and we’re sure her work will inspire you.
29. Aliss Rigby
Marigold #2 by Aliss Ribgy.
At just 21, Aliss Rigby has already shown she is one to watch. Aliss has spent the last 7 years exploring womanhood through the female gaze and developing her surrealist, woman-centric style. Working predominantly with oil paint, Aliss’s distinctive paintings aim to “convey the natural yet odd incorporation of the unnatural into ourselves, and the acceptance of the artificial in women’s beauty standards.” Her work is a reflection of her own experience as a young woman living in the 21st century. Aliss has amassed a huge following of over 60k on Tiktok for her impressive process videos. We’re hardly surprised by her success.
Aliss currently works full-time as an artist from her Melbourne space and is concurrently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Victorian College of the Arts.
30. Laura Phillips
Tumble by Laura Phillips.
Laura Phillips is a Melbourne-based artist, whose stormy seascapes will be sure to transport you to a place she describes as “a world of wild oceans, unique landscapes, and curious creatures.” Laura’s work is informed by a childhood spent by the sea and recent experiences doing fieldwork in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic. The scenes she portrays examine the beauty and chaos of the natural world. Laura works predominantly with oil paint to create artwork that evokes emotion. A lover of all things nature and wildlife, Laura’s goal is to create pieces that transport the viewer to the Antarctic waters she cherishes.
This is just a snippet of the incredible young talent we are lucky to represent at Bluethumb. See the full curation of our young guns under 30 here.
