First Prize Winner of the 2026 The Doyles Landscape Award, one of Australia's leading art prizes. John Swadling is an award-winning Australian landscape painter, educator and mentor based on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Finalist in The Clayton Utz Art Award 2026, The Doyles Art Awards for Landscape (2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026), the Inaugural 2025 Queens Wharf Brisbane Art Prize, and the 2023 Raglan Art Prize (NSW).
His impressionistic paintings of urban, coastal and natural landscapes capture the distinctive light, atmosphere and beauty of Australia. Through expressive brushwork and a keen sensitivity to mood, his work invites viewers to experience both the grandeur and the quiet moments of the Australian landscape.
Drawing inspiration from Australia's evolving cities, where old and new coexist, as well as the seascapes, rivers and rainforests of Queensland and Northern New South Wales, John's work reflects a deep connection to place. He is also inspired by the iconic harbour vistas of his former home city of Sydney, the rugged beauty of the Blue Mountains, the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales, and the wild frontiers of the Australian outback.
John's paintings are recognised for their expressive brushwork, tonal richness, sensitive use of colour, and evocative sense of light and mood. Having come to painting later in life, John believes it is never too late to find a creative voice. Drawing on a lifetime of experiences and observations, his paintings explore memory, history and change quietly coexisting within the places around us.
John is an active member of the Royal Queensland Art Society (Gold Coast) and an art educator with the University of the Third Age (U3A) Gold Coast, where he teaches and mentors artists. His passion for sharing knowledge and encouraging artistic development reflects his commitment to the ongoing vitality of Australian landscape painting.