Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 44 Rachael Sarra

Rachael Sarra is a proud Goreng Goreng woman whose incredible work bridges fine art, design, business and education.

You might know Rachael’s powerful visual language from a postage stamp that commemorated the 1967 Referendum, from murals lighting up Brisbane, or from collaborations with major brands like Kmart and Tourism Australia.

Her artistic style is distinct and contemporary, characterised by vibrant, striking, fabulous colours including purples, pinks, greens, oranges, and blues. As I said it’s visually striking and engaging. However, beneath the aesthetic appeal, her work is deeply rooted in her heritage.

She’s also the creator of vibrant resources for schools and a children’s book introducing counting through Aboriginal art. Basically, she has helped shift perceptions of what Indigenous art can be.

We had a great chat. It was covering topics such as exploring creativity, challenging dynamics and spaces and breaking moulds. We discussed her unique use of colours and the use of colours being a conscious decision but in many ways it's also a sub conscious decision. How she feels the weight of responsibility. How much of herself she can give to corporates.

It was an important conversation, engaging and honest.

Head to the link in my bio to have a listen.

Head to Rachael's website to have a look at some of her work

www.rachaelsarra.com

Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 43 The Boyd Women Artists: The Hidden Line.

A conversation with curator Sophie O’Brien

For decades, the Boyd name has resonated through Australian art history — yet the creative lives of the Boyd women, the artists who worked in the shadows and around the edges of that celebrated dynasty, have too often been overlooked.

At Bundanon NSW, a remarkable new exhibition is changing that. The exhibition is called The Hidden Line: The Art of the Boyd Women and it brings together paintings, drawings, ceramics and textiles that reveal a brilliant artistic lineage stretching back through 5 generations of Boyd women.

The exhibition could almost be described as a redrawing of the Boyd family story, revealing the works of women whose contributions were always there, just not always seen.

At the heart of this reclamation is Sophie O’Brien. Sophie is a very successful curator, director and writer. She has previously worked in senior curatorial leadership roles at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in Aotearoa New Zealand, and at the Serpentine Galleries and Tate Britain in London. She has also worked on numerous large-scale commissions with renowned international artists and has previously led the exhibition teams for the Australian Pavilions at the Venice Biennale and the Biennale of Sydney.

We had a lovely conversation about the discoveries, the surprises, and the emotional resonance of finally bringing the Boyd women into the light.

The exhibition is now on at Bundanon till Feb 2026. Follow the link to find out more.

https://www.bundanon.com.au/the-hidden-line/

With greatest of thanks to @articulate.advisory and @sian_davies for inviting me

Insta images:

1 Mary Nolan, Tessa, Arles 1964

2 Yvonne Boyd, Melbourne Tram 1944 oil on muslin on cardboard

3 Lucy Boyd Beck, Orpheus and Eurydice c 1974-9 glazed stoneware painting

4 Hermia Boyd & David Boyd Jug with rabbit, bird and fox undated, ceramic

5 Lucy Boyd, Pulpit Rock 1985 oil on canvas

6 Portrait room, Bundanon

Australian Women Artists

The podcast

Ep. 42 Natasha Walsh

Natasha Walsh doesn’t make art for the Archibald Portrait Prize. She is really interested in building her practice in a way that interests her.

Nevertheless, in 2025, in her early 30s, she became an Archibald finalist for the 8th time!

One of those finalist years (2018), coincided with her winning the Kilgour Prize, the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship and the Mosman Art Prize tying with Margaret Olley as the youngest ever winner.

But it certainly hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Far from it.

It was a lovely long, far ranging, very open and, at times, emotional conversation. Which isn’t surprising given her horrific experiences in Paris whilst attending the Whiteley Scholarship.

But I reckon Natasha is very brave. In life as well as her art.

We discussed the enormous effect her dyslexia and ADHD had on her life and how the Nat. Art School helped smooth some paths for her. It was a beautiful insight to an artist’s mind and thinking and creative process.

With her experimentations (especially with copper) and successes and persistence and resilience and her constant challenging of existing structures of bias...it’s little wonder she’s been described as a key figure in a new generation of Australian artists.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation.

Natasha is represented by N.Smith Gallery

Insta images

1 NW portrait by Janie Barrett

2 Dear Hilma (The quiet point of a meeting), 2022 oil on copper 30 x 22 cm

3 The Voyeur (formerly Untitled) 2023 oil on copper 60x60 reference Egon Schiele The Hermits (Self portrait with Gustav Klimt 1912)

4 Portrait of a Young Medusa 2023 oil on copper 26x18 sitter: Montaigne (profile Portrait of a Young Lady 1465)

5 The Yellow Odalisque of Brunswick 2024 oil on copper 53x50 sitter Atong Atem (reference Matisse Yellow Odalisque 1937)

6 Dreaming of rose scented tea leaves carried to me on a summer breeze 2025 oil & pigment on copper 74x100