KATHRYN RYAN
KATHRYN RYAN
SANCTUARY
Above:
FRAGILE MONUMENT, 2025 oil on linen, 61 x 61 cm
SANCTUARY
By Kathryn Ryan
In Sanctuary, my hope is that these paintings are quietly powerful.
Their stillness, light, and space offer an expansive distance while inviting intimacy through intricate and detailed mark-making. They suggest fragility and vulnerability alongside strength and monumental force, uniting opposites to form a harmonious whole. These concerns have endured in my work for the past 40 years, reflecting how our inner lives connect with the natural world, an ongoing inquiry into the essence of things and what matters.
My trees, often set in ambiguous spaces, become metaphors for co-existing fragilities and strengths, the union of opposites, and a search for beauty, calm, and peace. They offer meditation, a slowing down, a way to go deeper, to see beyond, find meaning, and connection. For me, art is both an expressive, creative visual language and a path to a spiritual life, connecting with the natural world.
As a series of predominantly sculptural tree portraits on ambiguous backgrounds, their simplicity masks their complexity. They sit quietly, yet are strong, both powerful and fragile, enduring weather and age. They stand confidently, resilient, marking the landscape with their presence. They punctuate the stillness and space, with light falling and waning, they are markers between distance and closeness. There is simplicity, yet it is refined, elegant, serene, and reduced to what is essential.
An artist’s inquiry is a lifelong venture, seeking to understand and express the essence of being human. The more I reflect and become absorbed in the process and challenge of painting, I understand how and why I create these works. My intention is to connect our inner lives with the natural world, developing a visual language that mirrors these qualities. This is achieved through intuition and a felt experience as much as intellect.
The balance and harmony of opposites underpin my work, combining delicate and strong, intimate and distant, resilience and what remains, to a unifying whole. It’s relayed through how you paint more than what you paint. Months of patient layering result in a final painting that is evocative, calm, and inviting close inspection while offering vast space. They visually express what remains, balancing the delicate with the monumental.
Being an artist, painting and working in the studio is my sanctuary and provides a place to explore a deeper understanding of our world through a felt and intuitive art practice.
SACRED SPACE 2025 oil on linen 153 x 153 cm
ENDURING MARKER
oil on linen 46 x 46 cm (each)
QUIET MARKER
REFUGE
2025 oil on linen
122 x 168 cm
SHELTER I
2025 oil on linen
77 x 102 cm
SHELTER II
2025 oil on linen
77 x 102 cm
REPOSE
2025 oil on linen
137 x 183 cm
SILENTIUM I
2025 oil on linen
66 x 84 cm
SILENTIUM II
2025 oil on linen
66 x 84 cm
SOLID GROUND
2024 oil on linen
153 x 153 cm
2024 charcoal on paper
52 x 148 cm
charcoal on paper
72 x 51.5 cm
ENTWINED I 2025
ENTWINED II
2025
36
oil on linen
x 36 cm
oil on linen
36 x 36 cm
EDUCATION
1989: Honours Degree of Fine Art, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
1984-1986 Bachelor of Fine Art: Painting, Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Sanctuary, Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne
2023 STILL POINT, Nanda Hobbs Gallery, Sydney Sept 28 - Oct 14
2022-2023: HERE AND NOW, Hamilton Gallery VIC
2022 Small Works, Presented by Arts Eleven at Mario’s Melbourne
2022 A Sense of Place, RACV Club Melbourne
2022 Rapture, Charcoals, The F Project Gallery, Warrnambool
2020 Views from the West: Kathryn Ryan & Harley Manifold, The F Project Gallery
Warrnambool
2020 Landscapes of Time & Memory , Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2019 The Way Home, Nanda Hobbs, Sydney
2018 South West Coast, Flinders Lane Gallery , Melbourne
2017 Shifting Light, Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2016 New Works , Olsen Irwin Works on Paper , Sydney
2016 New Works, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2015 New Works, Olsen Irwin Works on Paper Gallery, Sydney
2015 A Quiet Place, Paintings & Drawings 1995-2015 Warrnambool Art Gallery
2013 Shadow & Light, Flinders Lane Gallery Melbourne
2012 New Paintings, Tim Olsen Gallery , Sydney
2011 Winter Landscapes, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2010 New Paintings, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2009 New Paintings, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2008 Recent Paintings, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2007 The Pines, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2005 The South West, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2003 Panmure Paddocks, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2001 A Quiet Place, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
1999 Works on Paper, The Continental, Melbourne
1996 Paintings, Dianne Tanzer Gallery, Melbourne
COLLECTIONS
Parliament House Collection, Canberra.
RACV Collection
Warrnambool Art Gallery
Hamilton Art Gallery
Artbank
Deakin University, Melbourne
Macquarie Group Collection
BP Australia
Grafton Regional Art Gallery, NSW
M Collection, Melbourne
Australian Catholic Universities Collection.
AWARDS
The Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales Finalist: 2007, 2004, 2000
Salon des Refuses, Wynne, S H Ervin Gallery Finalist: 2024,2022,2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2001, 1996, 1995
Salon des Refuses
The David Roche Foundation, Adelaide 2024, 2021
Muswellbrook Art Prize, Muswellbrook Arts Centre NSW Finalist: 2022
Ravenswood Australian Women's Art Prize, Sydney Finalist: 2021
Lyn McCrea Memorial Drawing Prize, Noosa Regional Gallery Finalist: 2019, 2018
Paul Guest Prize: Bendigo Art Gallery Finalist: 2022, 2016
Geelong Contemporary Art Prize Finalist: 2012
The John Leslie Art Prize for Landscape Finalist: 2024, 2018, 2012
Fleurieu Art Prize Finalist: 2011
Tattersall’s Club Art Prize for Landscape Finalist: 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011
The Kings School Art Prize Sydney Finalist: 2019, 2017 (Boys Choice Award 2019)
The Alice Prize Finalist: 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997
The Hutchins Art Prize Finalist: 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997
Conrad Jupiter Art Prize Finalist: 1997, 1996
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award Finalist: 1998, Tour NSW & QLD 1999, ACQUIRED, 1996
Swan Hill National Print & Drawing Award Finalist: 2000, 1992
Nillumbuk Art Award Finalist: 1995
Artworkz/BP Art Award Finalist: 1992, 1991, 1990 ACQUIRED
Castlemaine State Festival Drawing Prize, Castlemaine Art Gallery Finalist: 1988
Diamond Valley Art Award Finalist: 1990, 1989, 1988
Sunshine Coast National Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery Finalist: 2024
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 Winter Salon, Scott Livesey Galleries, Melbourne
2024 Land, Sea & Sky: Port Fairy Old Commonwealth Bank
2024 Group Show Lucy McEachern Gallery Wingeel Vic
2023 Group Show Lucy McEachern Gallery Wingeel Vic
2022 Members Exhibition Small Works F Project Gallery Warrnambool
2022 Western District Views, Lauriston Press, Penshurst
2022 Wingeel Group Show Lucy Mc Eachern Gallery
2021- 2022 Canopy, Warrnambool Art Gallery Dec 11th - May 29th
2021 9”x5” Group Show, Nanda Hobbs Gallery, Sydney
2021 The Warrnibald Portrait Prize, Warrnambool Art Gallery
2019 30”x30” , Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2019 Deakin Landscapes, Deakin Downtown Gallery, Melbourne Curated by James Lynch
2019 Mail Art Project, 20 Artists, 12 Countries, Toten, Norway, Curated by Caroline Ho
Bich-Tuyen Dang
2019 A Journey into Dark Essentiality, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne Curated by Dr Marcus McMahon & Matthew Lucas
2019 Women Artists, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2018 Summer Show, Nanda Hobbs Gallery, Sydney
2018 M Collection 10 yrs Australian Art Collection , Menzies Art Brands, Melbourne
2018 2 x 2 Olsen Gallery Sydney
2016 Regroup : The Artery, Warrnambool & The Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library, Geelong
2015 Mail Art Project, Oppland Kunstsenter, Lillehammer, Norway
2015 Biblio Art Award, Blarney books & Art, Port Fairy
2014 25th Anniversary Show, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2014 No White Walls, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2014 ART SOUK, Etihad Modern Gallery, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2014 Australia Unlimited MENA, by Australian Embassy, Conrad Hotel Dubai ,UAE
2014 Ras Al Khaimh Fine Arts Festival, RAK National Museum &Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resort, UAE
2014 The Portrait Show, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2013 No White Walls, The Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2013 Australian Art Month, Art Hub, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2012 Artist’s Books: The Fairmont, Abu Dhabi, UAE
2011 New Romantics: Darkness & Light in Australian Art, Gippsland Regional Art Gallery
2009 The Australian Landscape, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2008 Summer Show, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2008 Here & Now, Flinders Lane Gallery Melbourne, inc Catalogue
2008 2x2 Show, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2008 Contemporaneous: Australian Contemporary Painting 1, Wangaratta Exhibitions Gallery VIC
2008 The View from Here III, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Summer Show, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2007 The View from Here II, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2006 Melbourne Contemporary Art Fair, Flinders Lane Gallery
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (CONTINUED)
2006 The View from Here, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2005 Works for Windows, St Kilda Festival, VIC
2005 Survey, Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery, VIC
2005 Treasures, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2004
Melbourne Contemporary Art Fair, Flinders Lane Gallery
2003 Treasures, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2003 Bowling Club Studios, Metropolis Gallery, St Kilda VIC
2003 Inaugural Exhibition, Wishart Gallery, Port Fairy, VIC
2002 St Kilda Salon, Metropolis Gallery, St Kilda VIC
2002
Melbourne Contemporary Art Fair, Flinders Lane Gallery
2002 Treasures, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2001 Opening Show, Landau Gallery, Melbourne
2000 Exploration, Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne
2000 Swan Hill National Print & Drawing Acquisitive Award, Swan Hill Regional Gallery
2000 Serene, Metropolis Gallery, Melbourne
2000 Best of Metropolis Gallery, Metropolis Gallery, Melbourne
2000 The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
2000 Artists of the Bowling Club Studios, Alliance Francais Gallery, Melbourne
2000 Group Show, The Continental, Melbourne
1999 Landscape, Metropolis Gallery, Melbourne
1999 Salon Show, Metropolis Gallery, Melbourne
1999 Small Works, Metropolis Gallery, Melbourne
1999 Works for Windows, St Kilda Festival, Melbourne
1999
The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1998 The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1997 Works for Windows, St Kilda Festival, Melbourne
1996 Abstraction/Reaction, Dianne Tanzer Gallery, Melbourne
1995 Nillumbuk Art Award, Eltham Arts Centre, Melbourne
1995
The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1995 The Festival of St Kilda, Garry Mc Ewan Gallery, Melbourne
1994 Six Melbourne Artists, Volartile Contemporary Gallery, Geelong
1993 Posthead, Ether Ohnetitel Gallery, Melbourne
1993
The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1993 Contemporary Art Auction, Ether Ohnentitel Gallery, Melbourne
1992 The Post Card Show, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1990 St Kilda Festival Acquisition Exhibition, Linden Gallery, Melbourne
1989
National Student Art Prize, Mitchell College, Bathurst NSW
1989 Fine Art Honors Show, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne
1988 Castlemaine State Festival Drawing Prize, Castlemaine Art Gallery, VIC
1986
National Student Art Prize, Mitchell College, Bathurst, NSW
1986 The Art of Women, Warrnambool Performing Arts Centre, VIC
