NICOLE KELLY
"Nicole Kelly pushes against the generic prescriptions of landscape, resisting stable orientation, neat order, and even the relief of the breathing space provided by an open sky. Once we sense that things are not as straightforward as we might want them to be, the soft melting of the paint suddenly becomes disorientating, the flashes of colour more like violent punctures upon the canvas and the land alike."
Artist Profile Magazine, 2021
BIOGRAPHY
Nicole Kelly has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales (2020) and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from the National Art School (2009). She has held solo exhibitions since 2012 in Sydney, Melbourne and Hazelhurst Regional Gallery (2013, 2017 & 2022).
Kelly has been included in group exhibitions in Australia, France and Singapore since 2008. She is the recipient of the Viktoria Marinov Scholarship for female artists (2021), Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship at the Art Gallery of NSW (2009), Gruner Art Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW (2008), Robert Le Gay Breton Drawing Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW (2007), High Commendation, Percival Drawing Prize (2020), the Hurford Harwood Portrait Prize (2018), Royal Art Society of NSW Young Artist Award (2018), Hazelhurst Art on Paper young artist award (2016), 2D award for excellence, Manning Prize (2015) and Hazelhurst Regional Gallery Art on Paper Local Artist Award (2011).
Kelly has been a finalist in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW (2015), The Grace Cossington Smith Art Prize (2022), Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney (2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2105 & 2014), the NSW Parliament Plein Air Prize (2016), Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing (2016) and the Mosman Art Prize (2015). She has undertaken international residencies including the NG Creative Residency, Eygalières, France (2020 & 2017), AADK, Murcia, Spain (2016) and Cite Internationale Des Arts Artist in Residence Program, Paris, France (2010). Kelly's work is held in public, university and private collections in Australia and internationally.
ARTIST CV
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PAST EXHIBITIONS
NEWS
NICOLE KELLY FINALIST IN 2026 WYNNE PRIZE AT THE ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
Nicole Kelly is a finalist in the 2026 Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales with her painting ‘Bird Hour’. “I have visited the arid zone of remote Fowlers Gap Research Station in NSW, 110 kilometres north of Broken Hill, continuously for the past six years. Bird hour is an accumulated response…
NICOLE KELLY EXHIBITED IN 2025 SALON DES REFUSES AT S.H. ERVIN GALLERY
Nicole Kelly’s painting ‘Waterhole gums’ is exhibited in the 2025 Salon des Refusés at S.H. Ervin Gallery The Salon des Refusés was initiated by the S.H. Ervin Gallery in 1992 in response to the large number of works entered into the Archibald Prize which were not selected for display in the official exhibition. Each year…
NICOLE KELLY RECIPIENT OF 2024 EVELYN CHAPMAN ART AWARD
Nicole Kelly is the recipient of the 2024 Evelyn Chapman Art Award. The Evelyn Chapman Art Award, administered by the S. H. Ervin Gallery, is a $50,000 scholarship presented to an Australian painter, male or female under 45. The award, given every two years, is intended to support a young Australian painter by furthering their…
NICOLE KELLY FINALIST IN 2024 CALLEEN ART AWARD AT COWRA REGIONAL ART GALLERY
Nicole Kelly is a finalist in the 2024 Calleen Art Award at Cowra Regional Art Gallery The annual Calleen Art Award was established in 1977 as an acquisitive art prize by Mrs Patricia Fagan OAM to encourage originality, creativity and excellence in the visual arts, and is made possible by the generous support of the…
NICOLE KELLY FINALIST IN 2024 FISHER’S GHOST ART AWARD AT CAMPBELLTOWN ART CENTRE
Nicole Kelly is a finalist in the 2024 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award at Campbelltown Art Centre. The Fisher’s Ghost Art Award is an annual art award and exhibition inviting artists to submit works in a variety of artistic categories and mediums. Now in its 62nd year, there is over $60,000 in prize money to be…
NICOLE KELLY FINALIST IN 2024 GOULBURN ART AWARD
Nicole Kelly is a finalist in the 2024 Goulburn Art Award . The Goulburn Art Award began in 1992 and is held every two years. The Award represents the talent and diversity of artists working within the region. The Gallery encourages submissions from artists at all stages of their careers. The 2024 Goulburn Art Award…