• Jade Whelan sitting with her 2 dogs
  • About

    I’m an emerging artist based in Canberra/Ngunnawal Country, Australia. I primarily produce paintings but work in other media, including print and sculpture.

    I am heavily influenced by abstract expressionism. My practice is defined by the language of colour and how it interplays with my emotions. I place my inner impulses directly onto the surface.

    Little preparation goes into my work. Often, colours or shapes appear to me erratically. I use these as a base for my paintings, relying on instinct for gestural mark-making, and my personal view of balance. My approach is spontaneous and unplanned. Usually made in one sitting, my art results from inner feelings from a moment.

    I’m currently represented by the Toowoomba Gallery and have exhibited in group shows around Australia, including at Tyger Gallery and Brunswick Street Gallery.

    Awards

    2024 The Next Big Thing 2024 highly commended winner, the Toowoomba Gallery, QLD

    2024 Blacktown City Art Prize finalist, Blacktown Arts Centre, NSW

    2023 Fisher’s Ghost Art Award finalist, Campbelltown Arts Centre, NSW

    2023 20000 Small Scale Art Award finalist, Lethbridge Gallery, online

    Exhibitions

    2024 ‘Life in Colour’, Tyger Gallery, NSW

    2024 'Sanctuary', Brunswick Street Gallery, VIC

    2022 ‘Summits to Shores’, Aspire Gallery, QLD

    2022 ‘Little Feature’, Aspire Gallery, QLD

    2021 ‘Salon 21’, Aarwun Gallery, ACT