ZOE YOUNG

B. 1978

L. High Lands. East Coast. Australia

  • Zoe Young, an Australian artist, weaves a compelling narrative through her paintings that seamlessly blend modernist sculptural techniques with portraiture and still life. Her journey is marked by significant accomplishments, including being a three-time finalist in the renowned Archibald Prize. With a background rooted in the rural landscapes of New South Wales, Young's artistic evolution flourished under the mentorship of sculptor Ron Robertson-Swann. This connection to the lineage of Henry Moore has greatly influenced her mastery of form and anatomy.

    Young's artistic philosophy revolves around distilling the beauty of the ordinary, transforming everyday moments into captivating narratives that resonate universally. Her still life compositions hold a unique emotional depth, evoking nostalgia and connecting individual stories with broader human emotions. Beyond her canvas, Young's impact extends to the international art stage, demonstrated by her debut solo exhibition, "Still. Life.," at Gruin Gallery in Los Angeles.

    With a portfolio rich in diverse subjects – including notable figures like Latrell Mitchell, Torah Bright, Bruce Beresford, and Andrew McGahan – Young's artistic legacy is marked by awards such as the Portia Geach Women's Art Prize, Calleen Art Prize, and NSW Women's Leadership Rural Scholarship. Her artistic journey exemplifies a fusion of skill, emotion, and storytelling that leaves an indelible mark on the canvas of contemporary art.

  • 2021 Still / Life  Domicile Gallery, Los Angeles

    2022 Taymour Grahne Projects. London

    2022. ‘The Season’s of Childhood’ Woollahra Art Gallery. Sydney

    2021 ‘The Survey Show’ Clayton Utz, 1 Bligh Street, Sydney.

    2019 ‘The Kitchen Table’ Olsen Gallery Woollahra

    2018 ‘The Sea is the Key', Edwina Corlette Gallery Brisbane

    2018 ‘Breakfast with Lucian” Sydney Contemporary Art Fair

    2018 ‘Winter Soundtrack’ Olsen Gallery, Woollahra 2017

    2017 ‘The Orchard House’ Olsen Gallery, Woollahra

    2017 'Space between Hours', Piermarq Gallery, Paddington, NSW

    2015 ‘Home', The Art Society, Southern Highlands, NSW

    2010 ‘Scum Valley’ Warners Avenue Studio. Bondi Beach, NSW

    2008 ‘The Colourful Island’. Mom Tri’s Villa Royale. Phuket. Thailand

    2005 ‘Little Works’ Patti Somerset . Bank Street Studios. Sydney

  • GROUP

    2023 ‘The Lounge” Curated by Zoe Young for Thredbo Alpine Ski Resort.

    2022 Taymour Grahne Projects. Landscape Show. London

    2022. Sydney Contemporary Art Prize curated by Artist Profile Magazine.

    2021 Sovereign Art Prize. Hong Kong

    2020 “Know My Name” Ambush Gallery. ANU. Canberra.

    2020 ‘Close to Home’ curated by Zoe Young. Alcorn St. Studios. Bowral

    2018 Sydney Contemporary Art Fair.

    2018 ‘2 x 2’ Olsen Gallery, Woollahra

    2017 'Artist Profile 10 Years of Australian Painting', Orange Regional Gallery, NSW

    2015 ‘Space between Hours', Piermarq Gallery, Paddington, NSW

    2014 Geelong Grammar Alumni Exhibition

    2013 'Ladies The Paint The Art Society', Southern Highlands, NSW

    2013 Gold Graduates of the National Art School Exhibition, Studio W. Woolloomooloo, NSW

    2013 Burrawang Designer and Artists Festival (Invited Artist), Burrawang School of Arts, Burrawang. NSW

    2013 Celebrity Portrait Award Bowral Art Gallery Bowral NSW

    2012 National Art School Graduate Show Sydney NSW

    2002 ‘Remembering Hiroshima’ KesselsKramer Amsterdam

  • 2023 Archibald Prize. “Latrell + Winmarra”

    2022 Portia Geach Women’s Art Prize ‘Portrait of Frank Prihoda’ Finalist

    2022 Salon de Refuses “The Sister’s after Hugh Ramsay.

    2022 National Portrait Gallery “Darling Portrait Prize” Frank Prihoda (Semi- Finalist)

    2021 NSW Government Rural Women’s Leadership Scholarship

    2021 Sovereign Art Prize (shortlist) Hong Kong

    2020 Calleen Art Prize (winner - judged by Stephen Alderton Director National Art School)

    2020 Salon De Refusés. Wynne & Archibald Prize. S.H. Ervin Gallery

    2020 Kings School Art Prize (finalist - judged by Maud Page)

    2020 Mosman Art Prize (finalist - judged by Alexie Glass-Kantor)

    2020 Calleen Art Prize (Judged by Steven Alderton)

    2020 Portia Geach Geach Art Prize (Judged by Jane Watters, Anita Belgiorno-Nettis, Natalie Wilson)

    2019 Sulman Prize (FInalist ) Art Gallery NSW (Judge Fiona Lowry)

    2019 Celebrity Portrait Reveal , Sitter Ben Quilty (Peoples Choice Award, Bendooley Estate Gala Dinner)

    2018 Mosman Art Prize Margaret Olley Award (Winner - Judged by Cressida Campbell)

    2018 Portia Geach Women’s Art Prize (Winner Judged by Jane Watters + Natalie Wilson)

    2018 Calleen Art Prize. Finalist

    2017 Finalist, Portia Geach Memorial Art Prize, S.H. Erwin Gallery, NSW

    Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney

    Finalist, Archibald Prize Salon de Refuse, Art Gallery of New South Wales

    Finalist, Veolia Mulwaree Creative Arts Scholarship

    Finalist, Calleen Art Prize, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, NSW

    2016 Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales

    Winner, Burrawang DnA Emerging Talent Award, Burrawang, NSW

    2015 Finalist, Emerging Art Prize, Cooks Gallery, Newcastle

    Finalist, Wingecarribee Art Prize, Southern Highlands, Bowral Art Gallery, NSW

    2014 Highly Commended, Meroogal Women’s Art Prize, Sydney Living Museums

    Finalist, Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney

    Highly Commended, Yen Magazine Female Artist of the Year

    Finalist, John Copes Prize for Portraiture, Bowral Art Gallery, NSW

    2013 Highly Commended, John Briscoe Memorial Art Prize, Raglan Gallery, Cooma, NSW

    Winner, Snowy Mountains Art Prize, Jindabyne Memorial Hall, Cooma, NSW

  • 2022 Clayton Utz Talk with fellow exhibiting artist Noel McKenna.

    2022 Archibald Tour for Winifred West Schools with Laura Jones + Kate Alstergren

    2022 Rural Women’s leadership Scholarship. Future Women Conference. Sydney

    2021 “International Women’s Day Talk” Wingecarribee Shire Council. Mittagong. 

    2019 Mosman Art Prize Artist Talk

    2019 S.H Ervin Gallery. Artist talk 

    2019 ‘The Kitchen Table’ Artist Talk, Olsen Annexe. Woollahra

    2018 Judge of John Briscoe Memorial Art Prize . Raglan Gallery .Cooma

    2018 Artist Talk . Cowra Regional Art Gallery. Calleen Art Prize.

    2017 Tudor House School. Artist Talk

    2016 Artist in Residence, Momtri’s Villa Royale, Phuket, Thailand

    2016 AGNSW Archibald Talk with Natasha Walsh 

    2015 Artist in Residence, Winifred West Schools, Sturt/Frensham, NSW 

    2014 Sofitel Wentworth Archibald Prize Luncheon Talk with Fiona Lowry, Penelope Seidler and Nell Schofield.

    2013 Artist in Residence, Wonderfest, Tudor House , Moss Vale NSW

    2012 Artist in Residence, Arthaus, Thredbo Village, NSW 

    Item description

  • 2022 Female Artist at Sydney Contemporary https://primer.com.au/sydney-contemporary-female-artists-2022/

    2022 T MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA New York Style Magazine. Sydney Contemporary https://taustralia.com.au/sydney-contemporary/

    2022 Rejects as much a part of prize as Winner. Sydney Morning Herald.

    https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/archibald-prize-2022-the-rejects-as-much-a-part-of-the-show-as-the-winner-20220511-p5akfd.html

    2021 John McDonald, Salon De Refuses

    https://www.johnmcdonald.net.au/2022/salon-des-refuses-2022/

    2022. Zoe Young on Womanhood and Nostalgia

    https://www.southernhighlandnews.com.au/story/7771902/accomplished-painter-dives-into-nostalgia-and-sisterhood-with-recent-endeavours/

    2021 Zoe Young’s Hollywood Dinner Party Daydreams

    https://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/s-hollywood-dinner-party-daydreams/5201

    Standard soars at the Portia Geach

    https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/standard-soars-at-the-portia-geach-the-pandemic-has-its-benefits-20211101-p594uf.html

    2021 “Independant Artists” Gina Fairley. Arts Hub.

    2020 “Good Traits” Portrait and Interview with Lucy Culliton. Galah Magazine.

    2020 ‘Beauty in the Chaos’ Cover Story + 8 Page Feature. DPI magazine. TAIWAN.

    2020 ‘Home School” LOOK magazine Commission by Art Gallery New South Wales Members Society

    2019 ‘Bruce Beresford at Home in Birchgrove’ Spectator Australia. Donald McDonald

    2019 ‘Two Good CookBook’ Published by TwoGood. Australia

    2019 The Australian News Paper - Portrait of Andrew Mcgahan by Zoe Young

    2018 ‘In the moment with Zoe Young’, Belle Magazine, Emily Usher, February 14

    ‘Lunch with Jill Dupleix’ Commissioned Portrait of Sydney Deputy Mayor Jess Miller for ‘Tabloid’ Cover First Isuue.

    2017. ’Zoe's Special Place', The Australian, Alex Speed, December 16

    'Bright Young Things: Zoe Young', In/Out, Camilla Wagstaff, December 7

    'Zoe Young', Artist Profile, Bridget Mcleod, June 2

    'Zoe Young', The Design Files, Lucy Feagins, April 18

    'Country Style', The Style Diaries, August 7

    2016 'Portrait on Olympian purchased by Canberra Airport', City News, H. Musa, July

    'Striking artwork brightens up Canberra Airport', Travellers News, M. Evans, July

    'Zoe Young Portrait Of Snowboarder Torah Bright', The Canberra Times, C. Marshall, July

    'Zoe’s Archibald success', Southern Highland News, V. Lees, July