Art Wank

Fiona Verity, Julie Nicholson and Gary Seller
  • 0.0 (0)
  • VISUAL ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Come along for the ride with curious artists Fiona Verity, Julie Nicholson and host Gary Seller, as they talk about their creative journey. Hear them interviewing artists, curators, gallery owners, teachers and creatives to guide them, and the listeners, within the arts community. Enjoy the banter whilst they navigate through all the Art W**k.

  1. 4 HR AGO

    Episode 248 - Edward Inchbold - Painting, Endurance Made Visible

    Send us Fan Mail In late 2025, we met with artist Edward Inchbold in his studio in Sydenham. A self-taught painter, he is deeply interested in the surface and texture of paint, as well as art history and the philosophies surrounding art-making.  Edward began his practice in 2020 at the age of 25. Since 2021, he has presented five solo exhibitions, including a recent trilogy at Stella Downer Fine Art spanning eighteen months: Brand New People (2024), Wisteria Lemonade (2025), and Shedding Velvet (2026). This body of work signalled a series of pivotal shifts in both his approach and philosophy, positioning his practice within a broader contemporary context. Inchbold’s paintings are defined by constant reinvention and a resistance to fixed stylistic identities. His compositions are built through processes of compression, erasure, and revision, resulting in dense, atmospheric surfaces. He employs a dynamic and controlled handling of materials, working with brushes, knives, and large scrapers to articulate his images. Alongside his solo practice, Inchbold has participated in numerous group exhibitions since 2021, with presentations at Velvet Lobster (Sydney, 2026), Brenda Colahan Fine Art (Sydney, 2025–26), Straitjacket Art Space (Newcastle, 2025–26), and AK Bellinger (Inverell, 2023–25). His work has been recognised in several art prizes, including the Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Awards (2021), the Lethbridge Landscape Prize (Salon), The Lethbridge 2000 (Salon), and the Galerist Emerging Art Prize (2021), where he was highly commended. His paintings are held in private collections both in Australia and internationally. Inchbold approaches painting with a commitment to sincerity, material risk, and sustained inquiry, avoiding irony or sentimentality. His works are driven by tension rather than resolution, seeking to unsettle while holding the viewer’s attention over time. Edward is represented by Stella Downer Fine Art in Sydney, and his exhibition Shedding Velvet runs from March 31st - 25th April. -  'Shedding velvet marks a transitional phase in a deer's antler development, one of renewal. While growing, the antlers are wrapped in a soft, living layer called velvet, rich with blood and nutrients. As growth concludes, internal changes slowly withdraw this support, causing the velvet to dry and decay. In response, the deer presses and scrapes its antlers against trees and rough surfaces, gradually peeling away the withered covering. What remains is bare bone. Hardened, exposed, and newly formed, they eventually, through some labour, reveal a structure shaped through both gentle nourishment and the necessity of abrasion. This deliberate and forceful act prepares the animal for the coming season of competition and display.'

    1hr 5min

  2. 17 MAR

    Episode 247 - Alex Wisser, co-founder of Cementa Festival: How a small cement town became one of Australia’s most unexpected contemporary art destinations.

    Send a text In this episode, we speak with Alex Wisser, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Cementa Festival, a unique contemporary arts festival held in the rural town of Kandos, New South Wales. Known for transforming a former cement-making town into a hub of experimental art, performance, and community collaboration, Cementa has become one of Australia’s most distinctive regional arts events. Alex shares the story behind Cementa’s founding and how the festival grew from a grassroots idea into a nationally recognised platform for contemporary artists working outside traditional gallery spaces. We discuss the role of regional arts festivals in shaping cultural identity, building creative communities, and bringing ambitious artistic projects to unexpected places. The conversation also explores the relationship between artists and place—how the industrial history, architecture, and landscape of Kandos influence the work presented during the festival. Alex talks about the curatorial philosophy behind Cementa, the challenges and rewards of producing large-scale arts programming in regional Australia, and why collaboration with the local community remains central to the festival’s success. We also dive into Alex’s own artistic practice and how these perspectives inform the direction of Cementa today. Whether you’re an artist, curator, festival producer, or someone interested in the power of art to transform regional communities, this episode offers insight into how creativity can reshape place, spark dialogue, and connect people. Cementa will be held 17-20 September 2026

    1hr 10min

  3. 10 MAR

    Episode 246 - Art, Country, and Community: The Journey of Meagan Jacobs.

    Send us Fan Mail We spoke with artist @meagan.jacobs.art about her life and work in Ampilatwatja, a remote Indigenous art centre. The conversation looks at daily creative practice on Country and the realities of living in a desert community. Meagan Jacobs is an Australian landscape painter whose practice has been shaped by years living and working in remote Indigenous communities. Born in Sydney and now based in Ampilatwatja (Alyawarre Country), her work reflects an ongoing relationship with Country and the desert environment. Her paintings use restrained colour palettes, interlocking forms and open space. Meagan Jacobs is represented by @defiancegallery, where she has held several exhibitions, including North of Capricorn (2025). She is currently included in the group exhibition Gathering at @defiancegallery until 28 March. Jacobs has also worked within remote Indigenous art communities, including as Art Centre Manager for Artists of Ampilatwatja. This work has influenced her approach, grounding her practice in lived experience and time spent in desert landscapes.  Episode recorded end of 2025

    1hr 9min

  4. 3 MAR

    Episode 245 - From managing legends to championing artists: James Erskine, founder of Liverpool St Gallery.

    Send us Fan Mail James Erskine is the Founder and Director of Liverpool St Gallery in Sydney, bringing to the role a distinguished career that spans sports management and global entertainment. Before establishing the gallery, Erskine founded SEL Sports & Entertainment, building one of the most respected management companies in the international sporting and media landscape. Through SEL, he managed and advised an extraordinary roster of talent, including legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne, celebrated British broadcaster Michael Parkinson, and world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, among many others. As Director of Liverpool St Gallery, Erskine channels this unique background into a dynamic exhibition program that reflects excellence, character and cultural relevance. His leadership is shaped by first-hand experience at the highest levels of international sport and media — a perspective that distinguishes the gallery within Sydney’s contemporary art landscape. Through Liverpool St Gallery, James Erskine continues to merge worlds, art, sport and storytelling, creating a space defined by authenticity, legacy and vision. Recorded in Sydney end of 2025

    1hr 11min

  5. 24 FEB

    Episode 244 - Tim Johnson: Where Indigenous Knowledge Meets Contemporary Art

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore the life and work of Tim Johnson, one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary artists. Known for blending Western art history, Indigenous knowledge systems, and spiritual iconography, Johnson’s practice spans decades of experimentation, collaboration, and cultural exchange. We discuss Johnson’s role in co-founding Inhibodress in the early 1970s, widely recognised as Australia’s first artist-run initiative. Established in Sydney, Inhibodress became a catalyst for experimental contemporary art, giving artists control over how and where their work was shown. It marked a turning point in Australia’s independent art scene and set the stage for Johnson’s boundary-pushing career. Johnson’s spiritual curiosity led him to engage deeply with Tibetan Buddhism, including meeting Dalai Lama. This encounter reinforced themes already present in his work, compassion, interconnectedness, cosmology, and sacred symbolism—which continue to appear in his layered, richly referential paintings. Johnson’s international reach saw him exhibit alongside renowned German painter Gerhard Richter, positioning his work within a global contemporary art dialogue. These exhibitions highlighted the intellectual and aesthetic strength of Johnson’s cross-cultural visual language. A pivotal moment in Johnson’s life was his close friendship and collaboration with Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, a leading figure of the Western Desert art movement. Johnson was given a skin name, a profound cultural gesture reflecting kinship and responsibility, signifying trust, respect, and long-term collaboration between the two artists. This relationship deeply informed Johnson’s engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems and Country. Thanks Tim. We hope you enjoy this episode.

    59 min

  6. 17 FEB

    Episode 243 - Todd Fuller drawing legend, animator and draughtsman extraordinaire..

    Send us Fan Mail With a practice that integrates sculpture, moving image, performance and painting, Sydney based artist Todd Fuller is, at his core, a draughtsman. Underpinning all aspects of his practice is a love of drawing and a belief in its power as a democratic medium to connect, engage and delight audiences.  For ten years, Fuller has been crafting hand-drawn animations that grapple with love and loss, as well as ideas of place, identity and community. Often narrative in form, these award winning works are derived from Fuller’s experiences with different communities, sites and histories. He has been awarded a number of residencies that have informed and developed his practice, including time spent at Bundanon Trust, Hill End, Grafton Regional Art Gallery, as well as international stints at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, the British School of Rome, and recently the NG Creative Residency in Provence. A graduate of Sydney’s National Art School, Fuller has exhibited widely across Australia over the last ten years. He was a finalist in the 2019 Sir John Sulman Prize, won the prestigious Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award in 2018, and his work is present in various public and private Australian collections, including the Parliament House Art Collection, Artbank, Sydney Harbour Trust, and numerous regional art galleries. Alongside his national success, Fuller has gained international attention, with his works in exhibitions in the United States, Italy, France, South Korea, Bangladesh, England, Singapore and Malta. Fuller’s practice extends into curatorship and arts production, having held roles with Waverley Council, Biennale of Sydney, Sculpture in the Vineyards and d/Lux Media Arts. The areas under investigation within his curatorial practice overlap with his artistic output. Just Draw, the 2016 exhibition Fuller curated with Lisa Woolfe, which toured regional galleries, showcased artworks that exemplified the varied nature of contemporary drawing practices, a subject close to Fuller’s heart. He is one half of interdisciplinary performance collective Flatline, and one third of the Hardenvale - our home in Absurdia touring initiative. Find out more from his website  https://www.toddfuller.com.au

    1hr 9min

  7. 10 FEB

    Episode 242 - Sanné Mestrom - Sculpture, play, and the politics of space.

    Send us Fan Mail Sanne Mestrom’s sculptural practice explores the politics of the body and the shifting nature of value in the art world. Drawing on the female form, her work questions how art history and culture assign meaning and worth—values that are never fixed, but constantly evolving. By taking these ideas out of the gallery and into public space, Mestrom uses play and participation to challenge how we experience art and urban environments. Her large-scale, playable sculptures invite hands-on engagement, blurring the line between art and everyday life while activating public spaces intellectually, physically, and imaginatively across generations. Thanks Sanne, it was a pleasure to talk to you.  Sanné Mestrom Represented by Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney Lectures at Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney Australian Research Council Fellow ART/PLAY/RISK

    1hr 3min

  8. 3 FEB

    Episode 241 - Sky's the limit with Sulman prize Winner, Gene A'hern

    Send us Fan Mail Join Australian abstract artist Gene A’Hern, winner of the 2025 Sir John Sulman Prize, for a laid-back conversation about colour, atmosphere and the feeling of landscape. Gene talks openly about his process, working on instinct, and what it’s like to be recognised on one of Australia’s biggest art stages. It’s an easy, thoughtful chat about memory, place and how those ideas turn into bold, expressive abstract paintings.  We recorded the epiosde at the end of 2025 in his studio in Emu Plains.  Thanks Gene, we loved talking to you and seeing your work in the studio!  Gene is represented by Cassandra Bird in Sydney and Simchowitz Gallery, LA, USA

    1 hr
See All (242)

About

Come along for the ride with curious artists Fiona Verity, Julie Nicholson and host Gary Seller, as they talk about their creative journey. Hear them interviewing artists, curators, gallery owners, teachers and creatives to guide them, and the listeners, within the arts community. Enjoy the banter whilst they navigate through all the Art W**k.

Information

  • Creator
    Fiona Verity, Julie Nicholson and Gary Seller
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    242
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Art Wank
  • Show Website
    Art Wank

You Might Also Like