Born 1982, Sydney

Laura Jones is a painter whose work maps emotional discovery and growth, drawing inspiration from her direct experience of life. This autobiographical approach to painting is derived from her sensitivity to atmosphere and her exploration of truth and beauty .

 As a result , Laura’s work deals with issues of youth and femininity within Australian culture. Her paintings are bold, personal and emotive, providing an insight into one aspect of contemporary life. Thickly painted and expressive, the paintings reveal the artist’s empathy for significance in the everyday.

 Laura has held four solo exhibitions since graduating in 2006 with a Master of Art in Printmaking from the College of Fine Arts, UNSW. In 2009 ‘No Man’s Land‘ at 19KAREN was described by Yen Magazine as an exhibition not to be missed, to “glimpse a talented artist of the future.”

 Laura’s paintings have attracted critical attention. Most recently, she was short listed for Art Sydney’s competitive ‘Off the Wall’ competition in 2009. Laura was also a finalist in the 2008 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship and in 2007 won the Young Emerging Artists’ Award at the Mosman Art Prize.

 Originally from the Hawkesbury, west of Sydney, Laura now works in a converted warehouse in Sydney. She is represented in Queensland by 19KAREN Contemporary Artspace.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009-‘Arms Length’, Sassafras Creek Gallery, Kurrajong

2009-‘No Man’s Land’, 19KAREN Contemporary Artspace, Gold Coast

2008-‘Waiting for Some Girl’, Sassafras Creek Gallery, Kurrajong

2006-‘Laura Jones- works on paper’, Sassafras Creek Gallery, Kurrajong

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009-‘Mirrors’, Mori Gallery, Sydney

2009-‘The Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize’, Lane Cove Council

2009-‘Two of a Kind’, 19KAREN Contemporary Artspace, Gold Coast

2009-FEHVA Art Exhibition, the Buttery, Bangalow

2008-Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, Brett Whiteley Studio, Surry Hills

2008-‘Creative Madness’, Orson & Blake Gallery, Surry Hills

2008-‘The Mosman Art Prize’, MosmanArt Gallery,Mosman

2008-‘Small Works Show’, Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne

2008-ASX Reuters Charity Foundation Auction Exhibition, Sydney

2007-‘Smash Hits’, Parramatta Artists Studios, Parramatta

2007-‘Blacktown CityArt Prize’, Blacktown Arts Centre, Blacktown

2007-‘The Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize’, Lane Cove Council

2007-‘The Mosman Art Prize’, MosmanArt Gallery,Mosman

2007-ASX Reuters Charity Foundation Auction Exhibition, Sydney

2006-‘COFA Annual’, Cofaspace, Paddington

2006-‘The Last Supper’, Kudos Gallery, Paddington

2005- ‘Thai- Australia Contemporary Prints’, Chiang Mai University, Thailand

2005-COFA Spring Fair Printmakers exhibition, College of Fine Arts,Paddington

2005-‘Money Makes the World Go ‘Round’, Kudos Gallery, Paddington

EDUCATION

2006-Master of Art- Printmaking, College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales

2003-Bachelor of Arts Asian Studies- Japanese, University of Sydney

2000-YFU Student Exchange Program, KashiwaHigh School, Japan

AWARDS

2009-Art Sydney ‘Offthe Wall’- Shortlist

2009-Coastal Arts Incentive Award, FEHVA, the Buttery, Bangalow- Winner

2008-Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship- Finalist

2008-Mosman Art Prize – Finalist

2007-Blacktown City Art Prize- Finalist

2007-“The House of Phillips Fine Art Young Emerging Artists’ Award”, the Mosman ArtPrize, Mosman Art Gallery-Winner

RESIDENCIES

2007- Jolly Frog Residency, Windsor, Sydney

INTERNSHIPS

2004–Gallery Assistant, Artspace, Woolloomooloo

ARTICLES

Allen,Sara, ‘Painting through the Barriers’, YMIMagazine, March Issue, 2007

Gardner, Jess, ‘Laura Jones Gang’,Yen Magazine Blog, March 2009

Hart,Ruth, ‘Woman is a Winner’, HawkesburyIndependent, August 7, 2007

Hart,Ruth, ‘First Time Lucky’, Northern News,August 7, 2007

Knox, Gail, ‘Laura Comes Home to Blossom’, Hawkesbury Courier, and Hawkesbury Gazette, October 25-26, 2006

MacFarlane, Stuart, ‘Portrait of a Young Lady’, Hawkesbury Gazette, August 8, 2007

Perry, Amanda, “‘Some Girl’ Knocks Our Socks Off”, Hawkesbury Gazette, October 22, 2008

Tarasov, Anne, ‘Colour is Her Life’, Hawkesbury Independent, October 24, 2006

“Thai-Australia Contemporary Prints” Catalogue, Chiang MaiUniversity, 2005

Paige, Alexandre, ‘Scratchy Work of UniqueExpression’, Hawkesbury Gazette,November 15, 2006

Editorial staff, ‘Portrait Subject of Praise’, Mosman Daily, August 16, 2007