Current:
Elisabeth Cummings is one of Australia’s most respected living artists with a career spanning over 60 years. Cummings studied at the National Art School in Sydney and was awarded the AGNSW Travelling Art Scholarship in 1958.
Her highly anticipated 2024 solo exhibition at King Street Gallery on William will showcase a suite of gouache paintings opening on the 6th February 2024. This solo exhibition follows her hugely success 2023 retrospective exhibition ‘Radiance, The Art of Elisabeth Cummings’ held at the National Art School, Sydney.
In 2022 she was part of ‘Know my Name’ at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Her 2022 exhibition ‘Through the Window’ at King Street Gallery sold out.
History:
Cummings lived in Europe for a decade, painting and, for a short time, studied under Oskar Kokoschka in Salzburg. On her return to Sydney, Australia, and through a generous donation of land from Barbara & Nick Romalis, Elisabeth Cummings — along with Roy Jackson and John Peart — established an artists’ community at Wedderburn in the early ’70s. Elisabeth continues to work from her studio there today.
Cummings’ bold use of colour and exaggerated mark-making is her signature approach to the Australian landscape. An intrepid traveller, Elisabeth continues her journeys around the Australian bush, painting smaller ‘en plein air’ works, as well as larger pieces back in the studio. She frequently returns to Wedderburn, where Elisabeth finds unending subject matter in the interior of her studio and in the surrounds she knows so well.
A major retrospective survey on Cummings’ work took place from 2017, and was accompanied by a published monograph titled Elisabeth Cummings.[SOLD OUT]
Elisabeth’s work can be found in the collections of all major public institutions throughout Australia including the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia and the National Gallery of Australia. Her work is also included in the collections of the Australian Club, Artbank, Macquarie Bank, College of Fine Arts UNSW, and numerous regional art galleries across Australia.
Richard Morecroft's interview for his podcast 'Exhibition'. Few Australian artists inspire affection and respect in such equal measure as painter Elisabeth Cummings. This exhibition of works, painted entirely en plein air, takes her from the parched creek beds of Central Australia to the mud-brick forms of Morocco. And as she tells Richard Morecroft, there are subtleties of colour and shape to be found in vastly different environments. https://kingstreetgallery.com.au/exhi...
Sean O’Brien from the ABC makes a documentary on Elisabeth Cummings painting en Plein Air in Fowlers Gap in Western NSW.
THE AWC MORNINGTON SANCTUARY KIMBERLEY EXHIBITION 2013
2024
Gouaches & Ceramics, [with Louise Boscacci], King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2023
Radiance: The Art of Elisabeth Cummings National Art School, Sydney
Elisabeth Cummings: From a Well Deep Within Campbelltown Arts Centre, Sydney
2022
Through the Window King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
2021
Sojourns: Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola & the Pilbara King Street Gallery on William
Monotypes King Street Gallery on William
2020
Eastern Arrernte country & Morocco King Street Gallery on William
The Elisabeth Cummings Gift New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale NSW
2018
Journeys King Street Gallery on William
2015
New Paintings, King Street Gallery on William
Flying Goose Hill Nockart Hong Kong
2014
A Still Life King Street Gallery on William
Elisabeth Cummings: Landscapes and Interiors Shoalhaven City Arts Centre, Nowra, NSW
2013
Elisabeth Cummings [a selection of works 1982-2013] King Street Gallery on William
2012
Luminous: Survey Exhibition Landscapes of Elisabeth Cummings [curated by Jane Watters] SH Ervin, Observatory Hill, Sydney
Monotypes: Interiors King Street Gallery on William
2011
Elisabeth Cummings, New Paintings King Street Gallery on William
2010
Paper Trail: 30 Years King Street Gallery on William
2008
New Paintings King Street Gallery on William
2007
monotypes king street gallery on burton, Sydney
2006
new paintings king street gallery on burton
2005
Chapman Gallery, Canberra ACT
2004
painting king street gallery on burton
2003
painting king street gallery at Span Galleries, Melbourne
paintings Pandanus Art, Currumbin Beach, Qld
2002
new paintings king street gallery on burton
elisabeth cummings & clara hali Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
2001
Paintings and Prints Chapman Gallery, ACT
Collaborative Pots (Barbara Romalis & Elisabeth Cummings) Chapman Gallery
2000
recent work king street gallery on burton
Works on Paper Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW
1997
Survey Show (1965-1995) Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Qld
Chapman Gallery, Canberra
1996
Survey Show (1965-1995) Campbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery, NSW
recent paintings king street gallery on burton
Sturt Gallery, Mittagong, NSW
1994
new work king street gallery on burton
1992
paintings king street gallery on burton
Schubert Art Gallery, Queensland
1991
Budds Beach Gallery, Gold Coast, Queensland
1990
Victor Mace Fine Art Gallery, Brisbane
1989
Painters Gallery, Sydney
1988
Victor Mace Fine Art Gallery
1987
Mori Gallery, Sydney
1985
Broadbeach Gallery, Gold Coast, Queensland
1984
Mori Gallery, Sydney
1982
Broadbeach Gallery, Gold Coast, Queensland
Victor Mace Fine Art Gallery, Brisbane
Mori Gallery, Sydney
1978
Design Arts Centre, Brisbane
1977
Raffin Gallery, Orange, New South Wales
1976
Design Arts Centre, Brisbane
1975
Roslyn Gallery, Wollongong, New South Wales
1974
Design Arts Centre, Brisbane
1970
Design Arts Centre, Brisbane
1969
Design Arts Centre, Brisbane
1966
Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane
1965
Darlinghurst Gallery, Sydney
1963
Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane
2024
Landscape Tells the Way: Illawarra, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, NSW
Shifting Ground, Landscapes from the Collection, Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong
Lineage, A visual continuum, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
2023
Cummings and Sages, King Street Gallery on William, Sydney, NSW
2022
Rhythms of the Monaro: Kelton Plain Artist Residency Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2021
The Big Picture Show King Street Gallery on William
Cummings & Poulet Penrith Regional Gallery, NSW
Storylines + Songlines Justin Art House Museum, Vic
2020
Kenwood Road King Street Gallery on William
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2019
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Conversations with Alice King Street Gallery on William
I Heart Paint Bega Valley Regional Gallery, NSW
Inside/ Outside King Street Gallery on William
Finding Ground: Inside the Murray Darling Basin S.H. Ervin Gallery & Broken Hill Regional Gallery, NSW
Abstract ‘19 King Street Gallery on William
2018
RAW Wedderburn [curated by Sioux Garside] Delmar Gallery, Trinity Grammar School, Sydney
100 years on commemorative Centennial exhibition of the Western Front campaigns, King Street Gallery on William
Jamberoo Shoalhaven Regional Art Gallery, NSW
National Art: Part One National Art School (NAS), Sydney
The Art of Friendship Gallery Lane Cove and Creative Studios, Sydney
Mount Omei Gallery Casula, Sydney
2017
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
The Hill End Table: Food Fire Art Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Bathurst, NSW
Artist Profile: Australasian Painters Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
2016
Ann Thomson & Contemporaries National Art School Gallery, NAS, Sydney
Open Field Peacock Gallery, Auburn City Council
Moonee Beach Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, NSW
Cultural Conversations, travelling, Gallery LVS, Seoul, Korea; Korean Cultural Centre, Sydney; Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney; RMIT, Melbourne.
Phantom Show Artspace Mackay, Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Tweed Regional Gallery
Dogs Orange Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Country & Western- Landscape re-imagined Blue Mountains Cultural Centre and travelling
The Wynne Prize Art Gallery New South Wales (AGNSW), Sydney
2015/6
Destination Sydney Elisabeth Cummings Lloyd Rees and Brett Whitley Manly Regional Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney
2015
Gallipoli 5 King Street Gallery on William
Country & Western: landscape re-imagined [curated by Gavin Wilson] launching at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney travelling Qld, NSW, Vic, NT
Your Friend the Enemy S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney; Bathurst Regional Gallery, NSW; Auckland City Art Gallery, New Zealand; The Drill Hall, Canberra, ACT
Your Friend the Enemy (Curated by Terence Maloon and John McDonald) ANU Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra
The Piano has been Drinking [Not Me] Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Just Paper Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
CHROMA the Jim Cobb gift Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
2014
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Packsaddle New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM), Armidale, NSW
The Meaning of Still Life Defiance Gallery, Sydney
The Phantom, curator Peter Kingston, Australian Galleries, Sydney
King School Art Prize Kings School, Sydney
The Silver Light Bowen Galleries NZ
Level One Gallery, Adelaide Hilton, Adelaide
David Floyd’s Paintbox King Street Gallery on William
A Landscape of Place and Name King Street Gallery on William, Sydney
Waiheke- Plein Air Waiheke Community Gallery, New Zealand
Drawing King Street Gallery on William
Works on Paper Wedderburn Artists AGNSW
Redlands Konica Art Prize National Art School Gallery, Sydney
2013
Mentors: Inspirational Women Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, Abbotsleigh, Sydney
Australia Royal Academy of Art, London
Six Artists Seven Days Defiance Gallery at Mary Place, Sydney
Still Life AGNSW
Persona Space: Contemporary Chinese and Australian Prints Guanian Original Print
Base East Gallery, Shenzhen, China
Looking Forward King Street Gallery on William
2012
Personal Space: Contemporary Chinese and Australian Prints Tweed River Art Gallery, Murwillumbah, NSW; Central Academy of Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing, China; Xi’an, China; Luxun
Academy of Fine Arts Gallery, Shenyang, China
Walcha Gallery of Art, Walcha, NSW
The Big Picture King Street Gallery on William
Lyricism the Abstract in Art King Street Gallery on William
Fowlers Gap [13 artists paint the desert] Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
Not the Way Home [curated by Owen Craven] S.H. Ervin, Sydney & traveling
Marnling Press and Whaling Road Studio: Survey, Wilson Street Gallery, Sydney
Marnling Press; Michelle Perry and Whaling Road Studio; Diana Davidson I A
Survey Exhibition Celebrating Two Sydney Print Workshops, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Virtual Reality Newcastle Regional Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
Animal King Street Gallery on William
11th Annual Printmaking Exhibition and Conference for Chinese Academies and Colleges Australian invitation component, (curated by Michael Kempson), Guangzhou Academy of Fine Art, Guangzhou, China
Fusion—International Contemporary Intaglio Prints Invitational Exhibition the Australian component for a 7 nation intaglio print exhibition, (curated by Michael Kempson), East Gallery, Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, Shenzhen, China.
2011
Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize Waterfront Place, Brisbane, Qld
Last Show of the Year, King Street Gallery on William
Australia Day Exhibition Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
Cicada Press: Collaboration and Connection (curated by Michael Kempson), Incinerator Art Space, Willoughby, NSW.
Messages from the South: Contemporary Australian Prints from COFA UNSW (curated by Michael Kempson), International Exhibition Hall, Art Museum of National Taiwan University of Arts, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
The International Art on Paper Exhibition – The Faculty of Fine Art and Architecture Rajamangala University of Technology Lana in association with College of Fine Arts, University of NSW, (curated by Michael Kempson and Kitikong Tilokwattantai), Chiangmai University Art Museum, Chiangmai,Thailand.
2010
Lino Alvarez: Collaborations in Clay Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Bathurst, NSW
The River Project Campbelltown Arts Centre, NSW
Solitary Pursuits in Red Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
The Drawing Show Defiance Gallery Sydney
Stations of the Cross St Ives Uniting Church Easter Exhibition, Sydney
Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize Waterfront Place, Brisbane
Prints from Cicada Press [curated by Michael Kempson] Bowen Galleries, Wellington, NZ
On the Larapinta 2010 Doggett Street Studio, Brisbane, Qld
2009
Same Place Many Views Defiance Gallery
Flora: Still Life Moving Fast Hazelhurst Regional Gallery & Arts Centre, NSW
Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize Waterfront Place, Brisbane
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Ceramics Mary Place Gallery, Sydney
The Drawn Line – drawing show King Street Gallery on William
Personal Journeys [40 years of Australian Women’s Abstract Art] Shoalhaven City Arts Centre, NSW
2008
Silk + Sand–Chinese and Australian Prints Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA, UNSW
On the Heysen Trail, Nine artists, eight days in the landscape S.H. Ervin Gallery
2007-08
Harbour life Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney
2007
Double Visions College of Fine Arts, Sydney; touring to Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
Cross Currents Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney NSW
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Group Show Chapman Gallery, Canberra
2006
King street gallery at Doggett St Studios (Cummings, Elliott, Penrose Hart, Murphy Sages) Brisbane, Qld
The Chroma Collection Macquarie University Art Collection, Sydney
Prints from Cicada Press Micheal Nagy Gallery, Sydney
Same Place Different Views Defiance Gallery, Sydney
Framed Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT
2005
Open Bite (selected prints from Cicada Press), COFA Exhibition/Performance Spaces, UNSW, Sydney
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Fireworks, Artspace, Mackay, Qld (and regional galleries in Qld); Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery, NSW (and regional galleries in NSW)
Trinity Grammar School, Custom Prints Unpacked! The Delmar Gallery, Sydney
Rivers SOS, Campbelltown Regional Gallery, Campbelltown
2004
Fire Dreaming University Art Gallery, University of Sydney, Sydney
Kedumba Drawing Award Kedumba Gallery, Blue Mountains Grammar, Wentworth Falls
Bukmak – Galiwinku (Talking and Sharing – Elcho Island) Framed: The Darwin Gallery, NT
Same Place, Many Views Defiance Gallery
2004 The Year in Art National Trust, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Framed Framed Gallery, Darwin, NT
The Sir John Sulman Prize AGNSW
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Prints from Whaling Road Studios, Australian Galleries, Sydney
2003
4 Wedderburn painters: common ground Campbelltown Bicentennial Art Gallery
64 Years king street gallery on burton
2002
2002: The Year in Art S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Salon des Refusés S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
The Sir John Sulman Prize AGNSW
king street gallery at Span Galleries, Melbourne
A Silver Lining & A New Beginning Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
2001
floating king street gallery on burton, Sydney
2000
women and the landscape king street gallery on burton, Sydney
Common Ground Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
The Archibald Prize AGNSW & touring throughout Australia
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
Dogma king street gallery on burton
1999
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
1998
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
Symbiosis Utopia Art, Sydney; New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, NSW
Six from Wedderburn Casula Power House Museum, NSW
last show of the year king street gallery on burton
The Theresa Byrnes Foundation Inc. Art Auction, ASN Gallery, Sydney
1997
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
The Archibald Prize AGNSW
1996
first night king street gallery on burton
The Theresa Byrnes Foundation Inc. Westpac Art Auction, Westpac Plaza, Sydney
1995
gallery artists king street gallery on burton
The Easter Show Hidden Valley Gallery, Bodalla, NSW
1994
The Lost Valley of the Springs Blaxland Gallery, Sydney
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
gallery artists king street gallery on burton
Australian Contemporary Art Fair 4 Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
Where Two Worlds Meet Mary Place Gallery, Sydney
1993
A Stone’s Throw Project Campbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery
The Wynne Prize AGNSW
Landscape Exhibition Cell Block Theatre, Sydney
1992
Terracollaboratis king street gallery on burton
South Stradbroke Project Gold Coast City Art Gallery
1991
Microcosm Garry Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1990
Mass Media, Mixed Media Painters Gallery, Sydney
Visual Instincts Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney
1988
9×5 Mail The Centre Gallery, Gold Coast
1984
Fruit and Flowers Exhibition David Jones, Sydney
Landscape Exhibition Mori Gallery
1978
Blaxland Gallery, Sydney
1976-1990
Modern Art Gallery [Mt Omei], Casula, NSW
Artbank, Australia
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery of South Australia
Australian National University, Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Campbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery, NSW
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW
Coffs Harbour Regional Art Gallery, NSW
College of Fine Arts, USYD
Glasshouse, Port Macquarie, NSW
Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Qld
Grafton Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Griffith University, QCE, Brisbane, Qld
Hawkesbury Regional Art Gallery, NSW
James Cook University, Townsville, Qld
Kelvin Grove Teachers College, Brisbane, Qld
Lismore Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Long Gallery & Art Collection, University of Wollongong, NSW
Macquarie Bank, Australia
Maitland Regional Art Gallery, NSW
Manly Art Gallery and Museum, NSW
Maroondah Regional Gallery, Vic
Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Museum of Brisbane, Qld
National Art School, Sydney
National Gallery of Australia, ACT
Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW
New England Regional Art Museum, NSW
Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
Ormond College, Vic
Outback Arts Inc, Qld
Outback Regional Gallery, Winton, Qld
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane
Redcliffe Regional Gallery, Qld
Rockhampton Art Gallery, Qld
Shoalhaven City Arts Centre, NSW
Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW
The Australian Club, Sydney
The Kedumba Collection of Australian Drawings, NSW
University of New South Wales, College of Fine Arts, Sydney
University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane
University of Technology Sydney
University of Wollongong, NSW
Waiheke Community Art Gallery, New Zealand
Wollongong Art Gallery, Wollongong, NSW
Elisabeth Cummings Monograph book features over 120 artworks including paintings, prints and works on paper.
The 256 page hardcover book was published by ANU Drill Hall Gallery in 2017.
Contributors include Sioux Garside, Anna Johnson, Michael Kempson, John McDonald, Terence Maloon and Guy Warren.
ABC News: ABC News Radio
18 August 2023
Rivers of despair at loss of Darling by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
4 October 2019
Archibald cast-offs make surprisingly fine viewing by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
7 June 2019
Survey of work from one of Sydney's most notable artists' colony by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
5 July 2018
Elisabeth Cummings: Interior Landscapes, a classic 'late bloomer' by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
5 June 2017
Elisabeth Cummings' Interior landscapes at ANU Drill Hall Gallery is fresh by Sasha Grishin
The Canberra Times
23 February 2017
ABC News
31 January 2016
Destination Sydney names Elisabeth Cummings, John Olsen among greatest artists by Linda Morris
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
12 December 2015
Artist Elisabeth Cummings at the pinnacle of her career by Patricia Anderson
Financial Review
21 November 2015
Country and Western: Landscape Re-Imagined leaves no stone unturned by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum, Pg16-17
11 November 2015
Anzac Evolution by John McDonald
Artist Profile Special Edition: Your Friend the Enemy
25 April 2015
Australia at the Royal Academy by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
28 September 2013
C.J.Pyle & J.D.'Ohai Ojeikere; Mary Tonkin; Six Artists, Seven Days by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
24 August 2013
Salon de Refusés 2013 & Jenny Sages by John McDonald
The Sydney Morning Herald, Spectrum
20 April 2013
Intimate portrayals coloured by interior dialogue by Sebastian Smee
The Australian, p12-13
2 November 2004
The invisible woman of Australian Art by John McDonald
Art Collector, Issue 22
October–December 2002
