Hi and welcome!

I’m an Australian artist who creates large scale hyperrealist works in coloured pencil and smaller electrically colourful illustrations in marker and pencil.

I’m obsessed with fine details and love to capture these in my artwork that typically take between 20 and 250 hours to complete in my home studio on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. I studied Fine Art at university, majoring in sculpture but drawing and design remained the constant in my life post graduation.

From 2018- 2020, my large scale work focused primarily on portraiture using recycled and used brown paper bags and the discarded pencil stubs from internationally acclaimed artist CJ Hendry and much loved Australian illustrator Sarah Hardy of Popcorn Blue.

This body of work conceptually spoke to consumerism and the human side of who is negatively affected by the insatiable, ongoing appetite of mass consumption - typically those who are living closest to the elements, exposed to, and intimately impacted by the changing environment.

It was also in response to the never ending sales culture that sells the promise of the ultimate life upgrade when you purchase the next latest and greatest product. Art is not immune to this and I wanted to demonstrate that you can create detailed works of art even by using materials destined for the bin.

My large scale pencil portraits drew attention from a number of prizes, including in 2019, when I was awarded the winner of the ‘Works on Paper’ category at the Bundaberg Art Prize and in 2020 I was also a finalist in the Shirley Hannan National Portraiture Prize.

Soon afterwards, an accident left me with a mild traumatic brain injury which meant that drawing and illustration was largely put on hold. I was unable to draw for any real length of time and had no patience for the details- the absolute core of what my work is and I didn’t know if I would ever be able to return to it.

After almost 18 months focusing on recovery, I was still unable to draw full time so I returned to work in a professional, corporate career. Recently in 2024, I’ve returned to being a full-time artist with a newfound sense of purpose and direction. My work remains focused on the human elements in everything I create. From portraits that capture the essence of the individual, to the objects that have a connection to people and what they represent in the human story, through to my bright and expressive illustrations that explore the playful, fun and vibrant experience of sharing wonderful cuisine and beverages with those you care about!

For all enquiries and collaborations, please contact the studio at studio@aletabates.com