Wendy Sharpe
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Born Sydney 1960 lives and works Sydney and Paris
Solo exhibitions - a small selection of 40 exhibitions
2014 “ Night “ King Street Gallery on William , Sydney
2014 “ Conversations with Matisse “ Philip Bacon Galleries Brisbane QLD
2013 “Wendy Sharpe’s Antarctica”, Long Gallery, Salamanca Art Centre, Hobart, TAS
2013 “Truth or Dare’, Muk Muk Fine Art, Darwin, NT
2012 “Artist and Model”, Buratti Fine Art Fremantle Western Australia
2011 “Wendy Sharpe - the Imagined Life “ Retrospective S H Ervin Gallery Sydney
2010 ‘Venice’ King Street Gallery on William Sydney
2008 ‘Intimacy and Solitude ‘Adele Boag gallery Adelaide.
2008 ‘Paris’ King St Gallery on William gallery Sydney
2007 ‘Stories from the Studio “Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane
2006 “Couples“ Mars Gallery Melbourne
2005 ‘Artist & City”, Chapman Gallery, Canberra
2004 ‘Travel paintings’ Phillip Bacon Gallery, Brisbane
2000 ‘New Beginnings-East Timor,’ Australian War Memorial, Canberra
1999 ‘Drawings, Paintings and Mixed Media Works for The Annette Kellermann Mural’ Sydney
1991 ‘Ghosts’ Pod Theatre, Sydney
1990 ‘Magic Paintings’ DC Art Gallery, Sydney
1985 ‘Sex and Death’ Nicholson Street Gallery, Sydney
Awards, Prizes, Residencies and Major Commissions- a small selection
2014 Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize winner
2014 Antarctica Artist Residency, Antarctic peninsula Mawson’s Hut Foundation
2013 ‘Manning Art Prize’, winner Manning Regional Gallery, Taree
2012 Antarctica Artist Residency Mawson Centenary –Mawson’s Hut Foundation
2011 Taronga Zoo Artist Residency Sydney
2009 Commissioned by Arts Centre Victoria, to draw the Australian Ballet
2008 Artist Residency Australian Embassy Cairo Egypt ( guest of the Ambassador. )
2006 Awarded tenancy Cite Internationale des Arts Studio, Paris Art Gallery of NSW
2003 Winner - Portia Geach Memorial Prize Award S.H Ervin Gallery
1999 Commissioned as Official Australian War Artist to East Timor, Australian War Memorial ACT (The 1st woman since WW2)
1998-99 Commission City of Sydney - Olympic pool murals Cook & Phillip Aquatic Centre
1998 Winner-Bathurst Art Prize, Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
1996 Winner-Archibald Prize Art Gallery of New South Wales
1995 Winner-Kedumba Drawing Prize, New South Wales
Winner-Portia Geach Memorial Prize, SH Ervin Gallery
1992 Robert Le Gay Bereton Drawing Prize
Australian Post Graduate Research Award.
1989 Mercedes Benz Art Scholarship.
1986 Awarded tenancy Cite Internationale Studio, Paris Art Gallery of NSW
Marten Bequest, Travelling Art Scholarship (painting)
Dyason Bequest
Winner-Sulman Prize (judge Albert Tucker)
Finalist Sulman Prize –Art Gallery of NSW - 11 times
Finalist Archibald prize- Art Gallery of NSW - 5 times
Finalist Dobell Drawing Prize – Art Gallery of NSW - -12 Times
Included in, survey and travelling exhibitions in State and regional galleries through out Australia Collections include Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Consulate France, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Sydney Maritime Museum, Kedumba Drawing Collection, City of Sydney Council. Orange & Bathurst Regional Galleries, Qantas,The University of QLD, BHP Australia. Major Private collections Australian and international.
For a complete CV see www.wendysharpe.com
LAKSMI
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From police station to paradise – this curious climber found her freedom at last.
Laksmi arrived at International Animal Rescue’s Orangutan Emergency Centre on 7 November 2011, estimated to be about 3–4 years old at the time. Her rescue story was as dramatic as it was mysterious: she was found in a cage by a man who fled when he saw a group of policemen. He left Laksmi behind, and the officers took her to the police station before contacting the forestry department, who brought her to IAR Ketapang. There are gaps in her backstory, but what’s certain is that she was fortunate to be rescued.
When she arrived at the Centre, Laksmi weighed only 9kg, and her pale face hinted at deeper health issues. She tested positive for typhoid and was later diagnosed with liver dysfunction. Her dedicated caregivers treated her with antibiotics, iron supplements, and natural multivitamins from curcuma root, which gradually improved her condition. Shy at first, Laksmi spent her quarantine period playing with enrichment items—often wearing her food like a fashion accessory, putting mango or papaya on her head. She wasn’t a fan of bananas or milk but loved syrup!
Once cleared to join baby school, she grew in confidence, climbing trees and learning to forage, build nests, and develop the critical skills for survival in the wild. Laksmi’s journey came full circle in September 2017 when she was successfully released into Bukit Baka Bukit Raya National Park, alongside fellow orangutans Pinoh and Abun. Her transformation from a pale, shy orangutan in a cage to a confident forest explorer is a testament to the power of care, patience, and second chances.
