Alumni

As the longest continuing art school in Australia, the National Art School has a substantial and impressive cohort of alumni who have contributed to the history of Australian art and continue to influence contemporary art practice. Our alumni are represented in the most prestigious collections around the world, from the Tate in the UK and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, MoMA and the Solomon R. Guggenheim in New York, to all Australian state and the national galleries.

Graduates of National Art School who continue to enjoy outstanding success include Fiona Hall AO who represented Australia at the 2015 Venice Biennale of Art, 2012 Archibald Prize winner Tim Storrier and contemporary ceramicist Juz Kitson, who was selected to exhibit in Primavera: Young Australia Artists at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in 2013.

Below is a sample of some of our most esteemed alumni from the 1920s till the present day.

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Check out a selection of alumni, staff and student exhibitions on this month around Australia and the world here.

 

Key Alumni

1920s – Jean Broome, Lyndon Dadswell, Elaine Haxton AM, Frank Hinder, Arthur Murch, Joshua Smith, Barbara Tribe

1930s – Jean Appleton, Max Dupain OBE, AC, James Gleeson, Lorna Nimmo, Rosaleen Norton, Dorothy Thornhill

1940s – Tom Bass, Charles Blackman, John Coburn AO, Kevin Connor, Mollie Douglas, Bert Flugelman AM, Norman Hetherington OAM, Robert Klippel AO, Margaret Olley AC, Elizabeth Rooney, Peter Rushforth AM, Tony Tuckson, Guy Warren AM

1950s – Yvonne Audette, Les Blakebrough AM, Vivienne Binns, Ted Binder, Elisabeth Cummings OAM, Ken Done, Margaret Fink, Michael Johnson, Colin Lanceley, Keith Looby, John Olsen AO OBE, Roslyn Oxley OAM, Robert Owen, Mike Parr, Ann Thomson, Brett Whiteley, Wendy Whiteley OAM, William Wright AM

1960s – Bill Brown, Vivienne Binns OAM, Geoffrey Bardon AM, Richard Goodwin, Ian Howard, Colin Lanceley AO, Janet Mansfield OAM, Alan Oldfield, Peter Powditch AM, Bill Samuels, Ron Robertson-Swann OAM, Martin Sharp, Garry Shead, Tim Storrier AM, Ken Unsworth AM

1970s – Dr Philip Batty, Cressida Campbell, Merilyn Fairskye, Fiona Hall AO, Paul Hopmeier, Jan King, Marie McMahon, Reg Mombassa/Chris O’Doherty, Susan Norrie OAM, Julie Rrap, Michael Snape, Thancoupie AO, Anne Zalhalka

1980s – Fiona Foley, Adrienne Gaha, Peter Godwin, Ildiko Kovacs, Tim Maguire, Idris Murphy, Joan Ross, Louise Tuckwell

1990s – Lucy Culliton, Karla Dickens, Alan Jones, Fiona Lowry, Adam Rish, Luke Sciberras, Craig Waddell

2000s – Mitch Cairns, Jumaadi, Juz Kitson, Alesandro Ljubicic, Guy Maestri, Leslie Rice, Coen Young, Shonah Trescott, Justine Varga

2010–2015 – Sophie Cape, Todd Fuller, Mason Kimber, Michael McIntyre, Lucy O’Doherty, Catherine O’Donnell, Georgia Saxelby, Elyssa Sykes-Smith

2015–2020 – Eliza Gosse, Kirtika Kain, Dani Mackenzie, Ebony Russell, Natasha Walsh

 

VALE

The National Art School has been the training ground for some of Australia’s most significant and respected artists. On this page we recognise and pay homage to our alumni who have passed away recently.

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Final call! This is your last chance to apply for our BFA degree for 2026.
 
Applications close 29 January.
 
Apply now 🔗 in bio.
Join us from 6–9pm on Thursday 22 January for the opening of SEARCHERS: Graffiti and Contemporary Art.

Featuring Ben Aitken, Howard Arkley, BAGL, BREAK, Andrew Browne, Daniel Crooks, Adam Cullen, Mikala Dwyer, Dale Frank, Shaun Gladwell, Brendan Huntley, Rhys John Kaye, Luke Kennedy, LAZY, Mim Libro, Fiona Lowry, Eddie Martin, MACH, Tony McGillick, Paul McNeil, TV Moore, Callum Morton, Tresor Murace, Sidney Nolan, POWER, Ben Quilty, Scott Redford, Reko Rennie, RUM, Leslie Rice, Joan Ross, Khaled Sabsabi, Tim Silver, SNAIL, SPICE, Bridget Stehli, Maya Stocks, Latai Taumoepeau & TAVEN

RSVP 🔗 in bio. 

Presented as part of @sydney_festival.

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Sidney Nolan, ‘Untitled’, 1983, spray can enamel on canvas, Nolan Collection, managed by Canberra Museum and Gallery on behalf of the Australian Government
Marking 20 years of the National Art School Gallery, we are thrilled to share this year's program of ambitious group and solo exhibitions that foster critical appreciation and innovative art practice.
 
SEARCHERS: Graffiti and Contemporary Art
17 January – 11 April
Opening: Thurs 22 January, 6pm
Bringing together over thirty of Australia's most dynamic artists united by one charged medium: spray paint, presented as part of @sydney_festival.
 
QUEER CONTEMPORARY 
Liz Bradshaw: I didn't expect to live this long
13 February – 7 March
Opening: Thurs 12 February, 6pm
Experience a large-scale sculpture and installation by NAS alum Liz Bradshaw as part of @sydneymardigras.
 
Mitch Cairns: Artist's Mouth
1 May – 11 July
Opening: Thurs 30 April, 6pm
Presented with the @instituteofmodernart, the largest and most comprehensive exhibition by Sydney-based artist and NAS alum Mitch Cairns.
 
Margaret Olley: Australian Intimiste
31 July – 25 October
Opening: Thurs 30 July, 6pm
Celebrating the legacy of NAS alum and one of Australia's most beloved painters, Margaret Olley AC.
 
The Postgrad Show 
6–15 November
 
The Grad Show
4–13 December

Full program 🔗 in bio.
 
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Howard Arkley, 'Triple fronted', 1987, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Mollie and Jim Gowing Bequest Fund 2014 © The Estate of Howard Arkley, courtesy Kalli Rolfe Contemporary Art, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales
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