Biography - Summary
Naomi Crowther b1973 Kenthurst. Abstract painter living and working on NSW Far South Coast. Exploring effects of time alone in nature on the human condition. Blending cyanotypes with impasto acrylics and paper. Dip.Interior Design RMIT. Studied first year BA Visual Arts ANU. Recently shown at Gallery Alchemy, Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre.
Biography - Extended
Naomi Crowther first found her muse at nine years old when she joined a group of artists who set aside one room in their Sydney house as a canvas for their dabblings. A bush kid with undiagnosed ADHD, Naomi was a challenge to take shopping, so her mother cajoled artist friends to mind her instead. ‘It was most exciting to paint on the walls without getting into trouble’ states Crowther. ‘Since then, art has been a major part of my life.’
Crowther was a finalist in the 2025 Gallery Alchemy Art Prize. She was twice finalist in the Hills Grammar Art Prize and triple finalist in the Canberra Art Prize, winning the Print Media prize in 2007 at the Royal Canberra Art Show. She appeared in person hanging her paintings on Foxtel’s Selling Houses Australia’ in 2009. That year Crowther was selected among 40 Australian artists to have her work hung in the prestigious Crookwell Art Auction alongside Archibald finalists Cherry Hood and Ben Quilty.
Crowther had seven annual consecutive sell-out exhibitions with her ‘Poppies’ series at Artespresso, Canberra. Her works are hung in government, corporate and private collections, including an Australian Government acquisition of six large works in 2007 for the Human Services head office in Barton, Canberra.
The Australian Defence Force acquired a series of works for seven schools in the ACT as part of the Defence School Mentor Program, along with a substantial commission for the chapel at ADFA.
Naomi exhibited in Brunei in January 2009, sponsored by Austrade and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
She family moved to the Far South Coast of NSW in 2011, where she resides with her teenage boys and two rescue cats. She paints from two studios, one in her garden at Wimbie Beach, and a larger shared studio space/shed near Mogo, where a pond of native lotus inspire her latest series.
A self funded residency on Dangar Island July 2025 provided inspiration for the exhibition ‘Unshucked’ oysters and waterways.
Artist’s Statement
Naomi Crowther’s work explores the effects on the human condition of spending time in nature, particularly time alone, and how it translates to an empathy for the world around us, which can lead to taking greater care for the environment. In her multidisciplinary practice, Naomi often blends cyanotypes with heavily impasto acrylics and paper cut-outs to exaggerate the feeling of being a small part of a greater natural world, both above and below the water. She is driven the impact of consumerism, particularly plastics and pollutants in the ocean, which directly affect marine flora and fauna. Her works ‘Aquarian Regrowth’ and ‘Finding Deep Clarity’ describe her concerns for the need to do more to help our oceans.
Naomi's region near Batemans Bay changed dramatically after the Black Summer fires, resulting in her subject matter paying homage to nature, understanding the environment and our responsibilities, while highlighting the darker aspects of the circle of life. These themes include the quiet celebration of death, damage and regrowth, as opposed to celebrating only the perfect, the young, and the beautiful. She questions the ongoing portrayal of perfection highlighted on social media.
Daily bush walks alone and with her teen boys during covid, further deepened her awareness of the importance of nature on mental health. This led to exploring the psychology of the law of reciprocal exchange, how we feel more obliged to care for something/someone if we have previously been given something from it/them. The more we know and experience something, the more concerned we become for its welfare.
Earlier in her career, Naomi focused on the poppy flower, reflecting on her family's military involvements while exploring the life cycle of this flower, which for many years was mankind's only medical opioid. The poppy is a symbol of the ultimate giver. The plant itself provides blooms when left neglected in a garden, or in arid war-torn environments. It asks for nothing in return, symbolic of those who gave their physical and/or mental wellbeing, or their lives.
Naomi’s tertiary training (Dip Interior Design and Decoration) and subsequent employment in the textile industry (Kresta Blinds national designer and product manager) along with her work as writer and illustrator for Australian Home Beautiful Magazine (then Naomi Smith) underpins her paintings with a reverence for repeating patterns and grounding horizontal lines, often disrupted with tilting diagonal or arching abstract forms - much like the textiles she once designed.
The evolution of her work since this time shows growth as an artist with a message to encourage people out into nature, to enjoy it, respect it and help it, as time is fleeting.
GROUP SHOWS
2025 – “What’s Past is Prologue” May/June, The Basil Sellers Exhibition Centre, Moruya, NSW.
2024 – “From the Forest” April 12-28th, Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens, Batemans Bay NSW.
2023 – “Coastal Reflections” Sept 12-20th, Main Sail Gallery, Sunshine Bay.
2022 – “Beach and Beyond” Sept 16-25, Coastal Garage Vintage, Sunshine Bay
2021 – “Oceana” Coastal Garage Vintage, Sunshine Bay NSW
2018 – “Found Objects” The Gallery, Mogo, NSW
2017 - “Annual Exhibition” Creative Arts Batemans Bay NSW
2017 – “Recent Works” The Gallery, Mogo NSW
2017 – “Poppies” Firefly Interiors, Moruya NSW
2016 – “Outdoor Art Show” Canberra ACT
2015 – “Royal Canberra Art Show” ACT
2010 – “Crookwell Art Show and Auction” Crookwell NSW
2010 – “Royal Canberra Art Show” Royal Canberra Show, ACT
2009 – “Australian Art Exhibition” Sheraton Hotel, Bandar Seri Begawan BRUNEI
2007 – “Sydney Royal Easter Art Show” Royal Easter Show, Homebush, Sydney NSW
2006 – “Hills Grammar Art Prize” –; Hills Grammar, Kenthurst, NSW
2006 – “Homeliness” M16 Artspace, Fyshwick ACT
2006 – “Royal Canberra Art Show” Royal Canberra Show, ACT
2005 – “Canberra Art Prize” Italo Australian Club, Forrest, ACT
2005 – “Hills Grammar Art Prize” Hills Grammar, Kenthurst, NSW
2005 – “Recent Works - Canberra Artists” Sawmill Gallery, Fyshwick, ACT
2004 – “Geoff Dyer and Naomi Crowther” Aarwun Gallery, Federation Square ACT
2004 – “Sydney Art Show” Aarwun Gallery Stand 128, Hall of Industries, Sydney
2004 – “Asiatic” Cork Street Gallery, Gundaroo NSW
SOLO SHOWS
2019 – March “Recent Works, Poppies and the Sea’ Mossy Point, NSW.
2018 – January “Naomi Crowther” Batemans Bay Library, NSW.
2008 – August “The Poppy Series” RUIZ Award Winning Display Forde ACT Canberra
2007 – July “Recent Works” Pymble Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2006 – October “The Poppy Pickers” Artespresso, Kingston, Canberra
2006 – September “Luscious Landscapes” Forrest Inn Gallery, Forrest ACT
2006 – January “Recent Paintings” Artespresso, Kingston, Canberra
2005 – September/October “POPPYMANIA!” Forrest Inn Gallery, Forrest ACT
2005 – February “Contemporary Paintings of Lake George” Forrest Inn Gallery, ACT
2004 – December “Return of the Poppies” Artespresso, Kingston, Canberra
2004 – March “Black and White” Artespresso, Kingston, Canberra
2002 – December “Curly Things” Artespresso, Kingston, Canberra
2002 – February “See Things Differently” Cork St Gallery, Gundaroo NSW
QUALIFICATIONS AND TRAINING
2008 - Deborah Perrow – Printmaking II Workshop, Megalo Arts Access, ACT
2007 –Deborah Perrow – Printmaking I Workshop, Megalo Arts Access, ACT
2006 – ANU Blended Learning - Cert IV in Arts Administration
2005 – Peter Griffin – Workshop in Abstraction, Leichhardt Studio
2005 – Peter Griffin – ‘Figure and still life’ Grafton Artsfest NSW Sept 05
2005 – Michael Winters - ANU ‘Back Fence and Beyond’ Landscapes
2005 – Michael Ferris – Intensive ‘Watercolour - Still Life’, Artists Society Of Canberra, ACT
2003 – Geoff Davies Landscapes in Oils, ‘en plain air’
2000 – ANU Institute of the Arts – Trish Hololley – Oil Painting, Figurative and Still Life
1995 – RMIT Melbourne –Diploma Interior Design and Decoration
1993 – ANU Institute of the Arts – Started Bachelor of Visual Arts (dropped out end of first year) – Painting/Ceramics
1992 – Canberra University - Started Bachelor of Applied Science in Architectural Design (dropped out end of first year)
AWARDS
2025 - Finalist, Gallery Alchemy ‘The Palette Project’ Art Prize, Milton NSW
2007 – First Prize, Royal Canberra Art Show, ACT, Print Media
2005 – Triple Finalist, Canberra Art Prize, Forrest, ACT
2005 – Double Finalist, Hills Grammar Art Prize, Kenthurst NSW.
2005 – Highly Commended, Abstract Section, Royal Canberra Show, ACT
2005 – 3rd Prize, Open Section, Royal Canberra Show, ACT
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2018 Carmichael, Indira: “Artist Talks” Eurobodalla Shire Council Library Magazine.
2008 Streak, Diana: The Canberra Times ‘Panorama’ Nov 15, p 4
2008 Cerabona, Ron: ‘Artists Roll out the Carpet…’ The Canberra Times, August 31, p 6
2006 Musa, Helen: ‘Seeking the Art of Shelter’ Panorama – The Canberra Times, Aug 19th p20
2006 Wilson, Jessica: ‘Artful new life…’ Home Front - Queanbeyan Age, April 2006 p3-5
2005 Harris, Marc ‘Appealing Poppies in Art Prize’ The Chronicle, October 18th, p21
2005 Cerabona, Ron: ‘Prize Art…’ The Canberra Times, October 13th, p 9
2005 Provost, Shanna: ‘Artist Profile’, Artlook Magazine, October Issue
2005 Hagarty, Karen: ‘A Month in the Country,’ Australian Country Style Magazine, Sept issue, p 151
2005 Musa, Helen: ‘The Arts,’ Panorama - The Canberra Times, Feb 6, p 21
2004 Kazar, Andrew: ‘Poppies in Full Bloom at Federation Square,’ The Chronicle, Oct 12, p 29