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About 

Sophie Bray’s artworks evince feelings of immersion and the connectedness one senses by the sea. Her painting, drawing and analogue photography practice reflects upon the beauty and fragility of the natural environment. She explores the physicality of water, wind and salient currents, which create the shifting tides and atmospheres over the tense and captivating point between land, sea and sky. She enjoys exploring tensions in her work, which pull between: abstraction and representation, gestural marks and smooth blended surfaces, monochromatic palettes and vibrant coloured grounds.

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Bio

Born in Sydney (1986) Bray completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (HONS1) and Masters of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales. She was a recipient of the University of New South Wales Honours Scholarship, The Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence, The Australian Postgraduate Award (2008-2010), The Toyota Emerging Artist Encouragement Award and the William Fletcher Foundation Scholarship for drawing. From 2004, she has held 6 solo exhibitions and been included in 24 group exhibitions. In 2008 her work was acquired by the Morton Bay Art Collection, as part of the ‘15 Artists Award’ at the Redcliffe City Art Gallery in Queensland. In 2015 Bray’s work was published in a book of international contemporary artists, Super Modified: The Behance Book of Creative Work. She exhibited for the first time in Paris in 2018 as part of the Paris Drawing festival at Galarie ALB. She has been a finalist in the Ravenswood Australian Art Prize, The 20000 Lethbridge Small Scale Art Award, The Waverley Art Award, the JADA, The Sunshine Coast Art Prize, The Hazelhurst Paper Awards and The National Emerging Art Prize.

Artist's CV

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Solo Exhibitions

2016      ‘Umbra’, Moran Gallery

2016      'Currents', Folonomo Gallery

2014      ‘Falling Light’, Queen Street Gallery

2011      ‘Dark Skies’, General Store for Contemporary Art

2010      ‘Oceanic’, Hazelhurst Community Gallery

2010      ‘Oceanic’, COFA Space

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Group Exhibitions and Prizes
2022      National Emerging Art Prize, Michael Reid Art Bar    

2022     Waverley Art Prize, Bondi Pavilion

2022     ‘6’, Adelaide Perry Gallery, Croydon

2022     The Lethbridge 20000 Small Scale Art Award, Brisbane

2022     The Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, Ravenswood

2021     Hazelhurst 20 Years, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery

2018     'Drawing in Gallery', Galerie ALB, Paris

2018     'PWYT', Casula Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

2017     'Expanding Possibilities for the Image', 220 Creative Space, Sydney

2016      ‘Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award’, Grafton Regional Art Gallery

2016      ‘PWYT’, M2 Gallery

2012      ‘Cumulus Attacked By A Contrary Wind’, General Store for Contemporary Art

2011      ‘You’ll be traveling incognito’, General Store for Contemporary Art

2011      ‘Remnants in Documentation’, General Store for Contemporary Art

2011      ‘RM 619’, Vaucluse House

2010      ‘Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award’, Grafton Regional Art Gallery

2010      ‘Sydney Children’s Hospital Exhibition’

2010      ‘Precious Papers’, Pine Rivers Regional Art Gallery

2009      ‘Decisions’, ESP Gallery

2009      ‘Sunshine Coast Art Prize’, Caloundra Regional Art Gallery,

2009      ‘Hazelhurst Paper Awards’, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery

2009      ‘Overlapping’, Hazelhurst Community Gallery

2008      ‘15 Artists Award’, Redcliffe City Art Gallery

2008      ‘Tim Olsen Drawing Prize’, KUDOS Gallery

2007      ‘Honours Show’, COFA

2007      ‘Graduation Show’, COFA

2007      ‘Golden Ticket Award’, KUDOS Gallery

2007      ‘Tim Olsen Drawing Prize’, KUDOS Gallery

2007      ‘Hazelhurst Paper Awards’, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery

2007      ‘Jenny Birt Award’, COFA Space

2007      ‘Outback Art Prize’, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery

2007      ‘ILIRI Exhibition’, KUDOS Gallery

2006      ‘Graduation Show’, COFA

2006      ‘Outback Exhibition’, COFA Space

2004      ‘Art Express’, Art Gallery of New South Wales

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Academic Qualifications

2010       Master of Fine Arts, The University of New South Wales

2008       Bachelor of Fine Arts (HON 1), The University of New South Wales

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Awards & Scholarships

2008-2010Australian Postgraduate Award

2009         The Toyota Emerging Artist Encouragement Award

2007         The Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence

2007         William Fletcher Foundation Scholarship

2007         University of New South Wales Honours Scholarship

 

 

Publications

2015     Super Modified: The Behance Book of Creative Work

 

Collections

Moran Art Foundation Collection, Sylvania

Morton Bay Art Collection, The Redcliffe City Art Gallery

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