Self-taught realist oil painter

About Ben Sherar

An artist inspired to capture the natural world and built environment, out in the elements and back in the studio.

Self TaughtA lifelong commitment to learning, observation and mastery.
Award WinningRecognised in national and international shows.
ExhibitionsCollective and solo shows across Australia and beyond.

My story

A life spent chasing the light

Inspired at a young age by the rugged beauty of Western Australia's Kimberley region with its ancient landscape and vast open skies, Ben turned his passion for oil painting into a career bent towards capturing the limitless beauty of the world around us, with his keen artistic eye and decades long honing of age-old techniques, Ben's work covers a broad range of subject matter from the stunning landscapes of Western Australia and beyond, to an exploration of moody nocturnes, beautiful beaches of South East Asia and contemporary cityscapes.

Artist CV

Awards and milestones.

2019

Finalist, Inaugural Royal Art Show for Landscape.

2018

First prize, Best Overall Work, City of Melville Art Awards.

2018

Finalist, Inaugural Royal Art Show for Landscape.

2017

Finalist, Inaugural Royal Art Show for Landscape.

2017

Finalist, City of Claremont Art Award.

2016

Finalist, Bluethumb Art Prize.

2016

Tied 2nd / 3rd place, Quick Draw 2 Hour Plein Air Paint Off, Black Swan Prize for Portraiture.

2016

Best Work by City of Melville Resident, City of Melville Art Awards.

2014

Organizer, ArtMark one-day artists market, Westgate Mall, Adelaide Terrace, Fremantle.

2013-2015

Studio residency, Fremantle Town Hall, 8 William Street, Fremantle.

2013

Finalist, Black Swan Prize for Portraiture.

2012

People's Choice Award, City of Belmont Art Award.

2010

People's Choice Award, City of Belmont Art Award.

2008

Selected for Telethon Speech and Hearing's Young Artists with Attitude exhibition, Burswood Intercontinental Hotel.

2008

First Prize, Work by Melville Resident, Melville Art Awards.

2002

First prize in oils, North Midlands Annual Art Exhibition.

2001

Collection of six limited edition art prints stocked through multiple Perth picture framing stores.

2004-2005

Lectured short courses for Challenger TAFE, Oils of Perth with Ben Sherar, for five terms.

2004-2007

Artist in residence, public studio at Point Heathcote, open to visitors every Sunday.

Ben Sherar painting in his studio

Studio and process

From plein-air sketches to large studio paintings.

Every work begins with direct observation and is carried forward through old paints, oil sticks, canvas and texture.

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Exhibition CV

Exhibitions and projects.

Exhibition list

2023 - current

Journeyman Plein Air Adventure across South East Asia. Based between Perth and Denpasar venturing out to paint on location across Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand.

2022

Breathe, joint exhibition at Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery, Mandurah.

2020-2022

Opened High Street Gallery, 75a High Street Fremantle, with exclusive display of all new work.

2019

Ground to Sky, joint exhibition at The National Hotel Staircase Gallery, South Terrace, Fremantle.

2019

Liquid Silver Linings, joint exhibition at Little Creatures Brewery, Mews Road, Fremantle.

2018

Small Works, joint exhibition with Peter Barker, Andy Kent, David Green and Meath Conlan at Earlywork Gallery, South Fremantle.

2017

Sunlit Scenes, joint exhibition with Peter Barker, Andy Kent and David Green at Kidogo Arthouse, Bather's Beach, Fremantle.

2017

On the Swan, winter artist in residence at Tradewinds Hotel Restaurant, East Fremantle, with 11 new Swan River works.

2016

Written in the Clouds, exhibition of 17 new small-format cloudscapes at Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle.

2015

Organized and ran monthly ArtMark open-air artisan markets, coordinating and displaying the work of 120 local artists.

2015

Portrait sketches at Winter National pop-up bar, part of Fremantle's Winter Garden ice skating festival, supporting Children's Starlight Foundation.

2014

Studio exhibition at Fremantle Town Hall studio, 8 William Street, Fremantle.

2014

Began running pop-up art markets in Fremantle, displaying the work of 30 local artists.

2013

Solo exhibition and official studio opening at Fremantle Town Hall studio.

2013

Subject Matters, solo exhibition at emerge ART SPACE, Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley.

2011

If Not for the Dawn, solo exhibition at emerge ART SPACE, Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley.

2011

Fifth annual Garden Exhibition in the artist's garden.

2010

Work purchased by City of Melville.

2010

Concrete Reflections, solo exhibition at emerge ART SPACE, Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley.

2010

Fourth annual Garden Exhibition in the artist's garden.

2009

Third annual Garden Exhibition in the artist's garden.

2008

Scene in Freo, solo show at Organic Royale, Essex Street, Fremantle.

2008

Second annual Garden Exhibition in the artist's garden.

2007

First annual Garden Exhibition in the artist's garden.

2006

Joint exhibition with artist Don Brown, The Salt Store Gallery, Rottnest Island.

2006

Local Waters, solo show at Gallery 101 / WA Club, St Georges Terrace, Perth.

2006

Feature artist at Eagle Vale Estates Jazz on the Lawn, showing 12 new coastal works.

2005

Atmospheric, solo show at Little Creatures Brewery, Fremantle.

2005

Visions of Fremantle, solo show at Freight Gallery, Beach Street, Fremantle.

2004

Joint exhibition with artist Kris Keen, Old Royal George Gallery, East Fremantle.

In the studio

Elizabeth Quay Elevation

17 March 2021

Recently finished artwork depicting a 150m elevation above Elizabeth Quay on the foreshore in the City of Perth. This one was initially quite a challenge as I rarely do pieces with this kind of angle and lighting, but once I got stuck in I really had a huge amount of fun. The payoff at the end doing those long shadows and getting them all...

I'll be looking at making limited edition prints of this piece available at some point soon, in the meantime this one needs to be framed up and sent off to the client!

An oil painting by Western Australin Artist Ben Sherar depicting an elevated view above Elizabeth Quay in the City of Perth
© Ben Sherar • bensherar.com