John R Walker
John R Walker's paintings are about seeing they embody an ever-present sense of curiosity and responsiveness. Yet they are also about feeling, what it is like to be there. Like all truly authentic landscape art we feel that the artist has experienced things, and he points them out, yet it is nature itself that speaks to us, both of its presence and its strangeness." (Andrew Sayers, 2007)
Walker lives and works in Braidwood, New South Wales and his paintings have come to define the landscape of that region. His exhibiting career spans over 30 years. In early 2008 a retrospective exhibition of Walker's work was staged at the S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney. In March of 2014, a survey of Walker's significant, large-scale canvases opened at Orange Regional Gallery. 'Here I give thanks', a survey exhibition curated by Glenn Barkley, was at The Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra in July 2015.
Walker is included in many major public, private and corporate collections. He is a regular finalist in the Wynne, Archibald and Sulman Prizes.
The Oratunga to Burra Suite of seven large paintings was included in the 2018 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art at the AGSA.
Journeys and Return was a survey of Walker's landscapes from the past ten years, at Orange Regional Gallery in 2023-4,
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John R Walker Winner of the Goulburn Art Award June 2026
John R Walker's work Plumwood II has been selected as the winner of the Goulburn Art Award.
Judged by Rachel Kent, the award brings together contemporary artists from across Australia and highlights significant developments in current artistic practice.
Walker's selection recognises his longstanding contribution to Australian painting and his sustained engagement with landscape as both subject and experience.
Walker is known for works that combine direct observation with an expressive and deeply personal response to place. His inclusion in the Goulburn Art Award continues a career marked by major exhibitions, institutional collections and national recognition.
The finalists' exhibition presents a diverse survey of contemporary Australian art and offers audiences the opportunity to view Walker's work alongside leading artists from across the country.
Young Curators, Utopia Art Sydney at Grace Cossington Smith Gallery until 13th June
Presented by 3:33 Art Projects with Young Curators from Abbotsleigh and Hornsby Girls High School.
The Young Curators Program supports education in the arts and provides unique experiences for the students, the school and the broader community whilst supporting Australian artists.
The exhibition for 2026 is curated in collaboration with Utopia Art Sydney.
Artists: Richard Larter, Caroline Nakamarra, Joy Gibson Napaltjarri, Lorna Napanangka, Yalti Napangati, Benisa Napurrula, Maylene Nungurrayi, Kintore Women's Collaborative, Peter Maloney, Polly Nangala, Lorna Napanangka, Angus Nivison, Adam Gibbs Tjapaltjarri, Raymond Maxwell Tjampitjinpa, Justin Corby Tjungurrayi, Joey West Tjupurrula, Samson West Tjupurrula, John R Walker
Christopher Hodges, Angus Nivison & John R Walker selected as finalists in the ACAR Art Prize April 2026
Christopher Hodges, Angus Nivison and John R Walker have been selected as finalists in the inaugural Australian China Art Residency Art Prize.
Established in 2025, the ACAR Art Prize supports artistic exchange between Australia and China, with a curatorial focus on contemporary interpretations of landscape. The 2026 finalists reflect diverse approaches to the genre, ranging from abstraction to materially driven painting practices.
Each artist brings a distinct perspective shaped by long-standing engagement with landscape as both subject and conceptual framework. Their inclusion positions them within a broader dialogue around Australian landscape painting and its evolving critical context.
Winners of the 2026 ACAR Art Prize will be announced in April.
Angus Nivison and John R Walker, in Holding Ground at the S.H. Ervin Gallery 7 March - 3 May
John R Walker and Angus Nivison are included in Holding Ground, a major group exhibition curated by Gavin Wilson. Bringing together painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography and textiles, the exhibition examines relationships between landscape, place and ecological change across New South Wales. Through diverse artistic approaches, Holding Ground explores contemporary perspectives on the Australian environment and the cultural significance of regional landscapes.
John R Walker: Forest Song at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery November 2025 to January 2026
John R Walker presents Forest Song, a solo exhibition at Goulburn Regional Art Gallery, on view from 21 November 2025 to 31 January 2026.
The exhibition features immersive large-scale portraits of trees, expressive drawings and fresh, immediate monotypes that capture the movement of light and fleeting moments in time. Renowned for his sustained engagement with the Australian landscape, Walker brings his distinctive observational approach to a body of work that explores the character, presence and vitality of the natural world.
Through painting, drawing and printmaking, Forest Song reflects Walker's mastery as a draughtsman and his ongoing investigation of landscape as both lived experience and artistic subject. The exhibition offers insight into one of Australia's most respected contemporary landscape painters.
Australian Nartional University acquires John R Walker October 23
John R Walker's significant painting Driving the Badja Road (2009) has been acquired by The Australian National University for its art collection.
The work will be featured in ANU Art Collection: Conjunction, opening on 23 October 2026. The exhibition highlights works from the university's collection and explores connections between visual art, ideas and creative practice.
As part of the project, the Jazmourian Ensemble has created a new musical composition in response to Driving the Badja Road. The work will premiere in November, extending Walker's exploration of landscape into a dialogue between painting and contemporary music.
The acquisition recognises Walker's longstanding contribution to Australian landscape painting and ensures that Driving the Badja Road will become part of an important public collection.
John R Walker at Samstag June 6 2024 to September 20 2024
Mulka Yata/The Knowledge of Place is a celbration of the ancient landscape, history and people of the Ikara -Flinders Ranges area of South Australia. Includes three major paintings by John R Walker.
Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide
Journeys & Return November 25, 2023 to January 21, 2024
Orange Regional Gallery will host a major exhibition celebrating John R Walker’s unique landscape paintings.
Curated by Gallery Director Brad Hammond this exhibition brings together the key paintings from Walker's oeuvre.
Here is the link to the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmRY9UN4-kY
see John McDonald's glowing review in the Sydney Morning Herald (2 Dec 2023)
Wynne Prize Finalists 2023 May 6 to September 3
John R Walker and Mantua Nangla are the finalists in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW. This will also tour regional galleries in NSW later this year. Currently at BAMM in Moree NSW.
National Gallery of Australia February, 2023
John R Walker's major painting Eagle Spirit, Vathiwarta 1 has just been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia. Capturing the layered geologic, climatic and human history of the Flinders Ranges.
Canberra Biennial 2022 October 1 - 29
John R Walker and Brett Stone are part of the 2022 Canberra Biennial, Contour 556
John R Walker is exhibiting at Barton Art Box,with new paintings of Lake George and its surrounds.
Brett Stone presents a series of installations at Manning Clark House. These works are all interconnected, interpreting Canberra's built and natural environment.
Wynne Prize 2022 From May 14, 2022
John R Walker's Eagle Spirit, Vathiwarta has been selected as a finalist in this year's Wynne Prize at the AGNSW
John R Walker at Burra Regional Art Gallery May 20 to July 18 2021
John R Walker is revisiting Burra and surrounding region in South Australia 5 years after he visited the area when painting for the Adelaide Biennial in 2018
Tree of Life 10 April to 30 May 2021
Tree of Life: A Testament to Endurance is a powerful selection of leading Australian artists whose work is inspired by the deep spiritual and physical association with the natural world. Includes 4 major paintings by John R Walker.
SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney, until May 30, 2021
John R Walker acquisition 20 August 2020
The ACT Legislative Assembly as acquired John R Walker's recent painting After the fire, Bombay Picnic Ground I.
John R Walker Interview July 17 2020
John R Walker is the latest in Richard Morecroft's Exhibition series of youtube interviews with Australian artists
Watch it here https://youtu.be/bKXJMe_PKzE
Darkest hours inspire artistic response July 7 2020
Steve Meacham's article in the Sydney Morning Herald highlights John R Walkers paintings in response to the recent Australian bushfires.
River On the Brink From September 19
John R Walker is included with two large paintings of the Darling River banks, in this exhibition highlighting the plight of the Murray Darling River Basin.
SH Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill, Sydney
Mosman Art Prize 2018 September 26 - November 18, 2018
John R Walker is selected as a finalist in the 2018 Mosman Art Prize
John R Walker: Wynne Prize 2018 12 May - 9 September, 2018
John R Walker has been selected as a finalist for the 10th time in the Wynne Prize at the AGNSW.
Burra Big Day Out With John R Walker 13 April, 2018
To celebrate John R Walker's Oratunga to Burra suite of paintings at the Adelaide Biennial a selection of his gouaches and artist books of Burra landscapes will be exhibited at Burra Regional Gallery The Zephyr Quartet will be performing on April 13 a programme of music inspired by his work.
John R Walker: Interiors 7 April - 24 June, 2018
It has often been said that we are shaped by the spaces that surround us. Curated by Gavin Wilson, "Interiors" probes that concept through the eyes of a select group of modernist and contemporary artists. The exhibition includes two works by John R Walker, paintings of his shed.
Orange Regional Gallery, NSW
John R Walker: 2018 Adelaide Biennial 3 March - 3 June, 2018
John R Walker selected for 2018 Adelaide Biennial at the AGSA. Divided Worlds, curated by Erica Green, presents 30 Australian artists over 4 venues, open until June 3, 2018. Walker has painted a suite of 7 large paintings of Burra and Oratunga, ancient eroded landscapes transformed by mining and agriculture.
John R Walker - Art Monthly August 2015
Don't miss John Zubrzycki's insightful essay on John R Walker in the current (August 2015) issue of Art Monthly.
Says Zubrzycki, "to talk with Walker about his vision, his methodology and what has inspired him over the years is to embark on a journey that is part philosophy, part musicology, part geomorphology."
John R Walker at Drill Hall Gallery June 2015
Curated by Glenn Barkley, ‘Here I Give Thanks' will bring together a group of John R Walker's works inspired by particular landscapes.
The exhibition will run from 3 July until 9 August 2015 at the Drill Hall Gallery, Canberra.
Opening Night: Thursday 2 July
For more information visit: http://dhg.anu.edu.au/events/john-r-walker/
John R Walker in Drawing Biennial at AGNSW November 2014
A number of delicate gouaches on paper by John R Walker feature in 'Drawing Out: Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial', curated by Anne Ryan at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
The exhibition runs from 21 November 2014 until 26 January 2015.
Reviews of the exhibition by John McDonald (SMH):
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/art-gallery-of-nsw-drawing-out-exhibition-shows-how-sketches-reveal-more-than-words-20141111-11joba.html
and by Sharon Verghis (The Australian):
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/the-lost-art/story-fnolgd60-1227114344061?sv=2619e4df7b842fce1b443c64dbfe7fec
John R Walker at Moree Plains Gallery October 2014
A survey exhibition of John R Walker's paintings will be at Moree Plains Gallery during October.
The exhibition opening is on Friday 10 October, from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
To view the online catalogue for the exhibition, follow this link:
http://issuu.com/utopiaartsydney/docs/site_moreeplainsgallery
John R Walker at SLNSW August 2014
Find two concertina artist books by John R Walker in the Amaze Gallery at the State Library of New South Wales.
John R Walker - two fabulous shows April 2014
Terroir Big Land Pictures, John’s survey at Orange Regional Gallery, runs until
Sunday 27 April. To view the online catalogues, click on the following:
Catalogue
Installation views
The End of All Our Exploring, an exhibition of John’s recent work at Utopia Art
Sydney, closes on Saturday 26 April. Click here to see Online catalogue.
Also, read Gina Fairley’s review of the show on ArtsHub
John R Walker April 2014
John R Walker & Simryn Gill, finalists in Redlands Konica Art Prize
Find their work at the National Art School Gallery from 11 April until 15 May, 2014.
Coming up for John R Walker: a major survey and an exhibition of recent work February 2014
Terroir: Big Land Pictures, a survey of John R Walker’s major canvases, will be at Orange Regional Gallery from 15 March to 27 April 2014.
Back in Sydney, ‘The End of All Our Exploring’ opens at Utopia Art Sydney on Saturday 22 March.
John R Walker September 2013
new website launched: http://johnrwalker.com.au
John R Walker, 'Winter in the Fire Forest' floor talk Saturday 10th November, 3pm November 2012
Visit the gallery on Saturday, November 10 at 3pm to hear Bryan Hooper discuss John R Walker’s latest body of work – until November 17.
John R Walker at MRAG October 2011
You are invited to the opening of John R Walker's solo exhibition 'Space and Time: Ten Years in the Landscape' at Maitland Regional Art Gallery on Saturday 22 October at 3pm. Exhibition runs until 4 December 2011.
John R Walker's painting Little River Road Gate April 2011
John R Walker's painting Little River Road Gate has been chosen by the S H Ervin selection panel for this years Salon des Refuses. The exhibition dates are 16 April to 19th June.