Biography
Perth-based, independent visual artist Nigel Laxton has been working from his studio at the Heathcote Cultural precinct since 2015. He obtained the studio after graduating from Curtin University with a Masters’ degree in 2014. Prior to that Nigel had a successful and innovative career as a Materials Scientist/Engineer and he is named as an inventor on over a dozen international patents relating to aerospace and wave energy applications.
Nigel is inspired by contemporary, ambiguous artworks and this is the main focus of his work. He explores the materiality of various mediums, often with site related concepts, and works with both oil and acrylic paints, sand and pigments. During a short period as a printmaker he exhibited artworks in both the Australian Print Triennial and the Fremantle Print Award.
Shortly after graduating he was commissioned to produce an artwork for the Luciano Benetton collection, Italy and received the Clyde and Co. art award. He has since had two solo exhibitions, one group exhibition, been a finalist in numerous local and interstate curated art awards and had work displayed digitally at MoMA New York, USA.
Solo Exhibitions
2018 Sound & Silence Earlywork gallery, Fremantle, WA
2017 Ambiguous Romanticism Contemporary Art Spaces Mandurah (CASM), Mandurah, WA
Exhibitions and Awards
2020 HCP - in an era of isolation Heathcote Gallery, Applecross, WA
2019 FAC Print Award (Finalist) Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, WA
2019 SCENE Exhibition (Invitation) Nyisztor Studio, Melville - Palmyra, WA
2019 Swan River Print Studio Summer Exhibition Earlywork gallery, Fremantle, WA
2018 Galvanise (Artsource members exhibition) The Old Customs House, Fremantle,WA
2018 Australian Print Triennial (Finalist) The Art Vault, Mildura, Victoria, Australia
2018 BAM Art Prize (Finalist) Thomgallery, Byron Bay, NSW
2018 'In the Studio' (Invitation) MoMA, New York, USA
2017 City of Busselton Art Award (Finalist) ArtGeo Gallery, Busselton, WA
2017 Claremont Art Award (Finalist) Town of Claremont, Western Australia
2017 Ellenbrook Open Art Award Ellenbrook Arts, Western Australia
2017 Help the Homeless Art Auction (Invitation) Fremantle Town Hall, WA (Soroptimist International of Fremantle Annual Event)
2016 Fleurieu Food and Wine Art Prize (Finalist) McLaren Vale, South Australia
2016 Help the Homeless Art Auction (Invitation) Fremantle Town Hall, WA (Soroptimist International of Fremantle Annual Event)
2016 Contemporary Art Awards (Finalist) Online Exhibition, Brisbane, Queensland, (Finalist)
2015 City of Busselton Art Award (Finalist) ArtGeo Gallery, Busselton, WA
2015 City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Art prize Kalgoorlie, WA
2015 Clyde & Co. Art Project Prize, exhibition and mentoring
2014 Graduate Exhibition SoDA, Curtin University, WA
2013 FloorPlan202 Kurb Gallery, Northbridge, WA
2013 FAC Student Exhibition The Moores Building, Fremantle, WA
2009 Visions of Vincent (Photography) City of Vincent, WA, (Highly Commended)
Publications
2018 Australian Print Triennial, Print Award Finalists, La Trobe University, 31 Oct - 4 Nov 2018, ISBN 978-0-9944662-0-4
2016 Finalist Exhibition, Contemporary Art Awards, Brisbane, Australia, 2016
2016 Looking Down Under: Contemporary Artists from Australia, Imago Mundi Luciano Benetton Collection, Fabrica, Italy, 2016
Collections
Luciano Benetton Collection, Italy
Wirrin Foundation, Australia