Artist Biography – Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson is a contemporary Australian landscape painter based in Somersby on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Originally from Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, she draws inspiration from the waterways and bushland of the Hawkesbury River, Cowan Creek and the surrounding Australian landscape. Through atmospheric oil paintings, she explores the interplay of light, mist and distance, creating works that evoke a sense of stillness, contemplation and connection with nature.
Working primarily in oils, Kim builds subtle layers of colour and texture to capture the quiet beauty and changing moods of the landscape. Rather than documenting a specific place, her paintings distil the essence and emotional memory of being immersed in nature, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and experience a sense of calm.
Kim studied Graphic Design at Billy Blue School of Design before completing a Diploma of Surface and Textile Design. Between 2018 and 2020 she further developed her fine art practice under the guidance of Newcastle artist John Morris, refining her technical approach while establishing her own distinctive artistic voice.
In 2025, Kim was a finalist at Hawkesbury Art Prize and she founded Somersby Art Gallery, an artist collective dedicated to showcasing the work of local Australian artists across a range of mediums and fostering a vibrant creative community on the Central Coast.
Selected Exhibitions & Awards
* Founder, Somersby Art Gallery, 2025* Finalist, Hawkesbury Art Prize, 2025 (work sold during exhibition)* Winner, KMYC Art Prize, 2021* Group Exhibition, Finite Gallery, 2020
Working primarily in oils, Kim builds subtle layers of colour and texture to capture the quiet beauty and changing moods of the landscape. Rather than documenting a specific place, her paintings distil the essence and emotional memory of being immersed in nature, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and experience a sense of calm.
Kim studied Graphic Design at Billy Blue School of Design before completing a Diploma of Surface and Textile Design. Between 2018 and 2020 she further developed her fine art practice under the guidance of Newcastle artist John Morris, refining her technical approach while establishing her own distinctive artistic voice.
In 2025, Kim was a finalist at Hawkesbury Art Prize and she founded Somersby Art Gallery, an artist collective dedicated to showcasing the work of local Australian artists across a range of mediums and fostering a vibrant creative community on the Central Coast.
Selected Exhibitions & Awards
* Founder, Somersby Art Gallery, 2025* Finalist, Hawkesbury Art Prize, 2025 (work sold during exhibition)* Winner, KMYC Art Prize, 2021* Group Exhibition, Finite Gallery, 2020
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Artist Statement
My inspiration comes from time spent on the Hawkesbury River and Cowan Creek, a landscape of solitude, mist and shifting light that evokes a profound sense of calm. These paintings emerge from quiet moments where tree-covered escarpments, still water and layered atmospheres create a feeling of timelessness. There is an uncanny stillness in these places, as though the landscape itself is quietly observing and holding stories beyond what can be seen.
Working in oils, I use subtle tonal shifts and simplified forms to capture the emotional essence of the landscape rather than a literal representation. I am drawn to the spaces where mist softens the hills, where sunlight briefly illuminates sandstone cliffs, and where reflections dissolve into shadow. These fleeting transitions of light, weather and atmosphere transform familiar places into something mysterious and contemplative.
My work is an invitation to slow down and reconnect with nature. Through each painting, I hope to preserve the quiet beauty and spiritual presence of the river, giving form to its silence, movement and enduring mystery.
Working in oils, I use subtle tonal shifts and simplified forms to capture the emotional essence of the landscape rather than a literal representation. I am drawn to the spaces where mist softens the hills, where sunlight briefly illuminates sandstone cliffs, and where reflections dissolve into shadow. These fleeting transitions of light, weather and atmosphere transform familiar places into something mysterious and contemplative.
My work is an invitation to slow down and reconnect with nature. Through each painting, I hope to preserve the quiet beauty and spiritual presence of the river, giving form to its silence, movement and enduring mystery.