LISS FINNEY
B. 1992, Launceston, Lutruwita / Tasmania.
EDUCATION
2025 Masters of Fine Arts, National Arts School, Sydney
2023 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Advanced Standing) National Art School, Sydney
2017 Bachelor of Natural History Illustration with Distinction, University of Newcastle
Certificate of Clinical and Educational Art Therapy, CECAT Australia
2014 Advanced Diploma of Visual Arts with Distinction, Newcastle Art School
SOLO SHOWS
2022 In Quiet Company, Onwards Gallery, Newcastle
2019 Ísland - Hall & Wilcox Emerging Artist Acquisition Solo Exhibition, Hall and Wilcox, Newcastle
SELECTED GROUP SHOWS
2025 Tropical LAB 19 - Service, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore
Creative Collections Commission - Inherited Histories, Orange Regional Museum
Group Show, Stella Downer, Sydney
Collect, The Lock Up, Newcastle
Brenda Clouten Scholarship Finalist Exhibition, Maitland Regional Art Gallery
March Forward, The Creator Incubator, Newcastle
2024 Summer Salon, Straitjacket, Newcastle
Sydney Festival of Death and Dying, Rush Cutters Bay, Sydney
The Spillway, Flow Studios, Sydney
HMRI Art Series Exhibition, Newcastle
Packsaddle, New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale
Tiny Gallery, Sydney
PACCED OUT, PACC, Cessnock
Counter Actions, The Creator Incubator, Newcastle
2023 Summer Salon, Straitjacket, Newcastle
National Emerging Artist Prize, Michael Reid Art Bar, Sydney
Suburban Undertow, Stella Downer Fine Art, Sydney
Upriver, Downriver, Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Pause, Pause, Leighton Contemporary, QLD
Collect, The Lock Up, Newcastle
6x6, The Creator Incubator, Newcastle
Here You Find Me, Scratch Space Gallery, Sydney
Stillness and Form, Goodspace Gallery, Sydney
5 Years & Onwards, Onwards Gallery, Newcastle
Contemporary Australian Landscape, Purple Noon Gallery, Freemans Reach
Newcastle Club Art Prize Finalist Exhibition, Newcastle Club
Lake Art Prize, Museum of Art and Culture Yapang, Lake Macquarie
Clouds, Newcastle Art Space, Newcastle
2022 Brenda Clouted Memorial Arts Scholarship, Maitland Regional Art Gallery
Sunburnt Country, Sketch Collective Gallery, Sydney
5x5, Creator Incubator Gallery, Newcastle
Balmy, Gallery Raye, Newstead Studios, Brisbane
2021 Blake Prize, Casula Powerhouse Gallery
Hawkesbury Art Prize, Purple Noon Gallery
National Emerging Art Prize, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
Gosford Art Prize, Gosford Regional Gallery
Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche, Sydney
Clouds, Newcastle Arts Space
Incognito Show, Verona Studio, Paddington, Sydney
2020 Locus Focus, Newcastle Arts Space, Newcastle
Wag the Tail, BOLTspace, Maitland
Little Things Art Prize, Saint Cloche, Sydney
Intimacy, Jericho Contemporary, Sydney
Stolen Property, National Art School Library Gallery, Sydney
MISTRESS, Black Stone Gallery, Newcastle
NAS Retrospective, NAS Gallery Newcastle
2019 Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize, NAS Gallery, Newcastle
2018 Naturalist, Watt Space, Newcastle
Narratives of Climate Change Art Exhibition, International Narratives of Climate Change Symposium, Newspace, Newcastle
2017 Hàus – NES studios, Skagaströnd, Iceland
2016 Margret Senior Award Exhibit, University of Newcastle
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, NAS Gallery, Newcastle
Studios End, NAS Gallery, Newcastle
Brenda Clouten Memorial Traveling Scholarship, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
2015 Progression of Self, Watt Space Gallery, Newcastle
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, NAS Gallery, Newcastle
Hall & Wilcox Emerging Artist Acquisition Exhibition, Sydney
2014 Reg Russom Memorial Drawing Prize, Newcastle Art School
Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize, NAS Gallery, Newcastle
Photography Installation, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle
Brenda Clouten Memorial Traveling Scholarship Finalists Exhibition, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
2012 Paper Works, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
2010 Eskleigh Art Prize, Eskleigh, Tasmania
Art Rage, John Lees Auditorium, Regional Gallery Burnie, Plimsol Gallery Hobart
2009 UCP Exhibition, Power House Gallery, Inveresk
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS + COMMISSIONS
2025 Orange Regional Museum Creative Collections Project
2024 Radical Care Kit, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, Westmead / Randwick
National Art School, Art Bar Commission.
2022 Seagrass Meadow, Science Week Art Project with Operation Posidonia, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Seagrass Meadow, Science Week Art Project with Operation Posidonia, Lake Macquarie Museum of Art and Culture , Lake Macquarie
2021 The Hunt in the Hunter Street Mall, Newcastle CBD as part of New Annual. Supported by the Australian Government RISE Fund
Public Mural, Cardiff Public Library, commissioned by the Lake Macquarie City Council
PRIZES AND AWARDS
2025 Runner Up, Brenda Clouten Memorial Travelling Scholarship
National Art School Tropical Lab Residency Prize, Singapore
2023 Clitheroe Foundation Masters Scholarship, National Art School
National Emerging Artist Prize Finalist, Michael Reid Art Bar, Sydney
Best Digital Learning Experience, Museums Australasia Multimedia and Publication Design awards. In collaboration with Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Newy Digital.
2022 Newcastle Club Art Prize Finalist, Newcastle Club
Highly Commended, Lake Art Prize, Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie, Yapang.
Highly Commended, Brenda Clouten Memorial Art Scholarship, Maitland Regional Gallery
Best Children’s e-Activity, Museums Australasia Multimedia and Publication Design awards. In collaboration with Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Newy Digital.
2021 Packers Prize, Hawkesbury Art Prize, Purple Noon Gallery, Freemans Reach
National Emerging Art Prize Finalist, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney
Little Things Art Prize Finalist, Saint Cloche Gallery, Sydney
Gosford Art Prize Finalist, Gosford Regional Art Gallery, Gosford
Best Children’s e-Activity, Museums Australasia Multimedia and Publication Design awards. In collaboration with Maitland Regional Art Gallery and Newy Digital.
2020 Blake Prize Finalist, Casula Power House Gallery, Casula
Little Things Art Prize Finalist, Saint Cloche Gallery, Sydney
2019 Winner, National Hall and Wilcox Art Prize.
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, Newcastle Art Space, Newcastle
Selected Australian Emerging Artist, Inaugural Hall & Wilcox Emerging Artist Acquisition Exhibition, Newcastle
2016 Highly Commended, Margret Senior Award, University of Newcastle
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, (Painting) Newcastle Art Space
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, (Photography) Newcastle Art Space
Runner up, Brenda Clouten Memorial Travelling Scholarship for a Young Achiever in the Visual Arts, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
2015 Selected Australian Emerging Artist, Inaugural Hall & Wilcox Emerging Artist Acquisition Exhibition, Hall and Wilcox, Sydney
Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize Finalist, (Painting) Newcastle Art Space
2014 Highly Commended (Painting), Newcastle Emerging Artists Prize, Newcastle Art Space
Finalist in the Brenda Clouten Memorial Travelling Scholarship, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland
RESIDENCIES / MENTORSHIPS
2025 Tropical LAB 19, International Art Camp, La Salle College of the Arts, Singapore
2023 Artist in Residence, Pacific Palms Primary, NSW
2020 Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Program Recipient
2017 Artist Residency, NES studios, Skagaströnd, Iceland
GRANTS
2022 Australian Federal Government and Inspiring Australia National Science Week Grant
2021 Made In Newcastle/Curious Legends: Wheely Day Out! Australian Government RISE Fund
Made In Newcastle/Curious Legends: New Annual Project. Australian Government RISE Fund
2015 William Fletcher Foundation Grant Recipient
ART PUBLICATIONS
2022 Jo Cooper, Newcastle Herald Weekender ‘Arts and Culture’ Feature, Saturday
2021 66th Blake Prize Education Kit, (pp.14)
2020 Real Living Magazine, November Issue. (pp. 112-113)
2018 Hannah Stretton, Newcastle Mirage, Issue 60, May 18 (pp. 4- 10)
Rethinking the Narrative of Climate Change, The University of Newcastle. Wednesday, 4 July.
2016 Finnie, A. ‘Artists and Artisans, The Newcastle Community Arts Centre’ (pp.174-181)
2015 Jill Stowell, Newcastle Herald, Dec 6th.
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
2017 M, Taylor. Singh, T. Grant, A. Boyd, B. Iyengar, A. ‘Systematic Use of Deep Hypotheric Circulatory Arrest for Resection of Renal Cell Carcinoma with IVC Thrombus’ – Illustrations of key surgical strategies.
2015 Shark Spotter – Grey Nurse Shark Scientific Illustration
COLLECTIONS
Orange Regional Museum Collection
National Art School Collection
Hall & Wilcox Collection (Sydney/ Melbourne/ Newcastle)
CONFERENCES / SYMPOSIUMS (presenter)
Art Gallery Outreach for people with Dementia and their Carers. Ageing, Art, and Creativity Symposium - Newcastle NSW, 30 September 2024.
Conversations: Enhancing connection and building community for regional audiences living with dementia and their carers, Australasian Museums and Galleries Association National Conference ‘Discomfort’, 16-19 May 2023
‘Create a Soft Sculpture’ in conjunction with Maitland Regional Art Gallery, The Best in Heritage 24th Edition, European Heritage Association, May 2023 (online).
Inconvenient Realities, International Narratives of Climate Change Symposium, Newspace, Newcastle, 5-6 July 2018.