About Sylvie Carter
Sylvie studio is based on Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) Country, on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Her painting practice explores themes of human connections, strength and the limitations in our contemporary lived experiences.
Sylvie is known for passion for both portraiture and ‘En Plein Air’ landscape painting. Her mood filled landscapes and compelling portraits bridge impressionistic light-play with realistic detail, Sylvie’s paintings have been described as having an almost literary quality, inviting viewers to discover the deeper emotional truths hidden within familiar scenes and faces. Her works seek to reveal the often-hidden narratives of memory, place and person.
Growing up and living in the bush in Gundaroo NSW, has instilled in Sylvie, a deep sense of respect for all nature, its beauty and unpredictability. Painting in oils and watercolour Sylvie looks for subjects that tell an important story or make us ask questions about our human experience. In her landscape work Sylvie enjoys being immersed in nature, painting ‘en plein air’ and in her portraiture work, she likes to paint from real life, using the sight-size technique, over a few sittings.
Sylvie started her artist journey when she was in her teens, sketching and creating large figurative sculptures in clay and wood. She pursued her passion in 2007, going on to complete various self-paced watercolour workshops and mentorship programs with world-renowned artists, including training in the classical techniques and methodologies of the great Dutch masters.
Sylvie has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationally. Her works are held in both private and public collections. She has been a finalist in multiple art prizes including the Gallipoli Art Prize, The John Copes Portrait Prize and The Waterbrook Prize for Drawing.
Achievements
2025 Founder of the Sunshine Coast Plein Air Festival 2026
2025 Founder of the Hinterland Plein Air Oil Painters Group
2025 Founder of the Wallace House Atelier
2025 Founder Life Drawing Long Pose – Wallace House Noosa
2025 The Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre – Penrith Sydney – Portrait of Composer Margaret Brandman
2024 Gallipoli Art Prize 2024 Finalist – The Rocks Sydney
2023 Waterbrook Prize for Drawing Exhibition – Bowral Art Gallery
2023 Gallipoli Art Prize 2023 Sydney
2022 John Copes Portrait Prize Finalist – Bowral Art Gallery
2002 Gallipoli Art Prize Sydney
Arts Grant by the QPRC Cultural Grants and participant in the 2022 QPRC Arts Trail.
2021 Lethbridge Art Prize Finalist – Online
Exhibitions
2024 Lake and Beyond Exhibition – 8 September – 20 October 2024 – Yarralumla Gallery, Canberra
2024 Gallipoli Art Prize, The Rocks Sydney
2023 Valleys, Views and Vines Solo Exhibition at the Lake George Winery Gallery NSW
2023 Gallipoli Art Prize, The Rocks Sydney
2022 Valleys, Views and Vines Solo Exhibition at Rusten House Arts Centre, Queanbeyan NSW
2002 Gallipoli Art Prize, The Rocks Sydney
2021 Salon Group Exhibition – Aarwun Gallery, Canberra
2021 QPRC Art Prize Exhibition at The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre
Education
2023 Short Course – Life Drawing with Aleksia Shaw, graduate from the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts named after I.E Repin, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
2022 Portraiture mentorship program with world-renowned artist and instructor, Scott Waddell, formerly an instructor with the Grand Central Atelier, New York.
2021 Course on making oil and watercolour paints using pure pigments lead by the Director and Senior Conservator, Victoria Pearce at Endangered Heritage in Canberra
2021 Classical painting techniques with UK based artist Mike Skidmore
2019 Advancing Watercolour with Chan Dissanayake
2018 Oil Painting Course with John Vance Australian National University School of Art and Designs’ Centre for Continuing Education.
2007 Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced watercolour with artist Noel Ford, Australian National University School of Art and Designs’ Centre for Continuing Education.
Collections
Queensland Air Museum – Portrait of Jim Battle and Bill Bryan (Last Mission – Lest We Forget)
Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre – Portrait of celebrated Australian composer ‘Rapt’ of Margaret Brandman
Queensland Air Museum = Portrait of F/O Jimmy Battle and Bill Bryant
La Trobe University Melbourne – Double Portrait ‘Roman Emperors Podcasters’.
Australian Army Museum of Military Engineering, Holsworthy Barracks – Portrait ‘Surveyors of Merauke’.
Woden Valley RSL Sub- Branch – Ernest Corey Room – Portrait ‘Corporal Ernest Corey’.
Publications and Media
2025 Article about painting in the Duntroon Society Newsletter 1/2026 ISSN 2207-0400
MARCH 2026
2024 2CC Radio Interview with Nicole Overall
2023 Canberra Times Editorial
2023 Gundaroo Gazette- Editorial
2022 Winter – Gallipoli Gazette – Editorial
2022 Visual Arts Radio Interview with Barbie at the Living Arts Canberra
2022 Blog Living Arts Canberra
2022 Goulburn Post and Queanbeyan Age Newspaper Editorials
2022 Art Guide Australia Article