Guy Fredericks

A deep love for nature and animals motivates the work of Guy Fredericks. His approach is equally earnest and playful, and he says that when he is working on his art he feels joy. This motivation is evident in both the careful attention to detail and the rich colour palette that Guy employs. But his buoyant depictions belie an expressed message: the urgency of the climate crisis.

Working across painting, drawing and sculpture, Guy moves easily and masterfully from one medium to another, from acrylics, watercolour, graphite and soft-pastel, to papier-mache and ceramics. In 2023, Guy was awarded a scholarship with the Tom Bass Sculpture Studio, and undertook a residency at Glassworks in Canberra, beginning a suite of works employing casting and glass. 

Guy has been shortlisted for several prestigious prizes, including the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, the Valerie Taylor Prize for Ocean Advocacy and the Northern Beaches Environmental Art & Design Prize. In 2020, Guy was awarded the Liberty Specialty Markets Art Award, which provided him with the funds to engage in a year-long mentorship with painter Laura Jones. 

Guy has also exhibited widely with Sydney Festival at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Peacock Gallery Auburn, Sub Base Platypus North Sydney, Sydney Contemporary and NSW Parliament. In 2024, Guy and collaborator Chloe Watfern will present a climate-focused solo show titled Bleeding Hearts and Morning Glory, at Manly Art Gallery.

- Portrait by Scott Heldorf