About.
Joel Tonks is an Australian visual artist currently based in Orange NSW, working across painting, ceramics, interactive media and photography. Graduating from the University of Wollongong in 2014 with a Bachelor of Creative Arts Honours, his multifaceted practice explores the intersections between science, art, and everyday life.
Discovery and empiricism are recurring threads in Tonks' artworks, whether it be the classification and taxonomy of the natural world, or interaction of virtual and physical worlds.
CV.
Education
2014
Bachelor of Creative Arts Honours (Visual Arts)
University of Wollongong
Awards
Fisher’s Ghost Art Prize - 2025
Finalist
Campbelltown Arts Centre,
Campbelltown NSW
Calleen Art Award - 2025
Highly Commended
Cowra Art Gallery, Cowra NSW
Cabonne Acquisitive Art Prize - 2025
Winner
Cabonne Council, Molong NSW
9x5 Landscape Prize - 2022
Finalist
Waverly Wollahra Art School, Bondi NSW
Heysen Prize for Landscape - 2022
Finalist
Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf SA
Cementa22 - 2022
Participating festival artist
Cementa, Kandos NSW
National Capital Art Prize - 2021
Finalist
Federation Square, Nicholls ACT
Lachlan Valley Biennial Art Awards - 2021
People's Choice Award
Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra NSW
Cementa21 - 2021
Artist in Residence
Wayout Art Space, Kandos NSW
Heysen Prize for Landscape - 2020
Finalist
Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf SA
Fifty Squared Art Prize - 2018
Finalist
Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy VIC
Heysen Prize for Landscape - 2018
Finalist
Hahndorf Academy, Hahndorf SA
Agendo Art Award for Young Emerging Artists - 2017
Finalist
The David Williams Gallery, Canterbury VIC
Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize - 2015
Finalist
Gallery Lane Cove, Sydney NSW
Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize - 2013
Finalist
Gallery Lane Cove, Sydney NSW
Calleen Art Award - 2012
Finalist
Cowra Regional Gallery, Cowra NSW
Countryscapes - 2011
Youth Encouragement Award
Bathurst Regional Gallery, Bathurst NSW
Residencies / Grants
The F Project - FJ’s Artist Residency - 2025
Residency grant recipient
Warrnambool, VIC
Wayout Artspace / Cementa Residency - 2021
Residency recipient
Kandos, VIC
William Fletcher Foundation - 2013
Student grant recipient
Solo Exhibitions
Forged by fire, shaped by time - 2020
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, Bathurst NSW
[ceramics]
When you weren't watching - 2016
Delmar Gallery, Ashfield NSW
[painting]
Transcendence - 2014
DMC Gallery, Innovation Campus, Fairy Meadow NSW
[Honours project: interactive installation]
Australian Daydream - 2013
Parkview, Orange NSW
[painting]
Light, Life & Perspective - 2011
Jayes Gallery, Molong NSW
[painting]
Group Exhibitions
9x5 - 2025
Peisley Street Gallery, Orange NSW
Conversations with Clarice Beckett - 2024
Orange Regional Gallery, Orange NSW
Cementa Friendship - 2024
Mudgee Arts Presinct, Mudgee NSW
Shadowlands - 2023
Wayout Artspace, Kandos NSW