Robyn Sweaney

Born 1957, Melbourne, Australia

Lives & works from her studio in Murwillumbah, NSW — Bundjalung Country

Robyn Sweaney paints the modest homes and streetscapes that quietly mark Australia's suburbs and coastal towns. Working primarily in acrylic, gouache and graphite, her tightly-rendered paintings respond to the post-war architectural vernacular — the fibro shacks, brick veneers and beach cottages that hold mood, memory and the passing of time.

"It's about stillness, light, reflection and contemplation. A moment in time that is fleeting yet at times dramatic in its calmness."

Robyn has exhibited regularly since 1992.

In 2019 she was awarded the Trustees Watercolour Prize in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW.

She has been a finalist in:

Her work is held in public and private collections including the State Library of NSW, Artbank, HOTA, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, and Grafton and Lismore Regional Galleries.

Represented by Arthouse Gallery, Sydney.

Read full bio & CV

A modern house with unique architectural design featuring a combination of metal and concrete elements, a balcony with geometric railing, and large windows, set against a gray sky and surrounded by a well-maintained lawn.

Out of the Blue — Drift, Melbourne Art Fair 2025

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A white house with green roof accents and a red railing, front yard with flowers, sidewalk, and street, auction sign in yard.
A small, light blue house with two windows, a door, and the number 22 on the wall. The house has a flat roof and is surrounded by green plants and trees.

Solo Exhibitions / Selected Group Exhibitions

Drift, 2025

A modern house with large windows, a small front porch with outdoor chairs, and a green lawn with steps leading up to the porch. There is a large tree behind the house.

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Paradise Lost, 2023

A colorful model of a house with a green exterior, black iron gate, small front yard with bushes and flowers, a brick pathway, surrounded by trees and plants, and a large white building with balconies in the background.

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Lost in Palm Springs, 2023–24

A mid-century modern house with a white upper floor and a decorated stone and brick facade, featuring a balcony, landscaped garden, and palm trees.

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Arthouse Gallery at Sydney Contemporary, 2023

Artistic painting of a backyard view featuring a pink brick house with dark shutters, a white spiral staircase, lush green plants, trees with pink flowers, and a gray overcast sky.

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Living on the Edge, 2022

Painting of a suburban house with a red-tiled roof, brick walls, front porch, garden with bushes and flowers, enclosed by a brick and metal fence.

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Long Road Home, 2021

A residential house with white siding, a grey metal roof, red and white striped awnings over the windows, a hedge in front, and trees in the background.

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Hidden in Plain Sight, 2020

Painting of a house with large front window, surrounded by green plants and bushes, with a pole and wires in front.

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Dwell, 2019

A suburban street with two houses, front yards, trees, bushes, and garbage bins on the sidewalk.

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The Nature of Things, 2018

Single-story white house with three windows, a front door with brick steps, and three trash bins in the yard. There are bushes and a tree to the left and right of the house.

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