Ted May - Artist
The paintings of Ted May bridge many historical classifications but they transcend any contemporary taxonomic interpretation. His study at East Sydney Technical College (now the National Art School in Sydney, Australia) in the early 1960s coincided with a time when Australian art was undergoing a shift; modernism had held strongly for two decades and abstract expressionism from the New York scene was starting to have an influence.
Some artists rejected these new ideas, and May’s formative years in this period were undoubtedly shaped by the discourse, but he and some of his Australian counterparts rejected the developing trends and concentrated on developing a style of painting that was unique and idiosyncratic.
While the lines of expressionism and the intellectual minimalism of abstraction are evident throughout May’s oeuvre, his signature ‘drawings with paint’ have remained resolute for 50 years.
Unweighted by trends, they express an artistic freedom which has evolved through decades of faithful studio practice.
Marita Smith, Gallery Director,
Gallerysmith
Gallerysmith
| Name: | Edward (Ted) May |
| Qualifications: | Diploma of Fine Art National Art School, Sydney |
| Occupation: | Full time artist – painter, draughtsman and soft sculptor |
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Previously
Lectured at:
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VCA, RMIT, and Monash University - Caulfield Campus, Melbourne VIC and the National Art Schools - Sydney and Newcastle, NSW.
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CV
Art Prize Exhibitions
| 2021 | Shortlisted Sulman Art Prize Art Gallery of NSW |
| 2014 | Shortlisted Black Swan Portrait Prize Perth WA |
| 2014 | Shortlisted Benalla Nude Prize Benalla Art Gallery, Vic |
| 2012 | Shortlisted Geelong Contemporary Art Prize Geelong Gallery, Vic |
| 2012 | Shortlisted Percival Xstrata Portrait Prize Perc Tucker, Townsville Qld |
| 2011 | By Invitation Kedumba Drawing Prize Wentworth Falls, NSW |
| 2010 | Awarded X Strata Portrait Prize Perc Tucker, Townsville Qld |
| 2009 | Shortlisted Gallipoli Memorial Art Prize Gallipoli Club, Sydney, NSW |
| 2009 | Shortlisted Sulman Art Prize Art Gallery NSW |
| 2008 | Shortlisted JADA Drawing Prize Grafton, NSW |
| 2008 | Shortlisted Robert Jacks Drawing Prize Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic |
| 2007 | Shortlisted ANL Maritime Art Prize Melbourne, Vic |
| 2007 | Shortlisted Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize Museum of SA, SA |
| 2007 | Shortlisted Dominique Segan Drawing Prize Castlemaine, Vic |
| 2006 | Awarded ANL Maritime Art Prize Melbourne, Vic |
| 2006 | Shortlisted Doug Moran National Portrait Prize State Library NSW |
| 2002 | Shortlisted Dobell Art Prize Art Gallery NSW |
| 1997 | Shortlisted Sulman Art Prize Art Gallery NSW |
| 1996 | Shortlisted Wynne Art Prize Art Gallery NSW |
| 1986 | Awarded Gold Coast Art Prize Gold Coast, Qld |
| 1967 | Awarded Maitland Prize (Abstract Painting) Maitland, NSW |
| 1966 | Awarded Maitland Prize (Figurative Painting) Maitland, NSW |
Selected Solo and Group Exhibitions
| 2026 | Qdos Fine Arts: Olmec Solo Exhibition |
| 2024 | Gallery Elysium: Not only - But also Solo Exhibition |
| 2023 | Gallery Elysium: Good Confusion Solo Exhibition |
| 2023 | Gallerysmith: XV Past Present Future Group Exhibition |
| 2022 | Gallery Elysium: Abstraction Attraction Group Exhibition |
| 2022 | Gallery Elysium: A walk amongst the gum trees Solo Exhibition |
| 2021 | Ted May Art online exhibition - Burnt Iron Solo Exhibition |
| 2020 | Art UK: Shakespeare Week Portraits Online Group Exhibition |
| 2019 | Bendigo Art Gallery: The Paul Guest Collection Group Exhibition |
| 2015 | Sydney Contemporary / Gallerysmith Group Exhibition |
| 2015 | Gallerysmith, Melbourne Wundergarten Solo Exhibition |
| 2014 | Melbourne University Festival of Ideas Group Exhibition |
| 2013 | Gallerysmith, Melbourne Pentimenti Solo Exhibition |
| 2012 | Gallerysmith, Melbourne Tomb Raider Solo Exhibition |
| 2011 | Light Factory Gallery, Eltham Drawings & master classes Solo |
| 2010 | Perc Tucker Gallery, Townsville The Forlorn Hope Series Solo |
| 2010 | Gallerysmith, Melbourne Wild Things Solo Exhibition |
| 2009 | JADA Drawing Prize Touring Group Exhibition 2009/2010 |
| 2009 | Ballarat Art Gallery Eureka Translated Solo Exhibition |
| 2009 | Ballarat Art Gallery Reclaiming Group Exhibition |
| 2008 | Benalla Regional Art Gallery Face of Shakespeare Solo Exhibition |
| 2008 | Ballarat Art Gallery The Forlorn Hope Series Solo Exhibition |
| 2007 | John Paynter @ The Lockup, Newcastle: Face of Shakespeare Solo |
| 2007 | Tsai-Mo Arts Festival, Taiwan International Group Exhibition |
| 2006 | Michael Commerford Galleries, Sydney Drawings Solo Exhibition |
| 2006 | VIII World Shakespeare Congress, Brisbane Face of Shakespeare |
| 2005 | John Miller Galleries, Newcastle Figurative Works Joint Exhibition |
| 2005 | Shakespeare Festival Melbourne Face of Shakespeare Solo |
| 2002 | Studio / Warehouse, Melbourne: A Return to the Figure Solo |
| 2000 | M.A.C. Gallery, Melbourne Group Exhibition |
| 1996 | Peter Gant Fine Art Melbourne Solo Exhibition |
| 1992 | Solander Gallery Canberra Solo Exhibition |
| 1990 | Kim Bonython Gallery Sydney Solo Exhibition |
| 1987 | Robin Gibson Gallery Sydney Solo Exhibition |
| 1986 | Barberino val D’Elsa, Florence, Italy Solo Exhibition |
| 1985 | Niagara Gallery Melbourne Solo Exhibition |
| 1984 | Rudy Komon Gallery Sydney Group Group Exhibition |
| 1983 | Heide MOMA – Figures & Faces Drawn from Life Group Exhibition |
Collections
National Gallery of Victoria
State Library of Victoria
Heide Museum of Modern Art; MOMA, Melbourne VIC
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery NZ
Ballarat Art Gallery VIC
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Townsville QLD
Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford upon Avon UK / Art UK
Owen Dixon Chambers Melbourne VIC
Australian Embassy Saudi Arabia
Peter McCallum Cancer Clinic Melbourne VIC
St Vincents Private Hospital Melbourne VIC
ANL Melbourne VIC
Melbourne, La Trobe, RMIT & Victoria Universities VIC
Conrad Jupitor Casino QLD
Hilton Hotel Perth WA
Western Australia Institute of Technology Perth WA
Selected Biographical References
Architects at Home – Publisher: The Local Project - 2025
Where They Purr inspirational interiors & the cats who call them home Authur: Paul Barbera & Queenie Chan - Publisher: Thames Hudson - 2021
The Paul Guest Collection Publisher: Bendigo Art Gallery - 2019
Ted May and The Forlorn Hope with excerpts from the journal of J P Stow Editor: Anna Monument - 2008
International Tsai - Mo Art Festival Publisher: Taichung Cultural Affairs Bureau Taiwan – 2005, 2006, 2007
The New McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art Publisher: Miegunyah Press - 2006
The Human Face is the Landscape of the Viewers' and Artist's Mind Yenobek No.5 - 95. U.S.S.R. - 1995
Profiles in Contemporary Australian Art New Art Four Publisher: Craftsman House - 1990
Artists and Galleries of Australia - Volumes 1 and 2 3rd Edition Max Germaine Publisher: Craftsmen Press - 1990
Drawn from Life. Figures and Faces. Editor: Elizabeth Cross Publisher: Heide Park & Art Gallery – 1983
