“I paint from intuition, guided by a spontaneous, evolving process where no work can be repeated. Each piece is a layered dialogue of colour and gesture, an invitation to pause.
Drawn to the wonder of life’s polarities, I release control and observe what happens.”
ABOUT KERRY
Film and theatre sets are where it all began over 20 years ago. No, wait… it started even earlier, as a seven-year-old drawing blue turtles on the lounge room wall. Drawing, painting, writing, anything that offered a chance to create felt natural, joyful, and essential.
However, across a (very) varied career, it took time to return to that simple philosophy.
Travel, work experience, and generally having a good time proved a welcome distraction until one day, I painted a large mural in a friend’s backyard. That humble beginning sparked a new direction, leading to a 10-year career in film and theatre as a scenic artist.
It was a rich and rewarding experience working within a creative team and witnessing the making of films and productions from the inside. The best one being Matrix II & III (yes - did rub shoulders with a few stars). I was in awe of the people around me, creating something from nothing. Being a painter on set felt like a dream realised (although, in my younger dreams, I was directing). The artists I worked alongside were generous, sharing their knowledge and skills. I learned a wide range of techniques, along with a helpful mindset of simply getting on with it and getting the job done. It was fast-paced and exhilarating. Between productions, I took on mural work across retail spaces, private homes, and theme parks. Commission painting followed, but it was driven entirely by client briefs, dictated by subject and style. Painting to order essentially. Valuable experience, but not authentically my own. Family, work, and the rhythm of daily life naturally filled the years. Then, six years ago, during a period of intentional soul-searching, I felt a sudden pull to carve out a corner of our home, set up an easel, and begin again. Abstract Expressionism emerged and with it, a deep clarity about how I want to spend my time.
After some years and many thousands of hours, I began to feel confident enough to share what I had learned, both about painting and the way the practice can unravel and heal other areas of life. This naturally led to facilitating art workshops, hosting fun Paint & Sip sessions, and offering private mentoring. My intention from here is to keep evolving and become a bloody good painter!
ARTIST BIO
Kerry Rushton is a self-taught artist with a foundation in scenic painting for film and theatre. It is here she honed her skills in scale, texture, and visual composition. After stepping away from her practice to focus on family, she returned to painting six years ago with renewed purpose and a deepened connection to her creative process.
Her abstract expressionist work is rooted in intuition, supported by a studied exploration of composition, colour & gesture. Her work seeks a balance between spontaneity and thoughtful refinement. Capturing the tension between chaos and calm, movement and stillness, inspired by the rhythms of daily life.
Through her work, she hopes to create a moment of pause and ponder—an invitation for viewers to reflect, feel, and find their own quiet connection to the polarities of life.
Over the last 3 years, Kerry has been actively building a cohesive body of work that includes attending an overseas workshop and residency program for inspiration and learning whilst exhibiting at Affordable Art Fairs and local galleries.