1979-81
Diploma of Teaching, North Brisbane College of Advanced Education
1983-84
Bachelor of Education, Brisbane College of Advanced Education
1985-89
Master of Educational Studies (with Major Thesis),
University of Queensland
1989-92
Doctor of Philosophy, University of Queensland
2003-07
Doctor of Visual Arts, Queensland College of Arts (Received Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence)

There is a poetry to the works of Richard Dunlop. A cursory glance would have you believe that they were merely illustrations of the natural world, but nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, these things of beauty do indeed have elements of botanical illustration to them, but for Dunlop, they are so much more than that. There is meaning beyond the literal for him. These evocative works explore the underlying mystery of nature, decay, change, beauty, continuity, and impermanence.

Painting is a natural part of Dunlop’s life, like eating and breathing, and so too each painting has an organic and unique life of its own, consuming weeks and sometimes months of this artist’s time. These fertile entities can consist of up to 30 layers of paint, before a resolution is settled upon.

Dunlop does not work to plan. He does not produce studies and drawings, rather he starts with the blank canvas, developing his ideas, and often painting over and redefining what has been evolving. He loves to explore paint, preferring the freedom of oils. The picture and the application of the paint is an organic process. He uses the medium in multitudinous ways, thinning it into watercolour-like translucent glazes, applying and removing it, scratching the surface, and often using his fingers to smear, smudge and blot. He enjoys composing and deconstructing the image, a little like how the natural world works, staring with a new life, the proliferation of such and then decomposition. Having said that, there is also often a necessary sparseness to these paintings, a void amongst the layers.

The forms and lines used by Dunlop in his works are recurring, often appearing again and again and as a consequence giving his works a relationship to others he has produced in the past. Dunlop works on numerous paintings at a time, sometimes revisiting paintings after several dormant months (or even years).

Richard Dunlop is a highly educated and awarded artist, with works in numerous private and corporate collections throughout Australia, UK, Tonga and Japan.  

Brisbane City Gallery
Gold Coast City Council Art Gallery Griffith University, Brisbane
Hayward Trust— Church of England Grammar School, Brisbane
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Keiza Koho Centre, Tokyo— Japan Institute of Social & Economic Development
Macquarie Bank
James Baker Collection— Museum of Contemporary Art, Brisbane
Museum of Modern Art, Shiga
National Library of Australia Queensland Potter’s Association Queensland University of Technology Simul International Inc, Tokyo
Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery University of Southern Queensland University of New South Wales University of Tasmania
Wesley Hospital Collection
Zurich Insurance

And various corporate and private collections throughout Australia, UK, Tonga and Japan

2012
Winner, Waterhouse Prize (painting category)
Finalist, Doug Noran Prize

2011
Finalist, Albany Art Prize, Albany Western Australia

2010
Finalist, Stanthorpe National Art Prize

2009
Finalist in the following: Glover Prize, Tasmania; Waterhouse Prize, South
Australia; Sunshine Coast Art Prize; Tattersall’s Prize; Hutchin’s Art Prize, Tasmania; ANL National Maritime Art Award, Melbourne

2008
Finalist, Archibald Prize— Art Gallery of New South Wales
Finalist in the following: Paddington Art Prize; Fleurieu Peninsula Art Prize (the Art of Food and Wine); Fleurieu Peninsula Vista Prize.

2007
Academic Excellence for Doctor of Visual Arts— Queensland College of Art, Griffith University

2006
Finalist in the following: Blake Prize; Glover Prize; Alice Prize; Sunshine Coast
Art Prize; Tattersall’ Art Prize; Jacaranda Drawing Prize & Theiss Art Prize

2005
Arts Queensland Grant

1995
Keizai Koho Scholarship