The Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Celebrating 25 years of supporting student artists
The Tim Olsen Drawing Prize celebrates students who use drawing as a significant part of their artistic practice. Now in its 25th year, the Prize has been continuously supported by , who encourage young and emerging artists to build careers as professional practicing artists.
Candidates are nominated by academic staff and then selected for inclusion in the exhibition and consideration for the $5,000 Prize.Â
Previous recipients
From 2000 - 2002, the Prize was named the Tim and John Olsen Drawing Scholarship and it has been known as the Tim Olsen Drawing Prize since 2003. In many cases, it was the first major award received by practicing artists like Patrick Hartigan, Rochelle Haley and Ramesh Nithiyendran.
2000 - 2008
2000Â Â Â Â Patrick Hartigan
2001Â Â Â Â Nicola Brown
2002Â Â Â Â Roger Whitaker
2003Â Â Â Â Unknown
2004Â Â Â Â Rochelle Haley
2005Â Â Â Â Philippa RixÂ
2006Â Â Â Â Ebony Bizys
2007Â Â Â Â Suzanne Heymans
2008Â Â Â Â Kathy Yeh
Image: 2004 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize recipient Rochelle Haley's winning work 'Untitled'. Photograph courtesy of the artist.Â
2009 - 2017
2009Â Â Â Â Toshiko OiyamaÂ
2010Â Â Â Â Kendal Heyes
2011Â Â Â Â Ramesh M. Nithiyendran
2012Â Â Â Â Jack Stahel
2013Â Â Â Â Jeremy Smith
2014Â Â Â Â Yvonne EastÂ
2015Â Â Â Â Eunjoo JangÂ
2016Â Â Â Â Sharon Leslie Watkins
2017Â Â Â Â Janet MitsujiÂ
Image: 2016 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize recipient Sharon Leslie Watkins (right), with Tim Olsen (centre) and judge Alan Jones (left).Â
2018 - 2025
2018Â Â Â Â Eva NolanÂ
2019Â Â Â Â Robbie Karmel
2020Â Â Â Â Monika Cvitanovic
2021Â Â Â Â Xanthe Muston
2022Â Â Â Â Amelia van der laan de VriesÂ
2023Â Â Â Â Harrison Rae
2024Â Â Â Â Remy Faint
2025Â Â Tia Madden
Image: 2023 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize recipient Harrison Rae with their winning work 'Busby's Labourers'. Photograph by Anna Kucera.    Â
Online exhibitions
2025 TIM OLSEN DRAWING PRIZE
Recipient: Tia Madden
Finalists:Â Aarhon Silver, Anna Alexanderova, Ava McClure, Chelsea Kee Yii Wong, Eric Kang, Eva Nolan, Fatima Naqvi, Hoo Park, Jeremy Smith, Lucy Parkinson, Mei Lin Meyers, Melissa Gaspari, Mia Hayward, Monica Jie Xu, Payal Khanna, Riley Stafford, Skye Wallace, Todd Fuller, Trinity Johnson
Image: Tia Madden with the winning work Some Sort of Notation 2024 - 2025. Oxidised mild steel and copper, dimensions variable. Photograph: Anna Kucera.Â
2024 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Recipient: Remy Faint
Finalists: Tash Brobyn, Jess Curran, Cleo Ding, Maitê Feijó, Veronica Frost, Jade Gillis, Kristy Gordon, Deanna Hegner, Abbey Hiscocks, Aaron Kennedy, Elijah Kinnavong, Tia Madden, Lucy McLauchlan, Aya Nomoto, Emily Naya Schorowsky, Jeremy Smith, Monica Trieu, Elizabeth Wawn, Ada Eni (Ernie) Xu.
Image: Remy Faint, 'Inscriptions (Finials and Silk)' 2024. Acrylic and ink on silk, painted and stitched fabric, cotton, shade cloth, laser-cut brackets, wood, engraved terracotta, red iron oxide, aerosol, 160cm x 136cm.
2023 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Recipient: Harrison Rae
Finalists: Alyssa Valacas, Emily Schorowsky, Emma Fielden, Emma Pinsent, Eva Nolan, Harry Rae, Ilana Lapid, Jeremy Smith, Jessamyn Jean, Jordan Sharp, Junnie Wang, Kelly Yangnouvong, Kewen Dai, Kristy Gordon, Lily Peng, Sarah Eddowes, Skye Wallace.
Image: Harrison Rae, ‘Busby’s Labourers’ 2023. Ceramic, 61cm x 21cm.
2022 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Recipient: Amelia van der Laan de Vries
Finalists: Adrian Mok, Anika Campbell, Astrid Elouise Bell, Charles Levi, Conor Parsons, Emma Pinsent, Emma Vey-Cox, Eva Nolan, Evan Ye, George Eggleton, Harrison Mae, Jasmin Smith, Jeremy Smith, Kristy Gordon, Matti, Nicola de Vries, Rachel Hegh, Tia Madden, Vanessa Yeoh, Zoe Patsiokostas.
Image: Amelia van der Laan de Vries, ‘Reproductive Behaviour of Fish’ 2021. Fineliner pen on paper, 40cm x 55cm.
2021 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize
Recipient: Xanthe Muston
Finalists: Amelia van der Laan de Vries, Anna Seymour, Courtney Ruge, Jacqueline Pamela McIntyre, Jasmin Smith, Johann de Silva, Joshua Alipio, Kanha Kagami, Karin Mizuno, Kendall Rosario, Liana Berzins, Lily Langley, Lucy Teague, Matti, Mitchell Williams, Nicola de Vries, Nicola Isaacs, Nicole Zhang, Nikau Davis, Sam Goneis, Sophie Rhodes, Tia Madden, Veronica Frost, Yao Chen.
Image: Xanthe Muston, ‘I Couldn’t (Can’t) Explain It’ 2021. Watercolour, ink, and gouache on paper, 110cm x 78 cm.
Header image: 2024 Tim Olsen Drawing Prize winner Remy Faint, 'Inscriptions (Finials and Silk)' (detail).
Acknowledgement of Country
ºÚÁÏÍø´óÊÂ¼Ç School of Art & Design stands on an important place of learning and exchange first occupied by the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples.
We acknowledge the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land that our students and staff share, create and operate on. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend this respect to all First Nations peoples across Australia. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
