Ash Keating

My commission especially for the 80th floor lift lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne has been an incredible opportunity. Since it's installation almost 12 months ago many people that have stayed at the hotel have contacted me and expressed their love for the work. To have a work on show 24/7 in such a beautiful location and so many travellers enjoying it as part of their overall experience is something you only realise the magnitude of once it is all taking place. I am grateful to all those that made it happen especially Mark Chapman @markcman13 for the invitation and my project manager David Hagger @h_gg_r Just last week the @theritzcarltonmelbourne celebrated their art collection and the artists that created the works. As part of a partnership with @melbourneartfair we met for a series of talks and a meal at @atria.dining courtesy of @chefmichaelgreenlaw The Art collection was curated by Rowena Hockin of @barstudio_ and Mark Chapman of @chapmanbailey The wonderful artworks that are also included in the collection are by @sally.smart @rekorennie @joncattapan @laramerrett @geoffnees @christianthompsonartist @andytaylorpainter #miragojak #djirrirrawunungmurra and #rogerkemp Photography by @andrew.curtis.photography #ashkeating #ashkeatingstudio #ritzcarlton #ritzcarltonmelbourne

10 years since I painted the billboard on the north wall of the @ngvmelbourne in-situ, to launch the Melbourne Now exhibition. Time flies! Congratulations to @yokoono on her beautiful artwork on the same billboard that has just launched for the NGV Triennial. Great to see it used by an artist once again. Photography by @melbournemuseumphotography #ashkeating #ashkeatingstudio #ngv #ngvmelbourne

‘Haus Germann Response’ 2023 Located at Museum Langmatt, Baden, Switzerland. On view until December 10th as part of a larger solo project I have at the Museum. Painted as an endurance performance painting, with pressurised fire extinguishers filled with paint, the painting was split into two sessions for an hour on both the morning and afternoon on Thursday 17th August 2023. Several hundred people attended to watch the process of the painting take place. The intervention was the idea of Museum Director Markus Stegmann, and who back in January 2022 invited me to come to Baden, Switzerland to undertake this very unique project. The invitation was to paint the late administrator Paul Germann's house within the Langmatt gardens before it is demolished in early 2024. #ashkeating #ashkeatingstudio #museumlangmatt #markusstegmann @museumlangmatt @stadtbaden @frauhugentobler

I returned to Lutruwita / Tasmania in March to present a new series of paintings, Russell Falls Response, in the ground floor gallery at @cloudstone_artist_residency Thank you to everyone who visited the open studio on March 14th—it was a perfect day, both in weather and company. I’m incredibly proud of this series; the process was at times thrilling and painful, but returning with the work has been cathartic and deeply rewarding. I’m grateful to @jessehunniford for documenting the installation for my archive and to be able to share these images with you all around the world. Unexpectedly, several paintings from the series have been curated into a group exhibition at @bettgallery this June, offering a unique opportunity to see them in Nipaluna / Hobart in a few months’ time. — In late December 2025, I spent five days at Russell Falls, Mount Field National Park, Lutruwita, photographing the environment with a long lens and seeking macro compositions. From these references, I developed Russell Falls Response, returning to my mainland studio for the first seven weeks of 2025. Grounded in observation, the paintings sit between abstraction and realism—an ambiguity central to the series. The studio process involved repeatedly building and removing texture, pressure washing, and sanding back layers to create a flattened yet seemingly three-dimensional surface. The final layers are formed through the application of water, binders, and pigments—a decade-long process that allows gravity, flow, and surface tension to shape the composition, mirroring the forces of falling water. Thank-you to @chapmanbailey for fast tracking the highest quality, stretchers, linen and framing of the paintings.

I returned to Lutruwita / Tasmania in March to present a new series of paintings, Russell Falls Response, in the ground floor gallery at @cloudstone_artist_residency Thank you to everyone who visited the open studio on March 14th—it was a perfect day, both in weather and company. I’m incredibly proud of this series; the process was at times thrilling and painful, but returning with the work has been cathartic and deeply rewarding. I’m grateful to @jessehunniford for documenting the installation for my archive and to be able to share these images with you all around the world. Unexpectedly, several paintings from the series have been curated into a group exhibition at @bettgallery this June, offering a unique opportunity to see them in Nipaluna / Hobart in a few months’ time. — In late December 2025, I spent five days at Russell Falls, Mount Field National Park, Lutruwita, photographing the environment with a long lens and seeking macro compositions. From these references, I developed Russell Falls Response, returning to my mainland studio for the first seven weeks of 2025. Grounded in observation, the paintings sit between abstraction and realism—an ambiguity central to the series. The studio process involved repeatedly building and removing texture, pressure washing, and sanding back layers to create a flattened yet seemingly three-dimensional surface. The final layers are formed through the application of water, binders, and pigments—a decade-long process that allows gravity, flow, and surface tension to shape the composition, mirroring the forces of falling water. Thank-you to @chapmanbailey for fast tracking the highest quality, stretchers, linen and framing of the paintings.

Ok, so everyone love's the rainbow pic from yesterday, so I'm putting it on the grid. Plus a couple of images I took this morning, showing the incredible ways the landscape and paintings interact and change alongside one another. Nice excuse to double down on my promotion of tomorrow's open studio here in 'Ralulingkana' at @cloudstone_artist_residency Open Studio Saturday March 14th 10am to 2pm 84 Black Brush Rd, Mangalore All welcome.

I am having an open studio this Saturday 14th March, 30 minutes north of Nipaluna / Hobart. I am busy in the hills here, known as 'Ralulingkana', the only recorded name for the nearby 'range of hills between Bagdad and Dromedary' (Mangalore Tier). Yet, with fuel prices all of a sudden being significant, I wanted to preview one half of the project, and indeed show that the landscape itself is worth travelling for, the residency is as unique as it gets, and the artworks I am presenting are worthy of being seen. This place, @cloudstone_artist_residency is magic, be sure to come and see this incredible new addition to Tasmania's creative community. If you are in Hobart, please share this post to someone that may be interested, or come along and bring a friend or two. Open Studio Saturday March 14th 10am to 2pm 84 Black Brush Rd, Mangalore

“Don’t go chasing waterfalls” (Russell Falls Response #01) 2026 Synthetic polymer, pigments, perlite, mica flakes on linen. Aluminium Stretcher and Satin Black slip frame 125cm x 188cm (127 x 190cm framed) ____________________________ In mid December I escaped the concrete ghetto, the impending burnout, and self funded an escape, to @cloudstone_artist_residency . It didn’t take long to chase waterfalls for emotional regulation, but of course I had to keep myself active and photograph them. I then realised I had a clear idea of how I wanted to approach a painting for the 2026 @gloverprize The lyric from TLC’s song “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” reflects the pursuit of unrealistic goals, which resonated with the ambition and risk inherent in this work. A familiar response to the Glover tradition would be a panoramic depiction of Tasmanian rivers and lakes (that you’re used to). Instead, I chose to subvert that expectation by focusing on a tightly cropped, macro view of a waterfall. The painting is conceived at the largest vertical scale permitted, using a portrait-format composition that invites close, physical engagement. While the work is grounded in observation and site-specific experience, its visual language may be read as abstract. This ambiguity between abstraction and realism is central to the painting. I spent five consecutive days at Russell Falls in December 2025, immersing myself in the environment and gathering extensive photographic reference. The work was completed in my studio in January 2026. The process involved building dense, granite-like textures before applying binders and pigments that were then partially erased with water. This method allows gravity, flow, and surface tension to shape the image, mirroring the physical laws that govern falling water itself. In a week’s time, I will open my studio at @cloudstone_artist_residency to exhibit other works in this series. If people see the works they will be rewarded, but I’m really just grateful to be here to be in this magical place for the next few weeks. First artwork photograph by; @melbournemuseumphotography

‘Ralulingkana’ is the only recorded Aboriginal name for the hills surrounding Mangalore Tier in Nipaluna / Hobart, Lutruwita / Tasmania. It is here, on a steep rise in Mangalore, that Cloudstone Artist Residency sits. Built in the 1970s by abstract painter Anton Holzer as a home, studio and private gallery, Cloudstone has long been shaped by art and landscape. In 2024, Keith Westbrook and Maddie Sewall became custodians of the property, continuing its creative legacy through their architecture practice, Up to Something, and the establishment of Cloudstone AiR. The residency fosters meaningful connections between visiting artists and Tasmania’s landscape, encouraging exchange across disciplines and community. As the inaugural artist in residence (December 2025), I am delighted to return in March to complete my residency with a one-day public showing. Inside the gallery, I will present new works responding to Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park. The first painting from this series ‘Don’t go chasing waterfalls’ (Russell Falls Response), is a finalist in the 2026 Glover Prize exhibition, which will be showing concurrently on that weekend also. Additional works will be installed along the steep ascent to Cloudstone, responding to the hills and shifting skies observed from the residency. Maddie, Keith and I warmly invite you to join us - to meet us all, to experience the works, to soak in the landscape, and to enjoy Cloudstone. Cloudstone Artist Residency @cloudstone_artist_residency Public Showing Saturday March 14th 10am – 2pm 84 Black Brush Road, Mangalore TAS 3070 ———————————— Images 3 & 4 are details of a new painting which will be shown at the open studio. Images 1,2,5,6,7,8 are all photos I took during the residency.

‘Cobblebank Response’ Acrylic on Canvas 3.35 x 12.66 metres painted 15/06 to 19/06 installed 20/06 to 01/07/2025 on @gawk.outdoor Supersite Billboard Western Highway / Cobblebank Victoria / Wurundjeri Country _______________________________ To make the sacrifices and work as hard as I do, it makes no sense to not be coming close to creating dream projects, alongside those of necessity. World class ambition on a blue collar reality cheque. While my ambition and dreams outweigh my reality, I never have let that stop me from making big things happen that are within my reach and capacity. In mid June 2025, when I should really have been resting body and mind, I reinvested profits from a late Summer commission straight back into my ongoing passion project of the year. Offered the first few weeks of a newly constructed billboard super-site I had hoped for, I decided I could’t let this pass me by, despite the intense deadline. Days turned to night, and into day again, as I painted the large scale canvas billboard in less than 100 hours within my studio wall. Hours later, it was installed, and for all the 12 days it was live, I spent that time documenting it, on country. Grasslands inhabited by a kangaroo mob (and a few happy loners), I documented the painting in changing light, as days turned to night, and the painting changed with it. I had no time to promote the project, nor wanted to. The audience were the commuters driving on the western highway, and whomever of those that saw the work would see it briefly. This painting like so many of mine in recent times is a positive affirmation, a marker for meditation, a light in an increasingly dark world. Abstraction in place of advertising, analogue in the midst of a new landscape of artificial intelligence.

I’m in a fight to get my soul back, as the great Gift of the Gab penned in 2002. To make the sacrifices and work as hard as I do, it makes no sense to not be coming close to creating dream projects, alongside those of necessity. World class ambition on a blue collar reality cheque. While my ambition and dreams outweigh my reality, I never have let that stop me from making big things happen that are within my reach and capacity. In mid June 2025, when I should really have been resting body and mind, I reinvested profits from a late Summer commission straight back into my ongoing passion project of the year. Offered the first few weeks of a newly constructed billboard super-site I had hoped for, I decided I could’t let this pass me by, despite the intense deadline. Days turned to night, and into day again, as I painted the large scale canvas billboard in less than 100 hours within my studio wall. Hours later, it was installed, and for all the 12 days it was live, I spent that time documenting it, on country. Grasslands inhabited by a kangaroo mob (and a few happy loners), I documented the painting in changing light, as days turned to night, and the painting changed with it. I had no time to promote the project, nor wanted to. The audience were the commuters driving on the western highway, and whomever of those that saw the work would see it briefly. This painting like so many of mine in recent times is a positive affirmation, a marker for meditation, a light in an increasingly dark world. Abstraction in place of advertising, analogue in the midst of a new landscape of artificial intelligence. ‘Cobblebank Response’ Acrylic on Canvas 3.35 x 12.66 metres painted 15/06 to 19/06 installed 20/06 to 01/07/2025 on @gawk.outdoor Supersite Billboard Western Highway / Cobblebank, Victoria Wurundjeri Country

Earlier this year, I was fortunate to be offered a commission, which I recently completed and we installed this past week. Amy from @twobirdstalking had a strong vision for a feature wall, overlooking the main open plan workspace and in collaboration with @ivyrconsulting , suggested something reminiscent of my NGV Billboard work from 2013. I loved how clearly both Amy and Ivy articulated what they thought I could bring to the space, based on what they had seen of my work and I felt energised by this. While the brief allowed plenty of room to move compositionally, I wouldn't usually replicate past work, let alone scale down a 7 x 18 metre fire-extinguisher painting. But I took it as a challenge to closely follow the original mark by mark, made possible by having filmed the full 5-hour endurance session from 2013. Using small spray bottles to mimic the extinguishers I’d used for the NGV billboard, I painted for 4–5 hours, in wet-on-wet acrylics, alternating between making marks and watching old footage play out on screen. As someone who usually works intuitively and improvises in the moment, it was at times tedious and mentally draining, but the process allowed me to reconnect with a pivotal moment in my practice. To step back into that space with fresh energy, and embrace it. A successful outcome for the client, and a personal journey back to a palette, energy and rhythm I plan to channel into further works in the new year.