Matthew Sansom is an Australian visual artist celebrated for his evocative landscapes and flora works, which capture the nuanced interplay of light, form, and atmosphere. His practice is grounded in direct observation, often painting and drawing en plein air to engage authentically with the environment. With colour harmonies and visual poetry, Sansom's captivating imagery is drawn from places around the Byron Shire and beyond.
Born in Ballarat in 1974 and raised in Geelong, Sansom studied Art and Design at Geelong TAFE from 1992 to 1993. His early career encompassed roles in community theatre and music projects, including set and costume design, with the Chandrabhanu Dance Company in Melbourne. During this period, he also developed drawings with gouache on paper for the Brunswick art collective.
In 2000, Sansom relocated to the UK, where the Devon countryside, and later, Herefordshire, inspired a series of plein-air oil paintings and experimental mixed media studio works.
Returning to Australia in 2004 and settling in Northern New South Wales, he began interpreting landscapes of the Northern Rivers NSW. He also curates an exhibition space, Galleon Bangalow.
Solo Exhibitions
'ULYSSUS GARDEN'
La Ventana, Adliya, Kingdom of Bahrain,
March, 2016
NUAGES
Byron Bay, Australia
March 2018
CLOSE TO HOME
Gallery 3
Byron Bay, Australia
April 2021
WINTER LIGHT
The Lobby
Byron Bay
September 2021
AMBERGRIS
The Arts Corner
Bangalow
May 2022
PINK DOLPHINS
The Bayleaf
Byron Bay
Oct-Nov 2025
Group Exhibitions
2025 The Darcy Doyle Art Awards. Mudgeeraba QLD. Keepers of the way
2022 Birds Gallery 3 Byron Bay. Kitchen Blue Bird.
2021 D'Arcy Doyle Awards, Mudgeeraba QLD. Looking back at Broken Heads.
2021 Birds, Gallery 3. The Raven, Spotted peafowl, Plover on Teal.
2020 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize, Lismore Regional Gallery. 'Fashioned from Clay'
2020 Border Art Prize, Tweed Heads National Gallery, 'Resilience'
2019 Gallery 7 prize. Byron Bay. 'Woebegone Raven'
2018 Border Art Prize, Tweed River National Gallery. Reclining Shoreline.
2017 Lethbridge 10 000, Brisbane. 'Tallow Wood'
2016 Border Art Prize. Tweed Regional Gallery, Qld. Woompoo Fruit Dove
2016 Ocean Shores Art Expo. ‘Banksia Branch’ and ‘Honeysuckle Hill’
2016 Byron Bay Art Expo, Byron Community Center. ‘Olive Oriole’
2014 Caldera Art Expo, Tweed River National Gallery. ‘Coucal Pheasant at sunrise’
2013 Northern Rivers Portrait Awards. Lismore Regional Gallery. Portrait of George C Weir.
2009 Caldera Art Expo. The Center Beaudesert. ‘Closed Forest of the Caldera’
Awards and Prizes
2019 Second place, Ocean Shores Art Expo, Grass Trees at Dawn.
2018 Second place, Ocean Shores Art Expo, Bridge over Tallow Creek.
2017 Third place, Fruits Gallery, Lismore. 'Reclining shoreline"
2017 Third place (acrylics and oils) Ocean Shores Art Expo, "Tallow Wood".
2016 First place (Acrylic and oils) Ocean Shores Art Expo. ‘Banksia Branch’
2012 Second place (Acrylics and oils) 'A Moonlit Summer's Night'. Ocean Shores Art Expo.
2010 First place The Lismore Serpentine gallery, The Zodiac series.
2009 First place, Caldera Art Expo 'Closed Forests of the Caldera’. Beaudesert Regional Gallery.
Bibliography
2013 Nature series published by Blue Island Press, in gift cards.
2015 Artworks and artists' statements featured in the editorial 'Acrylic Sachet Mixte Themes' France.
2017 The Zoc publishing house. Images and artist statement. Indiana USA.
2023 Northern Rivers Times, image and artist statement. NSW Australia.
2023-5 Gift card range with Galleon Bangalow NSW Australia.
2023 Artwork feature, for the mini-series 'Apples Never Fall' (Roadhouse Productions)
2023 Artwork feature for Mini series 'Apple cider vinegar' (Wellness productions)
2024 Artwork collection featured in interior for Inside Out magazine, Sydney, Australia
2025 Artwork collection featured in House and Garden. Australia.