We love it when an artwork transports you to another place and time, but it’s even more special when you feel like the subject matter was drawn from a memory in your own life.
Some of our favourite local artists are experts at layering nostalgia over everyday scenes and landscapes that feel distinctly Australian — from familiar suburban streetscapes to retro architecture.
Find a list of 9 talented artists we love who capture this in the best way!
The suits on Normanby by Adrian Jilich.
At Charles and Smith and Opening special by Adrian Jilich.
Back in town and 4hr Parking by Adrian Jilich.
After painting for about two decades, Adrian Jilich dedicated himself to art on a more serious level for the last five years — and his work is pretty remarkable.
The Victorian-based painter found his niche in capturing urban neighbourhoods with an incredible eye for detail. Everything from Collingwood’s graffiti-lined streets to Footscray’s local shops has been immortalised in his paintings.
A Shake Of A Lamb’s Tail, Chef’s Special, and Cicadas by Bobby Bowers.
We’re big fans of Bobby Bowers here at TDF, having featured him in our most recent TDF Collect exhibition just last year! Based in Melbourne, Bobby paints suburban architecture and serene landscape compositions as seen through rose-coloured glasses.
They’re simple and familiar scenes, reminiscent of our childhood houses and family camping trips. And that’s exactly what makes his work a wonderful reminder to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.
Left: Coast_III (Quiet Time) by Alexander Beech. Right: Solace II and Domain IX (Vibrations) by Alexander Beech.
It’s easy to imagine the stories behind each one of Alexander Beech’s paintings, often depicting lone retro houses nestled on Tasmania’s northeast coastline.
The experienced painter imagines these vintage structures and the rugged landscape filled with traces of melancholy and memories from a simpler time. Sometimes they can be calm or unsettling, but most of all, Alexander says they are reminders of ‘time passing’.
Untitled, Pit Stops, Hey Presto by Lili Montefioré.
Having grown up in Wangi Wangi, NSW, Lili Montefioré channels the unique charm of small suburban coastal towns into her vivid paintings — characterised by bold pinks and cobalt blues.
Her work draws from her own memories, domestic settings, and shared rites of passage, inviting others to connect with their own sense of nostalgia.
Beyond and Within by Justin Maurice Scivetti.
Terrance and Daily walk by Justin Maurice Scivetti.
Justin Maurice Scivetti is a figurative landscape painter who’s been exhibiting his work for the past 10 years.
His focus is less on replicating the exact look of a building, but instead on reimagining the architecture with playful spatial arrangements and pastel colours to highlight the character of our urban landscapes. These little vignettes are surprisingly emotive and utterly charming!
Drying In The Sun and Kirks Winebar by Charlotte-Aimee.
Charlotte-Aimee’s painterly, layered oil paintings capture modern settings with a sense of traditionalism — like if an impressionist painter visited beloved Melbourne restaurants like Gimlet and Kirk’s Wine Bar on Hardware Lane, or the Sydney Botanical Gardens.
She was born in New Zealand but moved to Sydney in 2019 where she’s been working as a full-time artist from her Paddington studio for the past three years. And if you’re keen to get your hands on artwork of a landmark from your own life, Charlotte-Aimee also takes commissions via her Instagram DMs!
Gertrude Street, Slow Lane, and City Wine Shop by Dan Bean.
Melbourne-based artist Dan Bean takes a quirky and humorous approach to his Australiana-inspired artworks. Whether it’s a portrait of friends stopped outside the Big Banana, little figurines playing cricket, or Clifton Hill’s iconic art deco McDonalds, his paintings are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.
He hopes each artwork brings you back to a certain era that is ‘quintessentially Australian’, and unique to our collective sense of self.
Happenstance and Farm Dream by Nick Dridan.
Nick Dridan’s unique visual language was born from his experience growing up on a farm in the Pyrenees Ranges, Central Victoria, where he still lives today.
Rural motifs and moody landscapes create an ambiguous backdrop, where part-real and part-imaginary narratives come to life on the canvas. His works are equal parts mysterious and transportive, allowing you to fill in the gaps of their true meanings.
October 14th, It Happens So Rarely, The Day Melts Away by Fiona Barrett-Clark.
Fiona Barrett-Clark’s paintings of the changing skies are almost like a visual diary. Each of her artworks captures the ethereal sunsets she sees on her daily walks around her suburban Sydney neighbourhood, creating distinctively Australian landscapes imbued with memory.
There’s something about the shadowy details in the foreground that makes Fiona’s pieces feel so lifelike, and she really knows how to do a beautiful sunset justice.
