Mitch Cairns, 42 (he/him) is an artist based in Sydney, working primarily as a painter while exploring other interests alongside his practice. He graduated from the National Art School in 2006. He grew up in Casula, with family ties to the Northern Illawarra, and now lives in Sydney.
His upcoming exhibition, Artist’s Mouth, will be presented at the National Art School Gallery from 1 May to 11 July 2026. The exhibition marks two decades of his practice since graduating.
The show brings together paintings, works on paper, sculpture, and text-based pieces, presenting both earlier works and more recent ones. It offers a simple overview of how his practice has developed over time.
1. What are you currently working on, and what feels most exciting about it right now?
I’m currently working on a project as part of my receiving the ‘The Neil Balnaves Fellowship’ in late 2025. The project will encompass a suite of new paintings and an artist’s book which will be exhibited in Mosman Art Gallery’s ‘Grand Hall’ in mid 2027.
2. How many “drafts” do you usually make before the final version?
Drawing underpins everything I make; image-ideas are made relatively quickly, sometimes I need very little drawing other times a great many.
3. What’s been taking up the most space in your mind lately?
As a consequence of the fellowship, I have been looking at the work of poet and artist Ian Hamilton Finlay; this has lead to my re-engagement with the work of Nicolas Poussin, Claude Lorrain & Juan Gris.
4. What are you currently drawn to visually, emotionally, or creatively?
I’m often drawn to artworks that host some form of misunderstanding, either on my part or that of the artwork’s. I’m not referring to a willingness to misunderstand, more an encounter with art that is engaged with sense making.
5. Where do you find inspiration? How do you know it’s a good idea worth trying?
Much of what choose to paint is within my immediate surroundings, meaning where I live, what I might read and the like.
6. What’s been challenging you the most lately, and how are you navigating it?
Bookcovers. Almost all new book covers are horrible to
look at.
7. How much of your process is intuition vs how much of it is discipline?
Are they not the same thing? If not, my first thought is that they are, or interdependent. I require both to make anything.
8. What’s something you’re proud of at the moment that people might not see?
Canterbury – Bankstown Bulldogs 32
Penrith Panthers 16
9. What are your practices/rituals to get you into a flow state?
I am fortunate to work each day in the studio; I keep regular hours. When I begin, I know what will require my immediate attention, what I choose to do thereafter is usually unquestioned.
10. If you had an unlimited amount of money, what would you create?
I’d start a small publishing imprint.
