Peter Hewitt
Bachelor of Creative Arts (Fine Arts) - 2003
Diploma of Education - 2004
 Peter Hewitt’s efforts to balance life as an artist and art teacher are paying off, with one of his works making this year’s final of the prestigious Sulman Prize.
Peter, who completed a DipEd at UOW in 2004 after finishing his Fine Arts degree the previous year, combines teaching visual art at Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts with work as a practising artist in a studio he shares with another two artists.
This is his fourth year of teaching, having been at Smith’s Hill High for two years before joining Wollongong HSPA in 2007.
“I really enjoy teaching and find it very rewarding,” he says. “But when I started teaching, I promised myself that my own art wouldn’t drop off. I was determined to remain a practising artist, so I make sure I go to the studio one or two times a week, and also spend a large proportion of my holidays there.”
His dedication paid off with his entry for the Sulman Prize reaching the final, and being hung in a special exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW.
The Sulman is one of Australia’s longest running art prizes, having been first awarded in 1936. It is awarded for the best subject painting, genre painting or mural project by an Australian artist, and is held concurrently with the Archibald Prize for portraits.
Peter’s entry was a large painting of mixed media on board, Changing Tides Bro, which explored his indigenous heritage and relationship with the land. His indigenous heritage stems from the Yuan nation which incorporates areas of the New South Wales South Coast.
Peter, 25, says his work is influenced by abstract expressionism and contemporary indigenous art. Having his work recognised by the Sulman judges has been a significant career boost, especially as the other finalists were all considerably older and more experienced.
“Being recognised in major art prizes obviously helps build your reputation. So it has been exciting but a little bit daunting, to be up there (as a finalist) with well-established artists … people I have admired over the years,” he says. “It really validates my work, and puts me on the map in terms of artists’ practice and exposure.”
He has now entered a work in the National Indigenous Art Prize in Darwin.
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