Nathan Andrew McCarthy

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Photograph by Amber Hearn.

Nathan Andrew McCarthy (b. 2002 Blacktown, Australia)

Nathan Andrew McCarthy is a contemporary artist of Irish-Australian background. His practice explores sexuality, the everyday, self-exploration through material, and his experience of the world through a queer and neurodivergent perspective.

Nathan approaches art like a child. He sees art as a process rather than a product, often beginning a painting without knowing what it will become. He moves the paint around, responds to how he feels and allows the work to develop naturally, often only thinking about the end result once he arrives there. He sees this process as being closely connected to his own personality and life, which he also understands as something continually developing rather than having a fixed outcome.

Art has been part of Nathan's life from an early age. Growing up with learning disabilities, ADHD/autism, he found communication impossible as a child and only learned to speak and write English from around the age of eight. He would communicate through drawing, crayon, paint and pencil, often making scribbles and drawings in the house, including on the walls of his mother's room. Art became an innate form of communication before he understood it as a practice.

Nathan grew up on the coast of Northern NSW and developed a strong connection to the bush, creek beds and surrounding natural environments. He continues to spend much of his time in the bush, observing nature and the people within it. His paintings often come from these observations and from quiet moments within everyday life.

After moving to Sydney in 2022, Nathan reconnected with the child-like mark-making he had lost connection with. This innate way of making has since become an important part of his contemporary painting practice and continues to influence how he approaches materials and making.

Alongside his studio practice, Nathan is an active community organiser. In 2024, he successfully campaigned to reopen the Darlington Community Centre for artistic and community use. The centre is now used frequently by different groups, including two mental health art groups, a dance group, a community music jam group, a sewing group and Nathan's own art class - ArtCRAFT.

Nathan has exhibited in group shows including LOAF (2025) and Goodspace (2024), and held a solo exhibition at Landslide Gallery (2025) in the Blue Mountains. He also completed a month-long artist residency at Mountains Art Residency (2025).

Nathan works as a Support Officer for ARTEXPRESS and Operation ART, and maintains his painting practice locally from Studio 07 at Buon Gusto, Darlington.

Buon Gusto Studios
Studio 7 - 368 Abercrombie Rd,
Darlington 2008

nathanamccarthy@gmail.com
+61 401083884
CV