Brett Piva is a Newcastle based painter, sculptor, installation artist and muralist. 

Piva’s work intersects two worlds; the natural landscape of the Australian bush and the manufactured surfaces of urbanised space. Diverse organic markings sourced from sojourns in remote environments are replicated on manmade surfaces; gnarling curls of bark against the perfection of cut glass, or the lines of leaves on brick and mortar. 

The organic and synthetic are constantly at play and reflecting the other’s attributes. Reflection itself is an enduring theme in Piva’s work. 

In his primary practice of verre églomisé, reflection is present in the literal sense. The viewer’s own reflection and their surrounds become part of the artwork; an immersion that creates a transversal of time and space conducive to introspection. 

Furthermore, the mark making is inspired by periods of solitude and field research in remote parts of Australia, where the artist himself reflects on his connection to place and memory.

Formally trained in commercial arts before diverging into contemporary landscape and abstraction, Piva’s work has been exhibited in Japan, United States, United Kingdom and across Australia. His work is held in esteemed collections such as Gosford Regional Gallery and The University of Newcastle, and has achieved professional and unique personal artist residencies both on home soil and abroad.

Visual Artist

Muralist

Producer

Curator

  • 2025 Gosford Art Prize Finalist. (Artwork Acquired). Gosford Regional Gallery.

    2025 MAC Yapang Art Prize Finalist. Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie.

    2023 Gosford Art Prize Finalist. Gosford Regional Gallery.

    2022 Works on Paper Prize Finalist. Blackstone Gallery.

    2011 Peoples Choice. Two Tone Exhibition. The Roost Gallery

  • 2025 Gosford Regional Gallery. Central Coast Council Collection

    2019 The University of Newcastle Private Collection

  • 2025 Cold Knuckles at Crossroads. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2025 Studio Kura Residency Exhibition. Itoshima Japan

    2024 Material Drift. Duo Show. Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne

    2023 Epitomes Shared from a V-Bottom Tinnie. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2023 Solice in Condensed Alabaster. Akakura Onsen, Japan

    2020 NO SHOW. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2020 Studio Kura Residency Exhibition. Itoshima Japan

    2019 Shelter Amongst The Ancient River Reds. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2016 For The Devil Down South. Good Space Gallery. Sydney

    2014 Five Days of Decay. Edwards Gallery. Newcastle

  • 2019-2026 COLLECT. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2026 Objects At Rest. Superwow Gallery. Sunshine Coast

    2025 Assembly. Jacky Winter Gallery. Melbourne

    2025 Please Believe. Easy Mark Gallery. Melbourne

    2025 Artist Residency Reflections. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2022-2025 Summer Salon. Straitjacket Gallery. Newcastle

    2025 Silver & Cold. Wester Gallery. Newcastle

    2024 Alternating the Cube. Museum of Art and Culture. Lake Macquarie

    2024 Just My Type. Outré Gallery. Melbourne

    2019-2024 Out For Summer + Studio Exhibitions. Onwards gallery. Newcastle

    2023 Fifty Squared. Brunswick Street Gallery. Melbourne

    2022 DARLINGS. Curatorial & Co. Sydney

    2022 ONE Launch. One Gallery. Sydney

    2022 LOCUS. Blackstone Gallery. Newcastle

    2022 Arts for Health. John Hunter Hospital Gallery. Newcastle

    2022 Nothing can stop us now. Wester Gallery. Newcastle

    2021 ArtAid Launch. ArtAid. Sydney

    2021 Ordinary Intricacies. Watt Space Gallery. Newcastle

    2019 The End Again, Again, Again. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2019 Trespass Exhibition. Onwards Gallery. Newcastle

    2019 Divergence. Third Quarter Gallery. Brisbane

    2018 The End Again Exhibition. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2018 Art On Decks Exhibition. Softy’s Gallery. Newcastle 

    2017 The End Exhibition. Georgetown Shitty Shed. Newcastle

    2017 Deeper Voice of Textiles. Sculpture Exhibit. Newcastle

    2016 Back to The Future Exhibition. Abicus. Newcastle

    2016 First impressions - Pumphouse Gallery, Newcastle

    2015 Director’ Choice. Gallery 139. Newcastle

    2015 Recovery Charity Exhibition. Saluna. Newcastle

    2015 Look See, Good vs Evil. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2014 Look See, Music & Lyrics. The Lock Up Art Space. Newcastle

    2014 PVS Show-card Show. Previnylites Society. New York

  • 2025 Gosford Regional Gallery. Gosford

    2025 Jesmond Central. Newcastle

    2025 Salamander Bay Recycling. Port Stephens

    2024 The Other Art Fair. Sydney

    2024 Hunter Medical Research Institute. Newcastle

    2024 Shoal Bay Village. Port Stephens Council

    2024 Beaumont Street Mosaics. Newcastle

    2023 King & Bolton St residential exterior commission. Newcastle

    2022 Museum of Art and Culture. Lake Macquarie

    2022 Westfield Entertainment Precinct. Kotara NSW

    2022 Skelcon Headquarters. Newcastle

    2022 GWH Development Headquarters. Newcastle

    2022 Care Foresight Doctors Surgery. Hamilton  

    2021 Wangi Wangi Library Creative Hub. Lake Macquarie 

    2021 The Big Picture Festival. Melbourne

    2021 Dullwich Hill residential exterior commission. Sydney

    2021 Coassemble. Newcastle

    2021 Cardiff Heights residential exterior commission. Newcastle

    2019 The Corner, Charlestown Square. Newcastle

    2019 Maitland Regional Art Gallery. Maitland

    2019 Casino Council Lettering Mural. Richmond Valley 

    2019 Banna Lane Festival. Griffith

    2019 Third Quarter Gallery. Brisbane

    2019 VANS: House of Vans Skateboarding. Sydney

    2018 Fish Lane Festival. Brisbane

    2017 Salty Dog Hotel Bitumen Mural. Tasmania

    2017 Hudson St Hum. Newcastle

    2017 Surf Life Saving, Blacksmiths Beach. Lake Macquarie

    2017 First Coat Intl’ Arts Festival. Toowoomba

    2017 Thrashville Festival Crowd Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

    2016 Good Space Gallery. Sydney

    2016 Gumball Festival Stage Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

    2016 First Coat Intl’ Arts Festival. Toowoomba

    2016 Gumball Festival Bar Mural. Dashville, Hunter Valley

  • 2017-2025 Onwards Gallery. Founder, Director and Curator. Newcastle

    2015-2020 MAKE IT—MADE IT Arts Conference. Founder, Director + Curator. Newcastle

    2022 LOCUS group exhibition. Co-Curator. Blackstone Gallery. Newcastle

    2016 First Impression Exhibition. Curator. Pumphouse Gallery. Newcastle

    2014 Four Walls. Curator. Pocket Design Studio Gallery, Newcastle

    2012 Time & Place Gallery. Co-Director and Curator. Newcastle

  • 2025 Studio Kura. Artist Residency. Itoshima, Japan

    2023 Myoko. Artist Residency. Akakura Onsen, Japan

    2021 Murrumbidgee River Residency. NSW, ACT and VIC

    2020 Studio Kura. Artist Residency. Itoshima, Japan

    2016 Tassie Design Shack. Artist Residency. Taranna, Tasmania

    2015 Rue De Belleville. Artist Residency. Paris 

    2014 Edwards Gallery Residency. Newcastle.