Ms Sharpe, who is a leading Australian artist and winner of many major national awards, scholarships and prizes including The Sulman Prize, The Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship, The Portia Geach Memorial Award (twice), The Archibald Prize (1996) and many others.

She was commission by the Australian War Memorial as an Australian Official Artist to East Timor in 1999 (the first woman since WW2), the State Library of NSW, and she has also worked with the Asylum Seeker Centre Sydney (on a major portrait project).

She has a great interest in theatre, burlesque and has done major working projects with the Australian Opera, Circus Oz and the Australian ballet.

Other Major commissions include the Olympic pool size mural for Cook and Philip Park Aquatic Centre, Sydney.

Ms Sharpe has been awarded many artist residencies.

These include two residencies in Paris at the AGNSW studio Cite International des Arts, a residency at the Australian embassy residence in Egypt (as special guest of the ambassador) and two in Antarctica, as well as residencies in China and the Arctic. She is a regular finalist in the Archibald, Sulman, Wynne and Dobell prizes.

Her work is held in numerous major cultural institutions throughout Australia. She has held over 60 solo exhibitions around Australia and internationally.

Light refreshments will be served during the free floor talk which begins at 2pm.