Tom O’Hara
Tom O’Hara is a Canberra based artist working with wood to create works that explore the complex relationship humans have with nature. At the core of Tom’s practice is the notion that wood both connects us to and separates us from the natural world. He explores this duality by creating sculptural works that blur the line between human-altered material and organic structure. Through his unique process of construction and destruction, Tom transforms recycled Australian hardwoods into mysterious, ambiguous objects that invite reflection on where nature ends and the artificial begins.
Tom’s creative journey began as an apprentice electrician where he developed a passion for haptic learning and material exploration. This sparked an artistic journey that led him to a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) at RMIT University, completed in the Jewellery and Object workshop in 2014. He then returned to his hometown of Canberra to undertake a PhD at the ANU School of Art and Design. Completing his Doctorate in 2024, Tom researched the complexity of wood using rule-based systems and intuitive methods to create objects that intersect the human and natural worlds.
Tom’s work has been exhibited across Australia and internationally. He has been the recipient of multiple awards and residencies, has work in the W.E. McMillan Collection, Melbourne and was finalist in the International Graduate Show 2015, Gallery Marzee, Netherlands, Victorian Craft Award 2015, Craft VIC and the Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, 2015. Having now established his studio at Strathnairn Arts, he continues to expand and refine his process, creating works that bridge the human and natural worlds through material exploration and sculptural innovation.
