Wendy Sharpe (1960- ), Australian artist born in Sydney.
She won the Sulman Prize in 1986 with Black Sun - Morning and Night and the Archibald Prize in 1996 with Self Portrait - as Diana of Erskineville The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize, and is the most prominent of all arts prizes, in Australia. ...
She was one of Australia's official war artists sent to East Timor in 1999.
WendySharpe was one of two artists appointed by the Australian War Memorial to cover the Interfet peacekeeping operations in East Timor.
Sharpe's diary is an interesting chronicle of events, including what she ate and the physical difficulties presented by the heat, sweat and dirt in East Timor.
Sharpe was deeply affected by this performance and interpreted it as an attempt by the East Timorese to exorcise their pain.
A decade ago, when WendySharpe won the Archibald Prize for a self-portrait entitled Diana of Erskinville, the director of the NSW Art Gallery commented that it was probably the raunchiest painting to win the Archibald.
Sharpe, 46, one of Australia's most successful female painters, is highly regarded for her expressionist depictions of voluptuous women - often various incarnations of herself - clad and unclad, sensuous, vibrant and bold.
Sharpe's distinctive style, as well as earning her an Archibald and several other prizes, garnered her an invitation in 1999 from the Australian War Memorial to act as Australian Official Artist, portraying Australia's peacekeeping force in Dili, just after the East Timorese had voted for independence from Indonesia.
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