JAMES WHITE ‘8 TO 80’ RETROSPECTIVE

2 JULY - 5 SEPTEMBER 2026

TO BE OPENED BY RUTH BLAKELY OAM

2PM SATURDAY 25 JULY

8 to 80 celebrates an extraordinary career spanning eight decades. From James’ earliest drawings as a young boy on the family farm at Boggabri to a lifetime of painting landscapes, rural life, local buildings, still life and scenes inspired by travels throughout Australia and overseas—from Mongolia to Antarctica—this retrospective traces the remarkable breadth of his artistic journey. It reveals an artist who has always looked closely at the world around him.

James White has exhibited with Weswal Gallery since the 1980s, building a devoted following of collectors who recognise the warmth and craftsmanship of his work. A distinctive feature of James's paintings is the tiny red-capped gnome hidden within many of the compositions. It is a playful signature that reflects his gentle sense of humour and rewards those who take the time to look.

As James himself writes, "Artworks tell stories. The first story is mine and the second story belongs to the viewer."

This exhibition celebrates James’s passion for painting and pleasure

The paintings featured in this online catalogue are exhibited in our main gallery spaces. The Stockroom Gallery presents a retrospective selection organised through the decades from James’s extensive archive, together with his visual diaries and folios of unframed sketches, drawings and watercolours. Each work is individually available for purchase.

THE EXHIBITION