Alexia Sinclair to headline Kayell’s final Creatives Studio talk for 2026
Australian fine-art photographer Alexia Sinclair will headline Kayell Australia’s final Creatives Studio artist talk for 2026, taking place at the company’s Artarmon showroom on Wednesday, 21 October.
Known for her intensely colourful, highly detailed photographs of historical and allegorical figures, Sinclair creates elaborate scenes that draw on the traditions of history painting.
Her images combine contemporary fashion with elaborate costumes, sets and props, using symbolism and narrative to tell stories within a single frame.
The Newcastle-born artist, who studied Fine Arts at the National Art School in Sydney before completing a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Newcastle, has developed a practice that extends well beyond the camera.
Her background in theatre and ballet has also influenced the way she approaches photography, with models effectively becoming characters within carefully constructed scenes.
speaking about what attendees can expect at her talk, she says she hopes photographers leave with a sense of how much can happen before they even pick up a camera.
“I’m a fine artist, and the camera is one tool in my toolbox, alongside research, costume-making, set-building and drawing.”
Her photographs can take months to produce, with the planning and construction often forming a major part of the creative process.
“I sometimes describe my process as making a film, except the story is told through still images,” she says.
“There are sets, costumes, characters and locations, but much of that work is done by me, over months at a time.”
Sinclair says she works in series, developing an overarching narrative alongside individual stories within each image. Research is an important part of the process, with ideas gradually taking shape through sketches, costumes, props and sets.
Some photographs are created entirely in camera, while others involve extensive post-production. Part of the process may involve photographing locations, animals and other elements separately, before combining hundreds of layers of her own photography and hand illustration into the final image.
At Kayell, she will also discuss her latest series, The Age of Wonder, and the process behind its creation.
“Understanding how they’re made opens up another layer of the stories they tell,” she says.
Sinclair’s previous projects include The Regal Twelve, a three-year series celebrating twelve powerful historical women.
Her work has been exhibited at institutions including the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Australian Centre for Photography and the Art Gallery of NSW, as well as internationally in Paris, Seoul, Dubai and Pingyao.
For photographers looking to develop their own visual style, Sinclair’s advice is relatively straightforward: pay attention to what excites you.
“Let the work you admire motivate you, then look beyond it to your own interests, experiences and the stories you want to tell,” she says.
She believes a distinctive style develops gradually through research, experimentation and repeatedly making creative choices.
“I think a personal style develops through those choices, made again and again over time.”
The Creatives Studio: Alexia Sinclair
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
6pm–9pm AEST, $25.
Kayell Australia Artarmon Showroom
30 Whiting Street, Artarmon, NSW 2064