Graeme Altmann, Moonah steps 2026, oil on linen, 152 x 182 cm. Courtesy the artist
We are pleased to announce the winner of the $1,000 People’s Choice Award as part of this year’s Bayside Painting Prize is Graeme Altmann, with his evocative landscape work, Moonah steps (2026).
Artist Graeme Altmann works across painting, drawing, sculpture and assemblage, creating works that explore the shifting relationship between people and the natural world. Born in Warrnambool on Victoria’s rugged southwest coast and living along Bayside’s coastline for over 25 years, his practice is deeply informed by the sea and surrounding landscapes, expressed through richly layered and atmospheric compositions.
Moonah steps (2026) is inspired by the artist’s thoughts and ideas as he walks along Bayside’s coastal tracks and pathways. Working with thin layers and translucent textures he endeavours to convey the energy and pace of the landscape and the twisted forms of the coastal Moonah tree. As Altmann describes, ‘There is no singular focal point, more of a view into and behind the forms that make up these walks. Painted in the autumn of 2025, I could sense a beautiful weight of light and stillness in the landscape that gave space for these thoughts and ideas to emerge.’
Graeme Altmann’s recognition as this year’s People’s Choice Award winner acknowledges his enduring practice and his ability to connect audiences with the subtle complexity and emotional resonance of the coastal environment.
