Ellie Kaufmann

Ellie Kaufmann is a painter based in Captains Flat, New South Wales. Kaufmann’s artworks reflect everyday, mundane life, exploring the theme of "one man’s trash is another man’s treasure". These works celebrate a stockpiled suburbia, maximalist interiors, out-dated exteriors, meaningless collections, fantastic trash and objects that are no longer useful but kept for aesthetic or nostalgic reasons. Documenting snippets of her life and her neighbourhood of Captains Flat, Kaufmann’s work also investigates the light and colours within her residential domain. Her work can be described as Australiana with kitsch and pop art references.

Ellie earned a Diploma of Fine Arts from Newcastle Art School in 2011. Since then she has exhibited across Australia, including at the National Art School, Newcastle Regional Gallery, and Wollongong Art Gallery. She has twice been awarded the Painting Prize at the Newcastle Emerging Art Prize, in 2015 and 2016, and in 2016 received an honourable mention at the 40x40 Art Prize. She began her association with Becker Minty in 2025.