Interview
Ky Colquhoun
Ky Colquhoun (Sonny Mac) is an Australian artist working on Darumbal Country in Yeppoon, Queensland. Her contemporary portrait practice explores cultural memory, endurance, and feminine strength through layered watercolour, ink, charcoal, and gilded mark-making. Her work is held in private collections and has been exhibited internationally through design showcases in Paris and Las Vegas.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“Capturing moments, feelings, experiences is something I've been drawn to since childhood. Creation as play turned into a passion for photography and sketching, morphing into a desire to experience texture and mark marking as part of expression. I studied photography, fine arts and graphic design at various points in my career but my way of creating is mostly self-taught and evolves over time. I am inspired by the ebbs and flows, the shapes in the nature world and finding ways to express them through different mediums. The hum of feet on country is the energy that fuels my creation. Sonny Mac as a brand also produces seamless prints and fabrics and we will be launching our first clothing collection in late 2026 which is incredibly exciting.”
What inspires you?
“I am completely mesmerised by the country I live on. The waterways and tides, patterns in the sand, rocks and red dirt. I follow what feels alive to me and try to interpret that into something subtle or powerful in its own way. The pulse of country is usually quiet and grounding, but sometimes it becomes a heartbeat or vibration when the ancestral memory moves an artist to action. That's where the magic happens. Our company also hold strong political views. Strong beliefs, loosely held is our philosophy. My art explores interconnected feminism, that is, the endurance of woman, and the inclusivity of all woman across culture, socio-economic background, gender and sexual orientation, and age. It's important that there is not one view of the feminine rather an ability to explore what it means to be a woman across all divides and interpretations. I like to acknowledge feminine strength and the interplay with cultural memory and the connection to land and country from this perspective.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“I feel a reciprocal relationship between land and our strength as people, but particularly as a woman. Through this material language, our GILDED Collection considers how memory and identity are carried through the body — luminous, enduring, and deeply human. Within the GILDED collection we exploring endurance, cultural memory, and feminine strength through gilded mark-making. Developed from photographic studies and built through layered watercolour, ink, and charcoal. Gold is used not as ornament, but as emphasis — isolating gesture, lineage, and presence within the body. Across the series, gilded forms act as both symbol and structure, referencing protection, inheritance, and the quiet authority carried within identity.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work has been described as having presence. I think I am most thrilled when people describe a sense of the story behind a single image. To me, my work feels like a song, there is always a story or memory hidden in the layers. I aim to create pieces that complement a space rather than overpower it. I am fascinated with the art of interior design, the way a room feels like a story unfolding, where layering feels intentional and every piece holds its own without competing. That's the aim with our collections and pieces - to be part of the story of a room, and for the individual viewing it, whilst allowing each piece to hold it's own energy and vibration.”
Which artists influence you most?
“I'm very into abstract artists currently, those that use natural materials and texture within their work. My personal love is Jeska Valk. The way she can create the delicate feel of lace and material in her pieces whilst also conjuring that cultural connection is just delicious. I'm also a big fan of Zaachariaha Fielding. The boldness and energy that they capture within mark making is epic.”
What is your creative process like?
“I often developed my work initially from photographic studies and translate the intention through layered watercolour, ink, charcoal, and gestural intervention. The works in the GILDED collection combine analogue painting processes with gilded refinement. Gold is used not as ornament, but as emphasis — isolating gesture, lineage, and presence within each subject. The new collection Feet on Country also starts with photographic studies but this is a more layered approach. Each piece seems to be starting with detailed elements in acrylics and then moves into creating texture, and onto a slower flow of liquid and inks. Archived collections such a Grunge were more frenetic with broader, almost abstract strokes creating an image similar to a blurred photograph. Smoke and Honey is more refined and detailed and the Patchwork collection is an exploration of collage and mark making. I tend to travel through an exploration of style, an era in time and a particular sense of self through each collection. I like to get to know the story of both myself and my subjects in this way.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“This may be an unpopular opinion but I believe every artist is a social advocate and each piece is a political conversation in its own way. Even if you paint landscapes, you are expressing a need to protect the environment and in a small way entering into that conversation. For Sonny Mac we want to support woman, start conversations about culture and difference being a gift within our own stories and create a dialogue about sexuality, gender diversity and equality. Those things are really important to me and to the fabric of society today. It makes us who we are. Those differences add texture, as with any strong artwork. Difference isn't something to be feared, it's simply about adding to our experience as humans. Small mindedness and ignorance keeps us small but diversity and understanding is the thing that brings us together as a culture and expands our humanity. If we create one conversation about the endurance of the feminine across history or create some thoughts about culture and the connectedness to country , or gender fluidity then I believe we have served some purpose. That's all I can ask for as an artist.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Our beautiful Zenya will be exhibiting internationally with Arrival Gallery in Osaka from April 17th - 20th, 2026, London from May 8th - 10th, 2026 and Brooklyn from June 26th - 28th, 2026 Ticket for Osaka: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/arrival-gallery-art-show-in-osaka-tickets-1541353763599?aff=oddtdtcreator Ticket for London: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/arrival-gallery-london-art-show-tickets-1984278002922?aff=oddtdtcreator Ticket for Brooklyn: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/arrival-gallery-art-show-in-brooklyn-june-2026-tickets-1984630896436?aff=oddtdtcreator. Zenya, Tusk and Alignment also recently received Highly Commended, Teravarna International Juried Art Competition, 2026.”
Website: sonnymacstudiogallery.net
Instagram: @sonnymacstudio
Other links: kycolquhounportfolio.art/work
