Raymond Mather
Australian Multidisciplinary Creative Professional
Founder of ART1 Fine Art Photography
Raymond Mather is an Australian multidisciplinary creative professional whose practice spans more than forty years across dance, theatre, photography, exhibition curation, and arts leadership. He is the founder and director of ART1 Fine Art Photography, an independent, artist-led platform presenting limited-edition photographic works.
His work is grounded in movement, abstraction, and emotional presence, shaped by a lifelong engagement with performance, visual composition, and cultural storytelling.
Professional Background
Raymond began his creative career as a professional ballroom dancer and choreographer, working across stage and screen during the late twentieth century. His early career included choreography for the feature film Strictly Ballroom (1992), followed by extensive work in event direction, performance, and arts advocacy.
Over time, his practice expanded into photography, exhibition curation, gallery operations, and cultural development. Photography became his primary medium, offering a still yet dynamic language through which movement, memory, and presence could be explored.
Arts Practice and Institutions
Raymond has worked across a range of cultural institutions and independent spaces in Australia, holding roles including gallery owner, educator, curator, exhibition technician, and arts worker. His professional engagements have included work with:
Cairns Regional Gallery
Centre of Contemporary Arts Cairns (CoCA)
Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery
He also founded Cr8Studios, a community-focused creative space supporting exhibitions, digital media, and collaborative arts practice.
Commercial Gallery Experience
Raymond’s career includes significant experience within the commercial gallery sector, contributing to both client engagement and operational systems.
The Artery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Contributed to the gallery’s inception in 2005 and worked across two periods (2005–2011 and 2020–2024) as an Art Consultant, supporting sales, advising collectors, and engaging with national and international audiences.
Wentworth Galleries, Sydney
Served as an Art Consultant for one of Australia’s leading commercial galleries, working with a national and international collector base.
These roles informed the development of ART1 as a platform balancing artistic integrity, accessibility, and long-term stewardship of artworks.
Leadership and Community Engagement
Beyond his individual practice, Raymond has been actively involved in arts leadership and community development.
He served on the Library & Gallery Project Advisory Group (LGPAG) for Coffs Harbour City Council, contributing to the development of the city’s cultural and civic space, Yarrila Place.
He also co-founded Role Models, a series of fundraising and advocacy events with the Northcott Society, using performance and creative collaboration to support people with disabilities.
Photographic Work
Raymond’s photographic work explores abstraction, human traces, and poetic moments across landscape, object, and environment. All works begin with his original photographic capture and are developed individually through a layered digital process refined since 2006. Working at the edge of destruction, Raymond pushes each image until a new artistic version emerges, using visual tension, artefacts, and density as expressive elements while preserving the essence of the original moment.
His collections often investigate colour, memory, and emotional resonance, with signature bodies of work including Pop Art Flowers, Vivid Country, and Coastal Noir.
Exhibitions, Awards, and Collections
Raymond has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Australia and has been selected for major national art prizes, including:
Moran Photographic Portrait Prize, Semi-Finalist
Percival National Photographic Portrait Prize, Finalist
STILL: The National Still Life Award (STILL Salon), Selected
SHIMMER Photographic Biennale, South Australia, Selected (Solo Exhibition)
Northern Exposure, Glasshouse Regional Gallery, Selected
New Year: New Work, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, Selected
Lethbridge 20,000, Brisbane, Finalist
His works are held in public and regional museum collections and documented in institutional archives, including the Coffs Harbour City Collection. He has also undertaken documentation and digitisation projects for public art collections for Coffs Harbour City Council and Cairns City Council.
ART1 Fine Art Photography
ART1 is an independent fine art photography platform founded and directed by Raymond Mather. It presents curated collections of limited-edition photographic works, each produced using museum-grade archival materials and issued with Certificates of Authenticity.
All artworks are captured, edited, curated, and editioned by the artist. Artificial intelligence may assist administrative or editorial processes, but does not author artworks.
ART1 reflects a commitment to sustainability, clarity of editioning, and the long-term care of a coherent body of work.
Current Practice
Raymond continues to develop new photographic collections while entering a phase of increased travel and international sharing. His work remains guided by principles of presence, connection, and creative integrity.
Media and Profiles
Raymond Mather’s creative journey has been profiled in national media, including The Daily Telegraph feature “A New Creative Force Hits Coffs” by journalist Stephanie Hunt, documenting the early vision of Cr8Studios and the emergence of his photographic practice.
His work and exhibitions are also documented within institutional and regional gallery archives across Australia.
Contact and Further Information
For professional enquiries, commissions, or further information, please visit the Contact page or explore the ART1 Journal and FAQ sections.