MAKE COOL THINGS

MAKE COOL THINGS

Recycled material.

Dive into the wild visual mind of Jackson Rutherford — where nothing is ordinary and everything is handmade.

A young man with a serious expression, wearing headphones around his neck, extends his right hand forward and holds a large piece of wood or a similar object in his left hand in a backyard with a fence, trees, and garden plants.
A person with headphones around their neck holding a bird in their hand outdoors, with a background of trees, plants, a fence, and outdoor furniture, all in a blue-tinted filter.
A young man in overalls and headphones holding their hand up, appearing to stop or watch a bird perched on his hand in a backyard with trees, plants, and a metal fence.
REGRET Painting 2023
The Red Prince
Jester Tarot Card 2025
Blue Boy Fantasy Helmet 2024
My Brother the Soldier 2021
NED in the Burning Room.jpg
Ned in His Technicolour Dreamcoat 2023
Trapped Man 2019
COLOUR GONE 2022
Blue Crouched Soldier 2023
Praying at the Foot of the Velvet Couch 2021
Bottleman 2.jpg
Bottleman 2020
Dad has Cancer 2023
My Grandfathers Aussie Dream 2019
Used Uniform 2023
Boy in the 4 by 4 2022
Cold Blood Killa 2023
A painting depicting a scene of destruction with a person lighting gasoline on fire, smoke rising from burning structures, and the background showing dark, shadowy figures and a fiery sky.

Best in Show Winner

“Face as a sign for the Future”

At “The Q-files 2025” by Queer Love Collective in partnership with Unassigned Gallery

Awarded by Francis Cannon

2025 First entry into The Archibald Prize

2025 First entry into The Archibald Prize

An artist lying on a plastic sheet next to a large colorful painting of a woman with short hair, her mouth open, tongue sticking out, and fingers showing a rock sign.

6ft tall, Painted in 2 states, on top of recycled wood, hinged and foldable into a standard airline baggage allowance.

This portrait was a great milestone effort for Jackson who was met with rave reviews when the piece they hand delivered it to the Art Gallery of NSW.

“As a professional model I have literally been painted 1000s of times, but no one could do what Jackson did... I’m not just beautiful it in, it’s fierce, loud and ferocious and it’s really me, they really captured that.” - Amber Scates

What is so striking in this instance and always in Jackson’s work is their boldness striving scale and concept in a way that always results in an original composition full of energy and expression.

“Amber Scates Foldable 25”

A person with curly hair and a colorful floral shirt crouches next to a pastel-colored sculpture of a woman, smiling at the camera.

FULL PROCESS VIDEO

Person smiling and holding cut-out cardboard pieces outdoors with a fence and buildings in the background.
A colorful painting of a woman making a silly face, with her tongue out and eyes squinted, on a wooden board, surrounded by painting supplies and crumpled paper.