[3] In his early work, he explored alternative textures and surfaces, while today his direct and sculptural approach sees him coming back to and revisiting passages, building up character and emotion through tonal layering.
Amid the most significant recognition of Ploeg's achievements are his three-time wins at Australia's most prestigious and often controversial Archibald Portrait Prize held at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
[13] He has also entered paintings to the Archibald Prize of singer Ben Lee,[14] fashion identity Peter Morrissey, actor Richard Roxburgh and art collector and philanthropist John Schaeffer AO (in 2014).
[16] Ploeg has painted portraits of clients with international renown, such as pop star Ben Lee,[17] fashion identity Peter Morrissey, film actor Richard Roxburgh, art collector & philanthropist John Schaeffer AO, the late 'Mr Movies' Bill Collins OAM and Dr Paul Scully Power - Australia's first astronaut in space.
[22] In addition to his regular portraiture commissions, Ploeg has for the past decade been involved with Australian arts and social change company Big hART Inc., which conducts large-scale, long-term community development projects.
[23] Over the season and its subsequent national tour (2012), Ploeg completed eight paintings, which were exhibited and sold at the Adelaide State Gallery & Museum together with other visual art created in the context of Big hART's project.
In between these engagements with Big hART, Ploeg was also invited to sketch a live portrait of actor Kurt Sutton while performing in the play An Evening with Mark Twain at Elm Street Theatre in Woodstock (Atlanta, USA) in 2013.
In 2015, Ploeg was selected as one of 10 artists worldwide to compete in the New York Grand Central Academy's Alla Prima Portrait Competition, whose works were exhibited in a month-long show at Eleventh St Arts in Long Island.