‘On the Amstel’ photographic print on Canon Platinum paper, 63 cm x 38 cm, $325

This photograph shows the harbour of Amsterdam by the side of the Amstel, a broad body of water that connects the North Sea to the mighty river Rhine.

Amsterdam is the home city of many generations of my family. This is where I belong.

I am a Canberra based amateur photographer with an established record of exhibiting my work. I have been a finalist in many National Art Awards (Goulburn Art Award 2021, Stanthorpe Photography Prize 2022 and River of Art Prize 2025). I have had three solo exhibtions in Canberra since 2014 (Photoaccess ‘Myanmar’, Tuggeranong Arts Centre ‘Circus Sisters’ and Humble House Gallery ‘Other Worlds’.

tellingthestory.net

‘The Inner Sanctum’, Mixed media on paper, 47 x 40 cm, $1000

The long, dark, bleak, and frigid winter has waned and left in its place, the gentle caress of Spring and the hope it inspires. Here I stand fortified by my memories and armed with experience. The past had cast its suffocating shadow, but here, in the present, I find I can once again breathe. My soul boundless soars and my heart beats to the rhythm of joy I once thought lost. With tomorrow, I may discover the road is forked, one direction as unknown as the other and yet, I am ready to explore and let chance or perhaps even fate guide my feet.

For once in my life, I am unapologetically Adriana, the artist, daughter, granddaughter, sister, Aunty, and friend and I am unwilling to hide or change my essence to uphold society’s expectations. I am free, I am me.

See more of Adriana’s works at Day Gallery

‘Fern on the desk’ Acrylic on canvas, framed, 20 cm x 25 cm, $290

Ali's current body of work ‘In/Out’ began while pregnant and travelling overseas. The process of becoming a mother forced a slowing of life to just the here and now. These works show the plants that are nurtured in and around homes, using invented compositions that go beyond the depiction of any specific place.

www.instagram.com/alistrous

‘In the moment’ Acrylic and newspaper on canvas. 50cm x 50cm x 2cm, $200

In my backyard in Canberra, I experience both the peace and joy of this small, beautiful, political city without losing sight of the broader troubled world.

Allison Barnes is a Canberra based emerging mixed media artist. Her practice responds to the fragility of our current circumstances, focusing on our structural relationship with the broader environmental crisis, as well as the local built environment. 

Allison investigates these themes through materials exploration in a range of mixed media works which combine, painting, print making and construction.  She combines found and sourced objects, materials and processes that relate to the subject of each work. 

https://www.instagram.com/allisonkbarnes1/?hl=en

https://www.allisonbarnesart.com/about

‘Mushroom Rock’ Acrylic on canvas, 25 x 35 cm, $550

Although I usually paint surrealist narratives, this landscape painting was made in response to the Australian Landscape here in the ACT. I moved here 25 years ago and now feel as at home in the bush here as I did in the woods of the East Coast of America. I love the smell of eucalyptus and the electric blue skies of Canberra. We are very lucky to live in the Bush Capital and have access to wild areas such as Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. 

https://amberwjohnson.wixsite.com/illustration

https://www.instagram.com/amberwjohnson/

‘Midnight Visitor’ mixed media, 28x36, $400 SOLD

The title alludes to a small preying mantis which flew in at midnight and landed on the painting I was working on In my lounge room. I felt preying mantis therefore belonged in this scene alongside other treasures including my paintbrushes and prized nautilus shell.

‘Red Wine and Cloisonné’ mixed media, 28x23.5cm, $275

A typical vignette in my home. I find a glass of red wine goes well with most things including Chinese cloisonné and other collected decorative pieces.

‘The Cook’s Measure and Nautilus Shell’ mixed media, 38x32, $300

Both the cook’s measure and shell are opshop finds. I especially love the now rare Nautilus shell, sadly going extinct due to overfishing for its prized good looks. It does make me feel wistful too knowing this shell was likely part of this unsustainable practice 

I’m originally from Sydney but have lived in Canberra for over 30 years. I have been drawing still life since a young age and am largely self taught. 

One of 15 children, my family home was jam-packed with books, vintage pieces, cultural artefacts and lots of things. Collecting is a family trait- books, antiques, pot plants, friends, pets…

My rambling Canberra home is recreated in this image - grounding and embracing me. 

My passion is painting joyful still lifes of my home, garden and local environment. These artworks speak to my past and present sense of self and community. 

instagram: @anna_francesca_clancy

‘Hidden Garden’ Acrylic on Canvas, 25cm x 25cm, $155

Whether it be in the garden or taking a walk, there's nothing better than being outdoors surrounded by nature.

Annie started her career with a Bachelor of Arts at ANU, majoring in Art History.  She travelled and lived overseas after University, mostly in the UK and Ireland. She completed a diploma in Graphic Design in London in 2000. She was accepted into painting at the Australian National School of Art and Design in Canberra in 2003 but soon thereafter found out she was pregnant with her first child so declined the offer to focus on motherhood. After a second child, her career took her to the corporate world but despite the detour she has always painted. She paints in acrylics and oils and is a colourist. 

https://www.instagram.com/annie_pritchard_art/

‘Where I belong’ boxed digitally enhanced photograph, archival inks on paper, cardboard box, velvet, brass frame. Box: closed 21cm x 15cm; open 21cm x 30 cm, $480

Belonging is a privilege earnt through birth or lifetime of experiences. It describes a place of strong emotional attachment, where each person, each animal or object fits into their own place, has its significance and a story to tell. It defines identity, provides safety, draws divisions between privacy and public exposure. Where I belong tells a set of stories encompassing my heritage and my life events, describing me as a unique human being.

Beata Tworek was born in Poland but she completed her higher education in conservation of cultural materials and cultural anthropology in Canberra. For over 30 years she worked as a conservator at the National Gallery of Australia. Beata has been involved in photography all her life, including scientific, documentary and art photography. Since retirement she has focused on producing images with strong aesthetic qualities, with contemplative, focused approach to detail, study of harmony and texture. Her work has been exhibited in several group and solo exhibitions at small community galleries, Photoaccess, School of Art and Design ANU, Megalo Print Studio and most recently at Q Gallery in Ainslie.

Dogs have played a major role in Beata’s life from early childhood. She is very interested in behavioural studies of dogs as well as enjoying small daily activities together. She is known as the Airedale lady in her inner north suburb of Canberra.

https://www.instagram.com/beatafeleklusia/

‘What I did to belong’ watercolour and ink, 21cm x 29.7 cm, $150, proceeds to 1800respect 

‘Joan’s Tomatoes’, watercolour and ink, 21cm x 21cm, NFS

‘What I did to Belong’ - Referenced from a photo of a floral arrangement I made a couple years ago. When I was in a place where I didn’t belong but struggled to leave, this watercolour piece represented the need to keep parts of yourself close whilst you are lost over what you once knew. 

Joan’s Tomatoes - My neighbour across the road has always made me feel welcome. Whether it’s after challenging days at work, health issues or just needing a friend, my favourite gardener has been a grounding presence that helps connect myself to community. 

‘Sea Bloom’ Oil Paint on Canvas, 30 x 30 cm, $400

‘Hedge Haze’ Oil Paint on Canvas, 30 x 30 cm, $400

Sea Bloom is an oil painting inspired by European coastal scenery I experienced during my travels. From the cliff’s edge, I captured the interplay of water, sky, and light, layering textures to evoke the movement and calm of the sea below. Each brushstroke was intentional, building depth and atmosphere to reflect the quiet, expansive feeling of standing above the coastline. The piece is a personal reflection on stillness and perspective, the painting invites viewers to step into that moment with me - to pause, breathe, and find their own sense of peace and connection in a place that feels just right.

Hedge Haze is an oil painting exploring the textures, patterns, and rhythm of four different hedges, each adorned with roses in the soft light of a late afternoon. Inspired by people’s gardens and my love of flowers, I experimented with brushwork and layering to create a vibrant, impressionistic effect. Gardens are spaces where people often feel a sense of belonging, and through this painting, I wanted to capture that feeling. The interplay of light, colour, and texture reflects not just the beauty of nature, but the quiet joy and grounding these spaces offer.

Links to website and socials

Website: cbkartspace.com

Instagram: instagram.com/cbkartspace

‘Mountains are Calling’, artist board, acrylic paint and alcoholic ink, 25 x 25cm, $400

This piece reflects the feeling I get when I visit the Blue Mountains. I live in the city so when I do visit the mountains I feel a sense of belonging and peace. The mind stands still and takes in the serenity of the natural world around us. The sound of the trees and the life within the space calms me like nothing else. 

Dallal is an Australian artist. Dallal's art is a testament to the power of unity. Each piece she creates is rich in detail, reflecting her unwavering commitment to her cause and her belief that even the smallest brushstroke can inspire change. Through her evocative and vibrant works, Dallal invites you to see beauty in a world that is often tainted with despair. There is still always beauty in every corner, sunset, sunrise and every space. 

 ‘Blue Morroco’, Oils, Framed (45x62cm), $450

Blue Morocco is one of six paintings I have undertaken of Chefchaoen, a town in the north west of Morocco. Founded in the 15th century. It became a Jewish enclave as a result of conflict and is known for its blue buildings and a steep cobbled streets. Typically, the blue painting reaches only to the top of a first story due to a cost of painting the entire building, In the context of belonging it speaks to me of the power of “community”.

I am an 81-year-old emerging artist! In my 70s, I graduated with Masters Degrees in Communication and Entrepreneurship and began painting during study breaks. 

My paintings hang at locations around Canberra and I have  sold around 50 works over the last three years. I now have well over 100 paintings to my credit. My practice has developed from traditional landscapes and seascapes to larger or challenging subjects, including portraits, political commentary and abstract works.

My gallery is on display at Original-oils.net. The paintings chosen reflect empathy (with Van Gogh), community (Chefchaouen) and an affinity with the ocean (Orion Beach).

'Somewhere Between Here & There' acrylic on canvas, 50 x 40cm, $220

This painting is an experiment in a layered, imaginary landscape - inspired by the places I've called home. Expressing the feeling of belonging to many places, not just one.

Born on Yuin land, Eliott June has always been passionate about creating. With a strong interest in sculpture, painting and fibre arts, they work experimentally & intuitively. This emerging artist is interested in themes of belonging, land and human connection. 

instagram: @eliott.june.art

‘Growing Together’ acrylic on canvas, 46 x 46cm, $280

Growing together represents many flowers in bold colours and shapes working together as a unified whole. Here nature is a symbolic representation of people. Although each plant is different with its own flower and direction they are also intertwined. We all come from the same source - the ground -
signifying belonging. We are all interconnected growing close together and with each other. Composition in the painting shows belonging. Set on a stark layered background we see how special each stem and flower is. As well the painting is similar to the style of Margaret Preston with its thick black lines and geometric shapes.

Emma was selected as a finalist for the Greenway Art Prize Leichhardt 2022 and a finalist for the Henry Lawson Festival Grenfell 2024. Artworks in these competitions included photography, drawing and acrylic painting. Emma was also a finalist for the MHFA competition in South Yarra in 2024 where two of her paintings were selected.

In 2025 Emma won the Melbourne FeelGood Art Prize. This was held at the Quadrant gallery Hawthorn. The judges were Corbett Lyon, Dr Damian Smith and Tony Jackson.

Emma has also participated in the 2025 Blue Square art competition in Bowral and sold all her artwork entries for the Incognito Art Competition in 2025. Follow Emma’s art journey on her instagram: artworksbyemmak or www.artworksbyemmak.com.au

‘Best Place Bliss’ 20cm x25 cm Acrylic on canvas $350

I am attracted to the inspired beauty of places, particularly as they are wholly or partly part of the natural world. I have had the good fortune to be able to live in many places and to seek out others via travel, journeys etc. I find many of these spaces and places alive, and possible locations for at best a magical realist experience of life. Naturally the joy of a ‘discovery narrative’ is part of the experience. And I am a very keen walker! Despite my love of walking in the wild, I came to find the empty landscape - a very well painted  genre - a lonely place to inhabit. Much of this work, including my own, seems just documentation by a viewer actual or presumed. 

With ‘figure in the landscape’ -which for me includes cars, animals etc -the artist can actively shift the perspective of the  audience from landscape viewer, to story teller or voyeur. Naturally it is more fun if the audience get to make up the story.

I am interested in the work of for example Edward Hopper or Jeffrey Smart as masters of this genre. But there are so many others -Samuel Palmer,the impressionists like Seurat, and the rediscovered Austraian tonalists like Clarice Beckett. So whilst it has been said that Hopper documented 'the alienation of the individual in the time of modernity', for me there could be other stories. 

I wonder if there are possibilities that show us a more sanguine side of the human condition. Hence my elementary meditations on place and life; connection via activities like travel,walking and the enjoyment of nature as an entry point to places and activities that provide meaning.

 I love to include Canberra and its’ ‘places’ as places of interest in my work. The inner north has long been a home and I see how rich the area is in terms of experience of place. Other more ‘modernist’ locations in Canberra are of also interest. 

Most of my works are acrylic on canvas (or sometimes wood pannel) and often oil on acrylic. Simpler works are just renndered with graphite or charcoal plus pastel. I have a strong orienntation to drawing (from CSA/ANU) evident in some paintings.

Since his early teens Geoffrey had made objects in clay / ceramics and later studied studio pottery with two great masters of the art, Mirek Smisek and Doreen Blumhardt in Wellington, NZ. In order to get a broader art education in visual arts (and ceramics)  he took up studies at the then Canberra School of Art (ANU) and later at the Sydney College of the Arts. 

He holds a Graduate Diploma (Vis.Arts -Ceramics) and an accredited B. A. (equivalent in Vis. Arts) from Sydney College of the Arts.

‘Bermagui - Horse Shoe Bay’ Photogravure (etching), Intaglio print on paper, 38 cm x 31 cm, $300,

‘Winter’, Photogravure (etching), Intaglio print on paper, 30 cm x 30 cm, $340

Bermagui on the south coast of NSW is a special place with our many visits creating that familiarity of belonging.

This winter scene is from Slagslunde, Denmark, a place where I belong. Family connections continue to draw me back to this village and to this view from the church yard (kirkegaard) and the fields beyond.

I am a Canberra-based printmaker specialising in the etching technique of Photopolymer Photogravure, although with occasional forays into other forms of printmaking. My work has received recognition as a finalist in major awards including The Fisher’s Ghost Art Award (2025), the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize (2024), the Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award (2023), the Swan Hill Print & Drawing Award (2022) and the Peebles Print Prize (2021 and 2019).

I have had solo exhibitions at Studio Altenburg in Braidwood (2023) and Humble House Gallery in Canberra (2023).

instagram: @hilarywarrenauart

‘Goatshed Blues’, Oil on canvas, 60cm x 60cm. $900

This painting captures an old rusty goat shed on our property, framed under an equally bright and dark sky. Many of my paintings have featured this particular goat shed as I have many memories of playing around and inside it as a kid, as well as this, my first foray into landscape painting features this goat shed as the main focus, a painting I still treasure to this day. Revisiting this scene I’m often inspired to capture it in many different tones and styles, here for instance I found myself satisfied with the painting at quite an early stage, the tones and mood I had hoped to capture with the work had emerged early. Leaving the painting at an early loose layer really shows more of the expressionistic early stages of my work that is often lost to layers and layers of detail, I feel because of this that it does a better job in capture the emotions I feel towards this shed and surrounding scenery. 

www.ianflemingart.com

@ianfleming_art

‘BUSH - MOUNT AINSLIE CANBERA’, Medium Acrylic on Masonite board, Size 64 cm x 48 cm, $400

Since putting down oil paint and brushes many years ago the urge of my creative lost love visited. My weapon of choice these days, is acrylic. Now in my elderly years I love to remember my younger me involved in painting groups with inspiring art teachers. I live in Canberra at the base of Mount Ainslie. This is my community and where I belong and living my dreams. This work is of a tree and surrounds and can be seen on the west side of Mount Ainslie lookout – directly across from a row of garbage bins.

janet.mountseer@outlook.com

‘Awaiting the Frog Chorus’, Acrylic on stretched canvas, 61 x 30.3cm, $375

The frogs sing in the change of season, and welcome us home (Whitlam, ACT).

Jeanette is a painter working on Canberra/Ngunnawal land observing and capturing moments of awe and fascination, comfort or contemplation, typically from the natural world and her surroundings. Jeanette interprets these scenes as a means of sharing, remembering, re-living and examining, often as realistic narratives. Her work is influenced by a background in biology and environmental management which has helped hone her observational, examination and interpretation skills, and fuelled her fascination with the natural world, effects of colour and light, and interpretation of form.

Links to social media

Web: www.jeanettemuirheadart.com

Instagram: @jeanettemuirheadart

‘Rock Study No 2.’, Mixed media on paper, 47cm x 62 cm, $290

One of several close up studies of the mass and texture of rocks, done while camping in Central Australia in 2000.

Jenny Gibson’s formal study of art began in 2000 at the ANU School of Art, after her family was fully grown up. She has had a number of exhibitions in Canberra, most recently Brushes with the Bush  in May-June 2023 at ANCA Gallery, and Inside the Outside  in July-August 2025 at M15 Artspace.

Over 30 years of oil paintings, charcoal and mixed media, her work reflects her engagement with the Australian landscape beginning with childhood in Heidelberg, later living for 20 years at Bundeena in Royal National Park, and through a lifetime of walking and camping in the wilderness. Rather than presenting the natural world merely as a background to human beings, Jenny’s painting aims to immerse the viewer in the bush, capturing the immediate effect of light and movement.

‘The Happy accident’, Acrylic on canvas, 40 × 30 cm, $500

This piece tells a story of artistic redemption. What began as a failed experiment, a canvas shrouded in silver foil, transformed into a captivating portrayal of Canberra dusk. The silver base, once a symbol of frustration, now shimmers like the surface of Lake Burley Griffin bathed in the cool blue-gray hues of an evening sky. The water and reflections reminding me of home. The discarded canvas found new life, becoming a canvas for the beauty of a Canberra sunset. 

“I am an artist drawn to the quiet moments where light, water, and emotion meet. Much of my work explores the calming pull of the water’s edge, the place where I feel most at home. I paint to capture stillness, reflection, and the grounding details that restore balance. Many of my pieces begin with photographs taken on walks or retreats, moments when everything slows enough for gentleness to appear. Through layered colour and shifting reflections, I aim to offer viewers the same sense of calm the shoreline gives me. More of my work can be found at paintlikeagirl.com.au.

Website

paintlikeagirl.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/paint_likegirl/

‘In the moment’ charcoal, acrylic on canvas, 48 cm x 38 cm, Australian Blackwood float frame, $490

Inspired by the artist’s own garden this colour palette captures the freshness of spring and is a response to the unexpected moments of connection with nature.

Peering in from the periphery, blurring the line between viewer and subject is a female Superb fairy-wren deciding whether to step fully into the picture, a quiet beauty that works with the rhythms of the garden considering its place within the human made frame.

My work begins in stillness, among the quiet rhythms of life, my garden and the land around me on Wiradjuri Country. I listen to the silent labour of growth and the flicker of wings in sunlight. These are the subtle signs of nature often overlooked but always present. Charcoal raw and earthy allows me to draw directly from the natural world, its marks are gestural, like fleeting shadows or whispered thoughts. Brush marks of quality acrylic bring light and layering in a way that builds stories, capturing what is felt. I take time to observe, to notice the quiet resilience in a wilted flower, the grace of a bird resting, the cycle of life renewing itself. These small, sacred moments find their way onto canvas.

‘Those Two’, acrylic on pre-stretched canvas, 40x50 cm, $380

Kirsi Reinikka (Springwood, QLD) has a multidisciplinary background with current interest in painting, drawing and ceramics. 

Her processes are intuitive and the artworks stem from abstraction often ending up becoming slightly figurative.

"Those Two" reminds Kirsi of relationships, and how we all belong to each other. One way or the other we all are connected, in real life or through imagination.

(Instagram): @thisiswhatiseeandfeel

'Lollipop Garden', acrylic on canvas, 51.5 x 42.5 framed, $325

‘Lollipop Garden’ is a colourful whimsical work that reflects on all the colours and shapes of the kaleidoscope of Spring to Autumn flowers that’s just like a Lolly shop for me, but so much better.

Although inedible, my visual and emotional connection is completely sated. All the work to produce the plethora of blooms, so worth the effort, especially after my exposure to my first Canberra winter!

My garden is my place of belonging. I love it. I’m so grateful for it. It is my place of peace, a reward for my efforts, a connection to nature, a considered blend of exotic and native flora, minus the weeds.

Leslie graduated with a degree in Creative Industries (QUT, 2005), followed by a Master of Art in Visual Arts from the Queensland College of Art and Design (2015). She has exhibited her works at the Vera Wade and Dayboro Art Galleries and at the Brisbane Institute of Art before her move to Canberra.

‘L'apres midi au Riad’, Acrylic on canvas- unframed, 60 x 50cm, $580

Loubna Soulaimani is a self-taught Moroccan artist. Her work blends abstract and cubist influences, drawing deeply from cultural memory, feminine strength, and ancestral legacy. Painting primarily with acrylic on canvas, her pieces are rich with symbolism and textured forms that echo the visual language of her heritage.

Inspired by her maternal grandmother, a passionate, unschooled artist, Soulaimani honors a lineage of creativity passed down through intuition and tradition. Each artwork becomes a bridge between past and present, expressing both silence and identity through layered color and form.

Rooted in her Moroccan origins and shaped by her lived experience, the artist uses her practice to reclaim, reinterpret, and celebrate cultural depth with contemporary sensitivity.

A woman sits peacefully in a traditional riad (old Moroccan houses) in Marrakech, basking in the warmth of the Moroccan sun. The red ochre walls glow softly around her, while a vivid blue door, the iconic “Moroccan blue” , adds a striking contrast. A tagine rests beside her as a quiet symbol of tradition and shared meals. Surrounded by serenity and beauty, she embodies calm joy, connection to place, and the timeless rhythm of Moroccan life. This scene is a tribute to the art of slowing down and savoring the present.

‘Memory of LIGHT’, cotton canvas, 40x50cm, $600

Memories and dreams we once lived in are always with us -  now softly echoing through time.

I am an emerging Canberra-based artist specialising in the creation of interior textile acrylic paintings. I am a Member of ASOC and Eurasian Art Union (EAU).

Born in Chișinău, I travelled the world as a dancer introducing the colourful culture of Moldova to people from all walks of life. Then, after living in Vienna for almost ten years, I made Australia my home in 1996.

After completion of on-line courses at the School of Interior Artists and at the International School of Modern Creative Art, I concentrated on the creation of artwork that gives the viewers sense of belonging.

@lb_art_creation

‘With Amma’, acrylic on canvas, 41 cm x 30cm, $440

With Amma portrays the childhood comfort of a little girl's relationship with her mother. Of all people and places, Amma (mum) is always the person that makes you feel like you can stand up on your two feet. Even as I get older, I still look for Amma for guidance and a sense of belonging when I feel out of place in life.

Lumbini Bandara is a young Canberran artist currently studying at the Australian National University. Her artistry often portrays glimpses of her lived experiences and intimate snapshots of her loved ones, especially highlighting her Sri Lankan culture and heritage. Bandara is driven to express her perspective of identity through her dynamic use of acrylics and portrature, her works nostalgic and explorative of her growth as an individual raised with various multicultural influences.

‘When World’s Collide’, mixed media, 40.5 x 29.5 cm, $500

When Worlds Collide began its life as a watercolour created during a time when my hopes and dreams felt limitless, each colour and stroke a promise of things to come. Now completed, the piece represents the visual bridge between my past and my present. I’ve now found a place where I finally feel I belong. A place between the reality I inhabit and the dreams that guide and shape me.

‘Strange Daze Indeed’, black pen and acrylics on paper, 40cm x 30cm, $400

Neil Lade is a long-term Ainslie resident. Now 73 and retired since 2011, art has always been a personal escape. For a long time, he never knew where he belonged, but this changed in 1985 when he got married, moved to Ainslie and became a dad. His sense of belonging in the art world was boosted by a solo exhibition in October 2023, when 22 out of 25 of his weird and somewhat dark sketches were sold. Most were completed in the early 1980s. It inspired him to remain on his artistic path. 

Strange Daze Indeed is a bizarre and joyous world of creatures, mixing the imagined with splashes of reality. Neil hopes it intrigues people and makes them smile.

Some of his art (and photos) are on Instagram at @neilladeartwords

“outsourcing belonging” oil on canvas panel, 39cm x 49cm (with frame), $750

This theme resonates very deeply with me. I’ve built homes in several places over the past years: born in Germany, spending almost 3 years in Yogyakarta, and now residing in Melbourne. The question of belonging has never been simple or singular. It’s something I return to again and again, both in my life and in my practice. Because of this, the exhibition’s focus feels very personal and meaningful to me.

For this open call, I am submitting a painting that plays with the absurdity and vulnerability of outsourcing such an intimate, internal question to modern technology. It reflects how easily we look outward for answers that can only come from within, and it gently critiques the way convenience, digital habits, and algorithmic guidance can shape our sense of direction. (sometimes without us noticing)

My background in anthropology and my ongoing interest in people, place, and emotional landscapes also inform this piece. I believe that art can nudge us to pause, rethink, and question the familiar structures we move through in our everyday lives. This painting is my way of opening that conversation.

‘Under my skin’, two-piece water colour, each piece being 21 x 29.7cm (A4), $320 for both

Growing together represents many flowers in bold colours and shapes working together as a unified whole. Here nature is a symbolic representation of people. Although each plant is different with its own flower and direction they are also intertwined. We all come from the same source - the ground -
signifying belonging. We are all interconnected growing close together and with each other. Composition in the painting shows belonging. Set on a stark layered background we see how special each stem and flower is. As well the painting is similar to the style of Margaret Preston with its thick black lines and geometric shapes.

Emma was selected as a finalist for the Greenway Art Prize Leichhardt 2022 and a finalist for the Henry Lawson Festival Grenfell 2024. Artworks in these competitions included photography, drawing and acrylic painting. Emma was also a finalist for the MHFA competition in South Yarra in 2024 where two of her paintings were selected.

In 2025 Emma won the Melbourne FeelGood Art Prize. This was held at the Quadrant gallery Hawthorn. The judges were Corbett Lyon, Dr Damian Smith and Tony Jackson.

Emma has also participated in the 2025 Blue Square art competition in Bowral and sold all her artwork entries for the Incognito Art Competition in 2025. Follow Emma’s art journey on her instagram: artworksbyemmak or www.artworksbyemmak.com.au

‘Naked’, collage, 30 x 42 cm, $400

For me, collages describe a tradition of craft, creation, and play. It connects me to my past and to generations of making and art collecting. My artwork Naked is constructed using an image of a paper doll that was part of my mum's childhood collection.

These works are part of a large series that I'm always working on, of smaller works on paper—collages, drawings, monoprints and mixed media pieces, A3 in size. It's an ongoing part of my practice and something I keep coming back to.

HanrahanRebecca@gmail.com

@rebecca_clare_2617

‘Where my heart feels at home’, acrylic, 30 x 40cm, $250

Rochelle is a Canberra-based artist with a deep love for photography and visual art. Inspired by the region’s stunning array of birds and native fauna; she combines her passion for bird and macro photography with painting to capture the intricate beauty of nature. Her work reflects a fascination with detail, colour, and the delicate balance of the natural world. Through her creative process, Rochelle aims to evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for Australia’s unique wildlife, encouraging others to pause, observe, and connect with the environment that surrounds them every day.

My artwork is inspired by the natural world and created primarily in acrylics and oils. Attending weekly art classes keeps my creativity flowing and has helped me cultivate a distinct personal style. My ideas often begin with my own reference photos, as I pair my love for painting with a deep passion for nature photography.

https://www.instagram.com/rochelle_mphotography/

‘Dreaming [of a better world]’ White gel ink pen on black textured/crumpled black paper, 30cm x 40cm, $499

I grew up in the Illawarra, between the mountains and the sea. I do not belong there anymore, but the old feeling of belonging still hits when I go back. It lasts a moment, then fades. I live beyond the mountains now, carried by a different life, but part of me still drifts between the two. The artwork's title was once aimed at the whole world, but now it is personal. The better world I am dreaming of is the one where belonging felt simple.

Rose Marimon, aka Rosy Myart, is a Canberra-based visual artist recognised for black-and-white works using red as an anchor or clue. She began with colour acrylics in the early 2000s but shifted to monochrome to gain clarity amid personal, environmental, and social tensions. Working from her studio at Strathnairn Arts, Rose builds layered compositions with gel ink pens and acrylic markers that merge precision with chaos. Her art confronts the impact of human actions on the environment and on each other. Her work appears in regional and independent spaces and is showcased as The Rosy Myart Project.

Links: 

www.rosemarimon.art 

www.instagram.com/rosy_myart   @rosy_myart

www.facebook.com/rosymyart     @rosymyart

‘Blindsided’, acrylic on canvas panel, 40.6 x 50.8 cm, $600

Recently, I’ve been struggling with the question of ‘home’. In 2023 I left my life behind in Scotland and moved 10,000 miles across the globe for what I thought was love. I planted new roots in Canberra, I made connections, I became comfortable here. It started to reshape my preconceived idea of ‘home’. Was ‘home’ back with my friends and family in Glasgow, where I haven’t lived in almost three years? Or was ‘home’ the here and now in Australia, with my partner and our plans for the future?

Without any warning he let me go and suddenly I found myself stateless. 10,000 miles from my own city and yet it didn’t feel like mine anymore. So where do I belong? My first mistake was making ‘home’ in another person. Instead, I’ve had to learn to make home in myself.

St. Ruin is a contemporary artist and designer specialising in figurative art. Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, they have now lived in Canberra for over two years. Through the medium of acrylics, watercolour and charcoal, their work explores themes of nostalgia, human connection, technology, love, fear, melancholia, futility and inevitability.

https://www.instagram.com/st.ruin/ f

‘Finding peace in the corner’ oil pastels on paper, 30 x 42cm (framed), $400

Getting lost in music, whether it is playing or listening, is where I like to be. This is my living room corner one day when I decided to sit down and draw.

Ainslie local dabbling in sign painting, drawing and painting.

‘Beauty in the eye of dissociation’ (from the Organised Chaos series, 2023-25), pigmented and fineliner ink, 42 x 29.7 cm, $270

A self-taught mixed media artist from Wollongong, t.m. uses her art as a form of emotional processing—confronting intense feelings (or the absence of them) and self-soothing during times of crisis. As a neurodivergent woman, she finds comfort in precision and geometry—tools that help counterbalance her chaotic inner world. Living with BPD, she has learned to channel her painfully black-and-white perception of reality into a powerful source of artistic inspiration. This ongoing interplay between perception and deception pulls her toward themes that intentionally trick the eye, such as surrealism, optical illusions, and metaphysical art.

‘This work expresses the anguish t.m. experienced during a severe decline in her mental health—an unravelling that nearly cost her life. To cope, she faded into dissociation for hours, sometimes months at a time, seeing the ‘world’ through a surreal, uncanny lens. In her mental absence, and during long, aimless walks through the city to simply survive the day, a love for architecture quietly began to take root. The closer you look, the deeper you peer into a mind shaped by torment, resilience, and a relentless search for meaning.

‘Hunting on the Rocky’, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30 cm, $375,

‘Living in Harmony’, acrylic on canvas, 30 cm x 30 cm $375

$675 for both

My name is William Walker, and I am a First Nations Tribal Artist. From birth I have been blessed with my Cultural Connectedness, growing up on the Rocky River with my Elders on Wahlubal Country (Bundjalung Nation) having knowledge and stories passed down. Painting and storytelling are the mediums I use to echo the wisdom of my Elders.

Growing up on Country has deeply influenced my understanding of and connection to the land. I value the lessons learned from living on Country and acknowledge the richness and significance of my cultural heritage. My upbringing has instilled a profound appreciation for the land and its ability to sustain and nurture my community. I love painting my country, Wahlubal Country.

Hunting on the Rocky

My tribe is the Wahlubal Tribe of the Bundjalung Nation and we live alongside the Rocky River. All my Ancestors were born along the Rocky and Clarence river. They lived in harmony with the land and the animals. The animals share the land with us, and we share the land with them. My people hunted for many years on these rivers, and still hunt today, passing down their knowledge to the younger generations. The freshwater Turtle ‘Binging’ in my language, is one of my tribe’s favourite Bush Tucker. We hunt for ‘Binging’ in summertime. The female ‘Binging’, we call ‘Mammy’ and the male turtle we call ‘Buck’. The Mammy is bigger than the Buck because she carries the eggs; she can carry up to 16 eggs. We hunt for them by diving in the river and catching them with our hands. We cook them on the fire or roast them in the oven. We still go turtle diving today. We also hunt for freshwater catfish (Wajun), perch, mullet, eel and cod. We take our catch back home and feed the Elders and Jarjums (children) first. Caring and Sharing, that’s our Culture.

Living in Harmony

The Original Tribal people have hunted and gathered food for thousands and thousands of years to survive, only taking what they need and leaving enough bush tucker for other tribes who pass by as well as maintain healthy reproduction numbers of the plants and animals. It’s all about caring and sharing and respecting the land we walk on. When we live in harmony with the animals and the land, caring and sharing, everything is kept in balance and is healthy.

Website: 

https://www.williamwalkerrespectingcountry.com.au

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/williamwalkerrespectingcountry?igsh=OTQ1ZWN1cDVjNjZ0&utm_source=qr

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1LY2PNnNcX/?mibextid=wwXIfr