The Inverell Art Gallery was absolutely packed to the brim last Saturday night, welcoming one of the biggest crowds we’ve seen in many years for our annual Art Prize event.
The gallery was overflowing with joy, excitement and an incredible atmosphere, as artists, art lovers and visitors from across the region and beyond came together to celebrate the very best of local and regional creativity.
Led by gallery manager Rachel Martin, the gallery team delivered a hugely successful evening, with numerous artists selling their work on opening night and the event welcoming plenty of new faces through the gallery doors.
The Exhibition is open to the public until the 11th of November.
This year’s Art Prize featured an impressive 294 entries across the various categories, showcasing an incredible range of talent, creativity and artistic expression.
One of the standout categories was Young Artist, which attracted an impressive 71 entries. This is something the gallery is particularly proud of, with a strong focus on encouraging emerging artists, supporting young creatives and creating opportunities for the next generation to share their work with the community.
The evening was a real celebration, with the gallery introducing a new dinner menu to enhance the opening night experience, alongside live acoustic music from local musician Brock Mathers.
The event also welcomed a number of special guests, including Inverell Mayor Kate Dight and Member for the Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan, who officially opened the exhibition.
This year’s entries were judged by local artist Murray Bird, who had the difficult task of selecting the winning works from an exceptionally talented field. His expertise and careful consideration helped recognise the outstanding creativity and skill on display throughout the exhibition.
A particularly special moment was the announcement of this year’s Grand Champion, Alicia Carmicheal from the Gold Coast, for her work, The Departure .
Although she was unable to attend the opening night in person, she was incredibly humbled and excited by the win, sharing a beautiful speech that was read aloud by Mayor Kate Dye. It was a heartfelt moment that reflected just how meaningful these opportunities are for artists and the wider creative community.
The success of this year’s Art Prize is a wonderful reflection of the strength of our regional arts community and the important role the Inverell Art Gallery plays in bringing people together through creativity.
With such an incredible response from artists and the community, the gallery team is thrilled with the outcome and looks forward to welcoming visitors to experience the exhibition in the coming weeks.
The exhibition is now open to the public at the Inverell Art Gallery, with artworks available for purchase in store or online via their website. For those who fall in love with a piece, collection can be arranged after the exhibition, and artworks can also be posted Australia wide.
It was a fantastic night for the gallery, for our artists and for the Inverell community.
FULL WINNERS LIST
GRAND CHAMPION “The Departure” Alicia Carmichael – Molendinar QLD
1. SPECIAL FEATURE -PHOTOGRAPHY
Professional
Photography_1st “Nirox Muse I” – Karen Boshoff-Smith – Armidale
Highly Commended “Autumn in Tenterfield” – Tyrone Ryan – Sandy Hill
Amateur
Photography_1st “When your caught cheating your diet” – Jody Griffey – Inverell
Highly Commended “Blossom and Bloom” – Josee Romer – Inverell
2. THEMED SECTION – “A Taste of Life”
THEMED_1st “Coming into Spring” – Emily Kimmance – Inverell
Highly Commended “A Slice of Life” – JessiraSaunders – Guyra
3. OPEN SECTION
OPEN_1st “An Early Evening” – Peter Champion – Inverell
OPEN _2nd ”The Kingfisher” – Robby O’Brien – Inverell
4. LOCAL SECTION
LOCAL_1st “A Stormy Glow” – Gemma Younger – Oakwood
LOCAL_2nd “Iris” – Leonie Turner – Nullamanna
Highly Commended “Woodland Woman” – Michelle Murray – Gilgai
5. CERAMICS SECTION
CERAMIC_1st “Menopause is Only Natural – we need to start a conversation” – Trina McRae – Inverell
CERAMIC_2nd “Daisies and Trees in the Dark of Night” – Kayla Amos – Bourke
Highly Commended “Wisteria Bud Vase” – Kez Matterson – Inverell
6. MINIATURE SECTION
MINIATURE_1st “Anti-Portrait II – My Dad is Mad” – Karen Boshoff-Smith -Armidale
MINIATURE_2nd “Where the Gum Stands Sentinel” – Margaret Berry – Bundarra
Highly Commended “Perched and Pretty” – JessiraSaunders -Guyra
7. 3D
3D_1st “Caterpillar N12 Grader” – Robert Stokes -Inverell
3D_2nd “In the Garden (Vase)” – Karen Backus – Yallaroi
Highly Commended “Welds, Wattles & Wrens!” – Andrew Tann -Inverell
8. TEXTILES
TEXTILE _1st “Bag & Matching Purse” – Mary Shephard -Mount Russell
TEXTILE _2nd “Scottish Coffers Cottage” – Colleen Nancarrow -Inverell
Highly Commended ‘Rusty’ the Scrapyard Dog” – Julie Michel – Inverell
9. YOUNG ARTIST
5 years -8 years
YOUNG _ 1st “Secret Fairy Garden” – Isla Potts -Inverell
YOUNG_2nd “Cat” – Rawinia Leonard -Ashford
Highly Commended “Wombat” – Darcey Pratten- Ashford
9 years -12 years
YOUNG _ 1st “A Country Adventure” – Mikayla Lazar-Brown – Ashford
YOUNG_2nd “Leigha” – Kelsie Penberthy -Inverell
Highly Commended “Daisy the Dog” – Megan Johnson – Inverell
13 years -18 years
YOUNG _ 1st “The Art of Teaching” – Lacey Pohle – Bokarina
YOUNG_2nd “Drawn from the Sea” – Zoe Kinson – Ashford
Highly Commended “Untitled” – Charlie Parrella – Inverell
PACKERS CHOICE
“Dott ” Kiyah Dye – Inverell
ACQUSITIONS 2026
INVERELL SHIRE COUNCIL ACQUISITIONS
“The Departure” Alicia Carmichael – Molendinar QLD
INVERELL ART SOCIETY ACQUISITIONS
“After the Rain” Deborah Hooker – Inverell
“An Early Evening” Peter Champion – Inverell
Media Release: Inverell Art Gallery
