“Monumental” win for Rachel

Rachel South has won this year’s Moreton Bay Art Prize by elevating “an intimate everyday subject into the monumental”.

The local artist took the top prize, from 35 other short-listed artists, with her entry Sun-Kissed Chestnut (2026).

South’s work is part of a series exploring hair as an intimate trace and expansive landscape. Drawn from digitally and reconstructed imagery, the painting magnifies a fleeting, often overlooked detail.

In the citation, Judge Dr Simon Degroot said: “This work elevates an intimate, everyday subject into the monumental, drawing on the language of ASMR to propose a slower, more sensory mode of looking that feels countercultural.

“There is a technical mastery in the painting of light, texture, and movement across an almost architectural surface, this work shows how everyday routines can become source for profound artistic encounters.”

Second was Lucie Verhelst, with The Dance of Compassion (2026), with judges saying: “This work reminds us compassion is something we must practise through touch and action.

“Through an inventive two-part structure that dismantles the usual barriers between viewer and artwork, here we are invited to physically touch the cloth forms.

“Handling the delicate work reminds us that this act of handling becomes inseparable from its meaning. Empathy is in our hands.”

Third was Blair Garland, Greetings from Redcliffe (2025): “A handmade album of 19 painted portraits of disappearing local homes shows how form and content reinforce each other.

“The embroidery, painting and mixed-media construction show a sustained weaving together of the domestic and political, turning what could be discounted as nostalgia into a sharp critique of gentrification.”

Highly commended were Belinda Krumm, Garland of Beads (2025); Shan Michaels, Narratives We Wear (2026) and Mel Brady, Grasp the sparrow's tail (2026).

“Investing in arts and culture is key to building our vibrant, liveable City,” Mayor Peter Flannery said.

“The Moreton Bay Art Prize not only showcases exceptional talent, it helps foster a strong sense of identity and belonging by bringing people together to share stories, cultures and lived experiences.

“We’re proud to support the artists who call City of Moreton Bay home and continue to create opportunities for them to exhibit their work, connect with new audiences, and be recognised as we grow and evolve into a city of the future.”

The exhibition is at Pine Rivers Art Gallery, with visitors encouraged to vote for their favourite artwork in the People’s Choice Award before Saturday (July 18).

For more visit Moreton Bay Art Prize 2026 – Moreton Bay Galleries & Museums.