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ART INSPIRED BY AUSTRALIAN FICTIONBIBLIO ART PRIZE 2022BLARNEY BOOKS & ART IS PROUD TO PRESENT THE FULL CATALOGUE OF THE 14THANNUAL

CONFINEMENT BY BARB ADAMS (VIC)INSPIRED BY ONE HUNDRED DAYS BY ALICE PUNGMEDIUM: Handmade paper, printing, acrylic paints.PRICE: $350SIZE: 60 x 11 cmKaruna is forced to live in close proximity with herGrandmother as she deals with her pregnancy. Thekeys and the puzzle symbolise the control and loveher Grandmother shows as they struggle to fittogether 'like two puzzles that someone dropped onthe floor. We don't know which bits belong where.'

REMINGTON TELEXIA STANDARD ISSUEBY GEORDIE ALLARDICE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY SHIRL BY WAYNE MARSHALLThe gun was issued to Mr Stamford just in casesomething went wrong with his telexicanbride. Not many details were given about thegun but as the story The Telexican Brides had avery science fiction feel, I considered the gunto be advanced. This gun is genetical in twoways, it will only fire on “B008” (BEA) and firesa genetic load of deer DNA, which killsTelexicans quickly and humanely. I will includethe sticker of issue on my description card, thesticker is also found upon the gun itself.MEDIUM: Mixed media: This gun was made from various materials. Stainless steel, copper, timber, leather, wood, plastic, and deer antler.PRICE: $300SIZE: 27 x 15.5 cm

TREE OF LIFE BY RHONDA ALLARDICE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO PERISH BY EMMA VISKICMEDIUM: Mixed media, including upcycled found objects, wood, metal, leather, twine, paper, foam, sand and acrylic paintPRICE: $180SIZE: 30 x 15 cmHighlights to me the value of belonging and the impact it has on the human condition. The book reflectson the lives of a number of marginalized groups and the empathy and care they share with one another.The main character Caleb, a hearing-impaired detective, experienced many difficulties in his early years.He found acceptance and inclusion with his partner Kat’s Indigenous family and the deaf community –he belonged and was therefore more resilient. The base of the sculpture and the inlay shell circlerepresent Mutton Bird Island on which the story is set. The wooden section indicates the three maincharacters Caleb, Anton and Kat, and the unknown sniper. in the book. The upraised wooden feature“two hands” represents Auslan communication and also indicates a plea/gesture seeking inclusion forall. The “Tree of Life” holds quotes from the book – the “darker” shade with red-outline highlight thenegative difficulties experienced by people whilst the “lighter” with green outline highlight thepositives-especially the value of belonging.

LOST BY TAYLOR ARNOLD (VIC)INSPIRED BY A PLACE NEAR EDEN BY NELL PIERCEMEDIUM: Acrylic Paint, Oil Markers, Mod Podge on CanvasPRICE: $300SIZE: 90 x 90 cmI explored the themes and characters in A PlaceNear Eden by painting objects of significance,in an attempt to retell the story. The itemsrepresented in the painting were chosen toillustrate how Sem, Tilly and Celeste's livesintertwined... showcasing first the good, thenthe bad. 6 stars represent the Australian flagwhile the constellation of 3 represent Sem,Tilly and Celeste.

WHAT GOES AROUND BY TRACIE AXTON ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THIS ALL COME BACK NOW (ED) BY MYKAELA SAUNDERSMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $550SIZE: 35 x 35 cmMy first thought after reading, This All Come Back Now: An anthology of FirstNations Speculative Fiction by Mykaela Saunders, was the impact of plasticson the environment. The following exerpt from the text resonated with me;“In these stories, ‘this all come back’: all those things that have been takenfrom us, that we collectively mourn the loss of, or attempt to recover andrevive, as well as those that we thought we’d gotten rid of, that are alwaysreturning to haunt and hound us. We take from the earth then reward it bydestroying and polluting it. It’s almost like we cannot learn from pastmistakes. We can never get it back. Having a greater understanding of stolengenerations, their history and their rights to have the land that ancestorshave once stood on gave me the inspiration for my piece.

NO SHOES BY SANDRA BATTEN (VIC)INSPIRED BY AUSTRALIANA BY YUMNA KASSABMEDIUM: Ink & Oil on Drypoint CardPRICE: $300SIZE: 32 x 32 cm (framed under glass)Capturing small detail of a thought or observation underpins and influences mycreative practice and techniques I choose to use. In many ways the novel Australianais complex in its style and interpretation of society and rural life, and I struggled torespond. I thought I had to make my response exquisite, complicated and clever, justlike the book - I nearly put it aside! So rather than giving up, I kept reading and beganscratching, tearing, inking and wiping into a card. I kept it simple, and anuncomplicated work began to evolve. “NO shoes” responds to the detachedapproach of the book always leaving you wondering and the section My Face isNameless; The small work, reflects children, parents and a community doing its best.“ […] I took to dust and feet night and day because she sold my shoes.” (p 172)

SONGBIRD BY CORALIE JANE BOLTON (QLD)INSPIRED BY THE MAGPIE WING BY MAX EASTONMEDIUM: Acrylic on canvasPRICE: $549SIZE: 60 x 60 cmSongbird is for Helen, one of the main characters in Max Easton's novel,Magpie Wing. In the novel, Helen was resigned to a life of mediocrity.Her self-worth is inextricably connected to an existence where fewpeople, including herself fail to see her true value or potential. A youngwoman searching for something larger than herself, yet in the process,completely losing herself. This piece depicts a beguiling Magpie, proudlywarbling out her tunes in a magenta coloured outback. In the storybeyond the book, it is my wish for Helen, that she one day, leaves theMagpie's nest and finds her true potential.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL BY CORALIE JANE BOLTON (QLD)INSPIRED BY THE MAGPIE WING BY MAX EASTONMEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas and cotton threadPRICE: $649SIZE: 91.4 x 91.4 cmUp Close and Personal is a large abstract piece providing an intimateperspective of a Magpie's wing. The interconnectedness of the layers offeathers a tribute to the relationships woven together in the novel byMax Easton. A red streak runs through the middle of the wing, symbolicof the humanness of his characters, the intricate red stitching, holdingthe wing together depicting vulnerability and frailty. Helen and Duncanphilandering their way around Sydney. Walt, hiding in the closet, behindhis misguided morals. All three longing for love, an authentic embracesomewhere to genuinely belong. Yet... in the end, finding themselvescircling back to where they began, beneath the Magpie's wing.

LONELY ON SWAN STREET BRIDGE BY LINDA BAGU BATSON ( VIC)INSPIRED BY NO HARD FEELINGS BY GENEVIEVE NOVAKMEDIUM: Ink and watercolourPRICE: $299SIZE: 30 x 42 cmThis book centres around a youngfemale protagonist, Penny, whoconstantly searches for meaning in life,while struggling with feelings ofinadequacy and isolation. She lives inRichmond, Melbourne, where much ofthe book is set. I imagine her walking,alone and lonely, across the iconic SwanStreet Bridge, contemplating how to fillthe gaping hole she feels within.

O POSITIVE PATCH BY TAMARA BEALE (VIC)INSPIRED BY HOLD YOUR FIRE BY CHLOE WILSONMEDIUM: Acrylic on boardPRICE: $450SIZE: 30 x 40 cmMany of the stories in this book wereabout control and loss of control. Thisimage of using willingly donated blood onthe garden was too good to resist and Iimagined fat juicy pumpkins thriving onunwitting donors.

IN BETWEEN 1 AND 2 BY KATRINA BEISSEL (NSW)INSPIRED BY DAISY AND WOOLF BY MICHELLE CAHILL1. An image of Daisy on her long voyage,painted in grey scale to represent that she isbetween countries, cultures, worlds andrelationships. She stands tentatively, lookingtowards a grey sky, unaware of the realimpending darkness and the sacrifices shewill have to make. The underpainting is acolour representing a mix of marigolds androses, flowers of her mixed heritage.2. 2. Another moment of contemplation on herjourney, watching the passing landscape as ifher own life passes before her.MEDIUM: Oil on boardPRICE: $330 eachSIZE: 30 x 30 cm

OUTBACK TREACHERY BY SILVANA BENACCHIO ( VIC)INSPIRED BY CUTTERS END BY MARGARET HICKEYMEDIUM: CollagePRICE: $150SIZE: 40 x 30 cmCutters End had me enthralled from pageone till the suspenseful end. Thecollecting of clues is a satisfying joy tome when reading mysteries. Everyone isunder suspicion, and everything is a clue.Or is it? I have portrayed scenes as I haveimagined them in the book.

WOMEN I DO KNOW BY ZELA BISSETT ( VIC)INSPIRED BY WOMEN I KNOW BY KATERINA GIBSONMEDIUM: Digitally altered photographs, collagePRICE: $250SIZE: 35 x 25 cmThe seventeen stories in Women I Know explore various aspects of womanhoodand identity. The stories are characterised by varied formats which challenge thetraditional structures of short fiction and narrative. The collection takes its titlefrom a deft story told through one conversation between a girl and hergrandmother. In the older woman’s almost-monologue we get some glimpses intohow her limitations may have contributed to the scandal which has overtaken thefamily. Blurring suggests characters without definition. Unexpected andunresolved endings are represented by the use of fragmented images and tornedges.

CHARLIE’S PERTH BY CYNDIE BRYON ( NZ)INSPIRED BY THE GALLERIST BY MICHAEL LEVITTMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $560SIZE: 60 x 40 cmA grieving gallerist, dealing in works by some renowned Australian artists, searches forthe identity of a young Perth painter from the 1970’s, who created an exceptionalartwork very like an existing celebrated artist. His search takes the gallerist into theworld of art dealing, forgeries and corruption and the tragic consequence family pride.His personal growth through the narrative is just as important as the mystery of thepainting's provenance. The art, locations and relationships described in the bookencouraged me to research the city of Perth in the 70's. The life and colours of the citybuildings and growing urban sprawl along the Swan River, the developing rail links,traditional suburban homes and the omnipresent native red gum trees all create thepatchwork of 'Charlie's' world. My painting is representative of the time and placewhen the young artist lived in Perth.

ISOLATION BY HELEN BUNYON (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE ISLANDS BY EMILY BRUGMANMEDIUM: Mixed media – found object assemblagePRICE: $600SIZE: 20 x 20 x 67 cmThe novel which inspired my sculpture was The Islands by Emily Brugman - such wonderful,descriptive story-telling. The story is set in the 1950’s off the coast of Western Australia on Little RatIsland, part of the Albrohos Islands, and draws on the author's Finnish background - Finnish migrantsmoving to a new country, an isolated place with the lure of the crayfishing industry, trying to build anew home. I was transported to the time I visited remote Greek islands, meeting Greek fishermenwho were cooking fish soup in old shacks perched high on rugged cliffs. These memories andsomething about the isolation and wildness of the natural elements, the stark beauty of theenvironment so vividly described in the novel, inspired me to create my sculpture, an imaginaryisland with rustic old building perched up high, surrounded by sea, isolated and reachable only byboat and precarious ladder. Maybe the few travellers who came upon this island will stay, or perhapscontinue on their journey....

THE TEETH OF A SLOW MACHINE BY PAUL BURMAN (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE TEETH OF A SLOW MACHINE BY ANDREW ROFFMEDIUM: Digitally manipulated photograph on Ilford Galerie Textured Cotton RagPRICE: $150 Framed / $90 unframed (limited edition)SIZE: 29.7 x 42 cmThe element that stayed with me the most from this collection of stories was theanthology's title: 'The Teeth of a Slow Machine'. And while it was used in thestory 'Pigface' to evocatively describe a line of jagged cliffs, it grew in myimagination to represent many different and sometimes contradictory things,such as the gradual destruction of nature through human intervention, or thegradual erosion of human constructions by the power of nature. Eventually, thevisual response I was searching for manifested itself in the many photos I'vetaken of this truck, which I've observed, across the last couple of decades, slowlydeteriorating in the forecourt of Conlan's garage on Cox Street as nature hassunk its teeth into it. The image resonates with machine parts and the teeth ofcogs, bites of rust, and even the grill resembles a mouth bearing a set of teeth.While I've often played with the idea of painting it, the composition never reallyworked for me until I started digitally adjusting one of my photos, bringing incolour in a way that I feel helps the viewer see it afresh: reclamation by natureand the potential beauty of industrial decay.

SHELTER BY PAUL BURMAN (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE TEETH OF A SLOW MACHINE BY ANDREW ROFFMEDIUM: Acrylic on boardPRICE: $550SIZE: 34 x 45 cm'Shelter' was my favourite story from this anthology. While it describes lifein a student house in the city - a little ramshackle, a messy kitchen with asink full of unwashed dishes, an uncared-for garden with long grass, and agroup of boys competing for the attention of an older woman - the storyput me in mind of shelter in a broader sense as a basic human need: a placeof refuge against the unforgiving elements, where families and friendshipscan evolve, but where someone might also feel trapped or imprisoned. Inturn, I was reminded of this house on the plains of the Western District -falling into disrepair and possibly (or possibly not) uninhabited - which,whenever I drive past it, suggests all sorts of stories to me. I have tried tocapture a sense of this for the viewer so that their imagination can populateit with stories of their own.

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM BY SIAN BURMAN ( VIC)INSPIRED BY COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW BY JESSICA AUMEDIUM: Japanese Sumi inkand Gouache on YupoPRICE: $180SIZE: 93 x 63 cmIn this quiet, atmospheric book a young woman takes her mother on aholiday to Japan. The reader never discovers their names; they are merelymother and daughter. Although there is warmth between them andobvious affection, it is clear they know little about each other’s lives andthere is a distance between them that never seems to lessen. I’ve chosenJapanese ink and gouache for this illustration, which the book inspiredme to create. The dominant figure is the young woman who stands by anexpanse of water, as water has played an important part in the differentaspects of her life. It also represents the distance between the daughterand mother; the daughter is seen standing looking over to the townopposite where the mother is closeted away amongst the security ofcrowds, unlike her daughter who prefers the isolation of the countryside.The bridge represents her need to connect with her mother. We can’t seethe young woman’s face, only her back, as in the book she is somewhatanonymous, observing, yearning, rather wistful, but perhaps never seento be fully engaging.

MARIGOLD BY MICHELLE BURNS (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY BY SULARI GENTILLMEDIUM: Acrylic on canvas(Framed in Victorian Ash)PRICE: $600SIZE: 49 x 61 cmThis painting is inspired by the characterMarigold from the The Woman in theLibrary by Sulari Gentill. This mysterynovel presents a story within a storydrawing the reader in as I hope the petalsof the painted Marigold do.

THE NATURALIST’S NIGHTMARE BY PATSY BUSH (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL HISTORY OF LOVE BY CAROLINE PETITMEDIUM: Drawing pen – Tunnel bookPRICE: $500SIZE: 60 x 30 x 25 cmThe 19th century French naturalist, Count de Castelnaureceived a sketch of a supposed ganoid fish. Castelnauwas so determined to have his name attached to a newspecies that, despite the misgivings of his lover,Carolina Fonçeca, he proceeded to publish a scientifictreatise on the fish which he names Ompaxspatuloides. I believe the Count must have realised hismistress was right to advise further research. Hismisinformed decision to publish would prey on hismind and would give him nightmares populated withbizarre and unnatural creatures.

NOT A TIMID WOMAN BY ADELAIDE BUTLER (ACT)INSPIRED BY THE ISLANDS BY EMILY BRUGMANMEDIUM: Found textile, watercolour paint,cotton thread, glass beadsPRICE: $120SIZE: 27.5 X 27.5 cmStanding at the edge of the universe and staringinto the unknown, women throughout historyhave defied the expected timidity and weaknessof their gender. Migrant women, now mothersand grandmothers, hold the strength of theirjourney into the unfamiliar.

WHALE LOVE BY ALYSSA CAHILL ( QLD)INSPIRED BY WALK OF THE WHALES BY NICK BLANDMEDIUM: Paper Mache, wire, weights, wool, plastic bin and acrylic paintPRICE: $80SIZE: 45 x 26 x 19 cmI chose this book because I like whales and inthe book it shows people picking up rubbish inthe ocean to make the whales’ home better.Plastic and rubbish in the oceans is bad for themarine life and we can all do our bit formaking their homes better.NB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young people were invitedto select a book of their own choice.

WHERE IS THE GREEN SHEEP? BY EMILY CAHILL ( QLD)INSPIRED BY WHERE IS THE GREEN SHEEP? BY MEM FOXMEDIUM: Polymer clayPRICE: $25SIZE: 6 x 4 cmAs a little kid I really love the book Where is the GreenSheep? because I like finding things. I am a very visualperson and I like making things with my hands, so I createdthis little sculpture to inspire others to read one of myfavourite books.NB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young people were invited toselect a book of their own choice.

I’M MELTING BY KATE CANARD (VIC)INSPIRED BY NO HARD FEELINGS BY GENEVIEVE NOVAKMEDIUM: OilPRICE: $200SIZE: 30 x 30 cmNo Hard Feelings tells the common story of a boyfriend delaying and ignoringyour needs, while you give them your energy and time, losing yourself in theprocess. I've represented this in 'Bubble O'Jill' the female partner to 'BubbleO'Bill', representing a female stereotype physically dripping and emotionallydissolving while waiting for validation through delayed texts from her boyfriendin a time of crisis and need.

OTHER PERSPECTIVEBY ANNA CAPIGA (VIC)INSPIRED BY HERE BE LEVIATHANSBY CHRIS FLYNNMEDIUM: Acrylic paint and toilet paperPRICE: $220SIZE: 45.7 x 91.4 cmJust like the stories in Here Be Leviathans thisabstract painting is full of texture, warmth andunexpected bumps. This piece was created usingacrylic paint and toilet paper which perhaps has amind of its own, but on this occasion its life tookan unexpected turn and instead of being flushed inthe toilet it will forever watch the world from aperspective of a painting.

MY HEART IS A HAND REACHINGBY LORENA CARRINGTON (VIC)INSPIRED BY DEVOTION BY HANNAH KENTMEDIUM: Photographyand digital montagePRICE: $350SIZE: 16 x 12 in. (in a 20 x 16 in. frame)The line 'my heart is a hand reaching' appears at the verybeginning of Devotion. It’s not often I have to pause for amoment to stare out the window on the first page of a book.Usually, I need to have sunk into the pages and felt the shapeand flow of it before I’m struck with moments of awe, where Istop to feel the words of a perfectly spun line burrow their wayinto my bones. But with Devotion, the first words I readthrummed like music. I wanted to visualise the sense of yearningand otherworldly love that carries through the whole of Devotion:the importance of trees to Hanne; the depth and pull of darkwater; the reaching, beating heart of love. The breathtakingpower of a moment in almost touching.

THE SHARING BY CARON CAVALIER (VIC)INSPIRED BY BLUE HOUR BY SARAH SCHMIDTMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $420SIZE: 52 x 52 cmEleanor’s father introduced her to the joys of observingthe minute and obscure details of nature, a sharingwhich created an unbreakable bond between them.“From up there, Wintonvale was a doll village. She sat ina branch fork … and waited for the birds … she kept hereye to the sky, eye to green, called their names out loudas she saw them … they flew, they flew and that flyingmade her happy”.

WHEN THE NIGHT CRICKETS EMERGEBY CARON CAVALIER (VIC)INSPIRED BY BLUE HOUR BY SARAH SCHMIDTMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $360SIZE: 35 x 45 cmBlue Mountain is the destination in the story thatprovides peace and resolution. Blue Hour is accentuatedwith violence, anger and sadness, though it has itsbittersweet moments. The path to the Blue Mountaintraverses through the complete gamut of emotions,from intense sinking to momentary playfulness andbursts of joy.

FREE AT LAST BY MARGARET CHRISTIANSON (VIC)INSPIRED BY LOVELANDBY ROBERT LUKINSMEDIUM: Recycled metal sculpturePRICE: $500SIZE: 90 x 60 x 64 cmFree At Last, was inspired by the main protagonist May in thegripping novel Loveland by Robert Lukins. May is standingstrong and resilient in her rowboat in the middle of apoisonous lake in Loveland, Nebraska. She has been part ofgenerational family violence and overcame it all to become theperson she is today. She is now able to move on with strengthand hope for a better future for herself.

TOKYO BY NIGHT BY CHERYL CLARIDGE (VIC)INSPIRED BY COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW BY JESSICA AUMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $60SIZE: 29.5 x 20 cmThe view from the hotel window in Tokyo.

GIRL WITH A MONKEY BY DIANNE COLK (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE BURNISHED SUN BY MIRANDI RIWOEMEDIUM: Charcoal on archival rag paperPRICE: $500 / $350 UnframedSIZE: 75 x 56 cm (unframed)From this short story collection, I chose the short story Annah the Javanese byMirandi Riwoe. My source image for this drawing was a painting by Paul Gauguin, Girlwith a Fan, which he based on a photograph of one of his Tahitian models, Tohotaua.In the novella by Mirandi Riwoe, Annah, a Javanese girl, finds herself far from home,living a lonely and impoverished existence in the studio of “Pol” Gauguin. With asmall monkey as her only true companion, she tries to make the best of her situation.In my drawing, I have tried to convey Annah’s sadness and longing for home. Iincluded the bananas as a reference to the cover illustration of The Burnished Sun, inwhich the novella is included.

THE FISH GIRL BY DIANNE COLK (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE BURNISHED SUN BY MIRANDI RIWOEMEDIUM: Ink and watercolour on paperPRICE: $200 / $150 unframedSIZE: 45 x 30 cm (unframed)The Fish Girl, the title of a novella by Miranda Riwoe, is a responseto a short story by W. Somerset Maugham, The Four Dutchmen.“The captain was always losing his head over one brazen hussyafter another…”Mirandi Riwoe retells the story from the perspective of Mina, ayoung Indonesian woman, who is taken on board a fishing boat,with unfortunate results. Mina dreams of joining the mythicalOcean Queen as she descends into the watery depths. I havebased the images of the fish on Javanese shadow puppets.

ONLY FLESH BY BELINDA COLLETT (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE AIRWAYS BY JENNIFER MILLSMEDIUM: Graphite, pastel on Arches 640 gsm HPPRICE: $400SIZE: 56 x 76 cmAfter death does only flesh remain or, as the bookexplores, is there more? What is it that gives uslife? I found this rat on a footpath, dead, but nowhe lives, he is more, back in the world, different,but existing.

THE WIVES BY TESS CORBEL (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE ORCHARD MURDERS BY ROBERT GOTTMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $60SIZE: 33.5 x 33.5 x 4 cmI was interested in the lives of the wivesin this novel. My piece is inspired by thewomen working the land and in thrall toa religious zealot. I wanted to show themcaught in their own world, a world thathas been created by men, and which isfull of the violence of war and religion.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? BY CROSS MY HEART (VIC)INSPIRED BY DENIZEN BY JAMES MCKENZIE WATSONMEDIUM: Cotton on linenPRICE: $750SIZE: 30 x 30 cmThis piece focusses on the vastness of theAustralian landscape, and how much of the land isunpopulated or isolated. The elements aredisjointed and placed at random, reflecting thethought processes of confusion, delusion, mania,psychosis and pain that is felt throughout thenovel. The cold, the heat, the harsh environmentalelements form the backbone of a mental crisis withthe two representing and feeding one another.

WATCHING BY HOP DAC ( VIC)INSPIRED BY LOSING FACE BY GEORGE HADDADMEDIUM: Oil on canvas boardPRICE: $1200SIZE: 20 x 25 cmIt was disorienting jumping intosomeone else’s diaspora story,intriguing and yet familiar, forreminder of the stories that are lostor that still tug at the strings offamily and culture from long ago.

WOLF BY LISA DANIEL (VIC)INSPIRED BY ONCE THERE WERE WOLVESBY CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHYMEDIUM: Acrylic paint and pigmentsPRICE: $700SIZE: 80 cm The background represents the colours of the wolves.Grey, white, silver, brown, copper. The red represents theblood of the wolves. The eyes are the blue and green ofthe stars. One a touch darker for the dark side of the story.The other lighter for the light and joy of the story.

PEARS FOR EMILIO BY MICHELLE DAWSON ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE ORCHARD MURDERS BY ROBERT GOTTMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $450SIZE: 25 x 25 cmFor me, the challenge was to avoid creating aliteral illustration or designing a book cover. Butrather to keep my mind's eye open to what mightarise from the act of reading and to createsomething that was an emotional response tothe narrative. So here are my Pears for Emilio....hopefully evoking a messianic glow, looming outof the story's darkness and encircled by his rosarybeads.

NORTH SOUTH NORTH BY LADA DEDIC ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE BURNING ISLAND BY JOCK SERONGMEDIUM: Applique of fabrics mentioned in the novel.PRICE: $2400SIZE: 100 x 68 cmI was allocated The Burning Island while on residency in Canberra whereI borrowed the book from the ANU Library. My next stop was Sydneywhere I purchased a copy and, as a travelling artist, I found myself in aunique position to (attempt) to follow the voyage of The Burning Island'sMoonbird. They left Sydney by sea, and I by plane to Tasmania. We camewithin a mere 24 km from each other over land, space, time and sea. Ileft the book being read by another in Tasmania and I purchased theaudiobook and ebook to listen to on my journey to New Caledoniawhere the work was constructed. The work is an applique cartograph ofour paths taken some 220 years apart. Assembled with the fabricsmentioned in the book, it speaks to nostalgia, heartache, deceit, love,loss and an island so close yet so far.

LAZERET BY KRISTY DIFFEY ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE COAST BY ELEANOR LIMPRECHTMEDIUM: Edible watercolour pigment on fondant and gingerbread.PRICE: $100SIZE: 40 x 40 cmThe Coast is a very visual book and I wanted to capturethe snapshots of the characters lives before and after theygo to the hospital through a series of vignettes. I decidedto sidestep the obvious and paint the flora and faunawhich form such an important part of the book.

AND ALL THIS COMES TO AN END? BY RALPH DOMINO (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE SETTLEMENT BY JOCK SERONGMEDIUM: Photographic image, inkjet print, archival paperPRICE: $595SIZE: 50 x 50 cmA bewildered Truganini peers, her gaze piercing. Herclan's doomed journey from their ancestral homelandon The Man's promise of protection and freedom was alie. Truganini's wound is raw. In the end, The Manknows what he has done. The Black Dog, a motifthroughout the novel, haunts him; his delusion,oppression and guilt linger.

SOPHIA BY JANE DOWIE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE COAST BY ELEANOR LIMPRECHTMEDIUM: Graphite pencil on paperPRICE: $450SIZE: 40 x 40 cmThis book for me was immediately appealing purely because of thetitle! But once I began reading, I was immediately immersed in Alice'sworld and the Australian landscape in which she spent the early yearsof her childhood. As her story of life at the Coast Hospital lazaretunfolded, amongst the sadness and suffering- there emerged hope.Hope for something better. And despite her grim predicament, therewas happiness and joy to be found if she chose to look. The oceanprovided her with a place of solace and a place of belonging to theisolated community in which she lived. My work of Sophia depicts oursense of belonging and the significance of our coastal life and thesolace it brings us.

DUALITY BY ZOEY DOWLING ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE COMPETITION BY KATHERINE COLLETTEMEDIUM: Yarn and crochet hookPRICE: $120SIZE: 40 x 40 cmThe artwork I've created representsduality and transformation following thearc of two characters, with theemergence of their true, unencumberedselves at the end of the book - it looks attheir individual transformation but also oftheir connection to each other.

GRID BY KATY DOWNEY ( VIC)INSPIRED BY BON AND LESLEY BY SHAUN PRESCOTTMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $500SIZE: 61 x 45.7 cmThis artwork relies on the notion of the grid as used inmapping spaces while playing with a 4-grid frameworkto convey the reflected/other universes explored inBon and Lesley. To represent the surreal quality ofPrescott's world, I worked with both layers andgeometric lines to echo the rigidly mapped universeversus the unmapped/imagined universe depicted inthe novel. I was interested in the idea of margins andempty spaces that can alter our perception ofsuburban settings as being safely inhabited. In agesture of irony, and to reflect financialprecariousness, this work was painted with an expiredcredit card.

HAPPY FAMILIES BY CLAIRE MACRAE DRYLIE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY A SOLITARY WALK ON THE MOON BY HILDE HINTONMEDIUM: AssemblagePRICE: $550SIZE: 55 cmThis wonderful book is full of flawed and quirky characters. Evelyn, the main character,determinedly draws them together. The story explores hardship, childhood, love, friendshipand family, and also shows us that one doesn’t have to be blood to be family. My workresembles a lucky spinning wheel. Life. Also, Evelyn appears to have lived her life in a never-ending circle. Arriving in new places, she pays close attention to her new community, sheconnects people by building ‘Happy Families’, then quietly moves on. Evelyn uses food as animportant element to bring all the different characters together. She made the initialconnection with Ben by having small delicacies ready for him when he came into herlaundromat with his mother on a Tuesday after school. Many years later when Ben returnsto the old house, he opens his special memory drawer. I have imagined the childhoodtreasures he may have found. One thing I’m certain would be there is the ‘Happy Families’card game which had belonged to Evelyn. This artwork was made with the characters stillvery sharp in my mind, even though I had finished reading the book sometime before. Theessence of both Evelyn and Ben will stay with me for a very long time.

THE COMPLEXITIES OF MODERN LOVE BY SONYA DUFFY (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE OTHER HALF OF YOU BY MICHAEL MOHAMMED AHMADMEDIUM: Ink wash and mixed mediaPRICE: $120SIZE: 19.8” x 16”Bani Adams is in conflict. He loves hisfamily and wants to make them happy byfollowing the tradition faith of their Tribe- Arab Muslim Alawite but living inSydney and being exposed to theAustralian way of life, he wantssomething different. My artwork depictsthe girls that were (are) part of his life.

RECIPES AND FAMILIES BY ALISSA DUKE (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE THREE BURIALS OF LOTTY KNEENBY KRISSY KNEENMEDIUM: Watercolour pencilPRICE: $150SIZE: 15 x 23 x 2.5 cmThe Three Burials of Lotty Kneen: Travels with my Grandmother’s Ashes is aboutKrissy Kneen’s search for herself. When her grandmother dies, Krissy sets out with abox containing her grandmother’s ashes, intending to trace her life and perhapslocate some remnants of family. The books is about identity, belonging, love, family,the search of truth. It is a mixture of memoir, travelogue, fable, myth and recipes. Iwas inspired by the recipes of Jota and Medames of Slovenia and Egypt in the booksand also the place of food in the finding of family. The author’s relationship is that“food is beautiful. Food Is art and for me, as for my grandmother, food is the primaryway to express love.” I drew on pages of the book that have the recipes. Thedescription of the individual ingredients to make a recipe are drawn and these arethe parts that make up a whole.

IT ALL FADES WITHOUT WORDS BY CHARLOTTE DUMESNY (VIC)INSPIRED BY FAMILY MATTERS BY ELLIE O’NEILLMEDIUM: Mixed Media: Acrylic, Gouache and Charcoal on photographPRICE: $400SIZE: A3Without words, without language, withouthonesty, when we hold back, we start to lose.We lose ourself, we lose connection, tiesloosen, and love can fade.Don’t hold your tongue. Speak your truth.Share your magic

TULNA BY DEVON DUMESNY (VIC)INSPIRED BY WYLAH THE KOORI WARRIORBY RICHARD PRITCHARD/JORDAN GOULDMEDIUM: Digital painting and drawingPRICE: $60SIZE: A4I wanted to make it look like thebackground of the artwork was like a cave. Iwas inspired by Wylah and the colours ofAustralian nature. I wanted to make it looklike it my own version of a cave paintingNB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young people were invitedto select a book of their own choice.

THEN AND NOW TAKE 1: TIME BLUR BY JILL EDWARDS (VIC)INSPIRED BY SARGASSO BY KATHY GEORGEMEDIUM: Mixed media: concertina book with calico bagPRICE: $135SIZE: 39 x 13 cmMemories are sketchyDollie criedAnd that is how Flint found usHe finds meAnd all that I loveKotteb is the first to disappearIn a blurring of time

THEN AND NOW TAKE 2: TIME OVERLAY BY JILL EDWARDS (VIC)INSPIRED BY SARGASSO BY KATHY GEORGEMEDIUM: Mixed media: concertina book with calico bagPRICE: $235SIZE: 62 x 24 cmMy eyes fall on the staircaseEven after all this timeSo many rooms, hidey-holes to discoverI've been awayTime starts to overlayThen/now/then/nowTime warpsFlint/Tristan/Flint/TristanI cannot define

THEN AND NOW TAKE 3: TIME FRACTUREBY JILL EDWARDS (VIC)INSPIRED BY SARGASSO BY KATHY GEORGEMEDIUM: Mixed media: concertina book with calico bagPRICE: $335SIZE: 95 x 24 cmI am missing a piece I lose track of time Clock hands spin forward Haywire, crazy Whirring with energy Then/now/then/now Relentless I drop the clock in fright Glass shatters Fragments tumble to the floor Then/now/then/now In confusion Time fractures

UNCHECKED FIRE BY DANIELLE ELLIOTT (NSW)INSPIRED BY LOVELAND BY ROBERT LUKINSMEDIUM: Acrylic paintPRICE: $90SIZE: 30 x 30 cmThe artwork is an abstract depicting allthat is kept hidden and unchecked. It’sabout the uncontrollable momentswhen the past comes to the surface.

BLUE HOUR BY SARAH EYLES (NSW)INSPIRED BY BLUE HOUR BY SARAH SCHMIDTMEDIUM: Digital mediaPRICE: $500SIZE: 42 x 59.4 cmIn the book the characters regularly reference andvisit the Blue Mountains. In one chapter twocharacters walk through the mountain to a clearing,looking out over the expanse of green and blue.My artwork is a stitched composition of a numberof photos that reference this scene. The artwork isalso quite dark as there was a darkness to the story.

GRETEL BY BRODIE FAIRALL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY FORTY NIGHTS BY PIROOZ JAFARIMEDIUM: Alcohol ink, synthetic paper, metal rings, handmade paper, acrylic paint, porcelain.PRICE: $160SIZE: 27.3 x 27.3 cmI made and painted porcelain tiles to represent the foundation ofthis story being set in Tehran, Iran. The metal rings represent acommon object of the story and the ghostly inked synthetic paperreflects a character woven throughout the story. I wanted myartwork response to the book to have a segmented, layeredaesthetic to reflect the chapters, written from the viewpoints ofdifferent characters, from various times and places.

POWERFUL OWL BY SALLY FITTS ( VIC)INSPIRED BY HOLD YOUR FIRE BY CHLOE WILSONMEDIUM: WatercolourPRICE: $100SIZE: 15 x 21 cmIn the story ‘Powerful Owl’ we learn ofthe latent power of the Powerful Owl,but also of the power of an explodingcandle to disrupt.

WHAT OUR DREAMS ARE MADE OF BY HELEN FITZHARDINGE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY DEATH AT THE BELVEDERE BY SUE WILLIAMSMEDIUM: Pencil & watercolourPRICE: $120SIZE: 52.5 x 42.5 cmCass dreams she is flying. Then herparachute rips and she plummets to theground. Perhaps she should haveheeded her dream and not becomeinvolved with the woman in the blue coat.Maybe then she wouldn't have ended uphanging out of a Ferris wheel cabin manyfeet above the ground. Should we all paymore attention to what our subconsciousis telling us through our dreams?

ANCHORS BY ROBYN FISHERINSPIRED BY POMEGRANATE & FIG BY ZAHEDA GHANIMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $145SiZE: 30 x 40 cmReading Pomegranate & Fig filled me with longing to visit andexperience Afghanistan. The more I read the more I realised this maynever happen. The loss of culture, tradition, community, the l ove offamily and connection developed and enriched over so manygenerations having been taken away. My painting derives from aparagraph in this book that so simply references, for me, all of that loss.“She will take this vase home, she will put flowers in it, she will think ofKhoja and the vases he used to make. She will remember how Khojaused to hang a stone on the branch of the Apple trees so that she andher siblings could reach and pick their own fruit” The tree depicted is old,anchored to the landscape. Pomegranates reference the title of thebook, they fall, along with a child, from the tree. The stone no longerplaced there by a loving parent to hold the branches down, life just fallsfrom the tree. All of that love and culture, so tenuous.

OVER THE HILL BY ROBYN FOSTER (QLD)INSPIRED BY PAPERBARK HILL BY MAYA LINNELLMEDIUM: Oil on board triptychPRICE: $235SIZE: 20.5 x 20.5 cmI spend a fair bit of time travelling up and down the east coastby car, often as a passenger, with plenty of time to stare outthe window and drink in the wide-open landscape and skies,wondering where the road is leading us. Paperbark Hill is anAustralian romance novel by Maya Linnell. As I was thinkingand painting, I was imagining Ned driving through this vastlandscape, his children staring out their car windows at thegreat expanse flashing by, hurtling unknowingly toward Dianaand her flower farm many miles away and over the hill.

MEDIUM: Watercolour pencilsPRICE: $300SIZE: 30 x 42 cmMy artwork is of Cyndi, a mesmerisingcharacter in the book. Cyndi is atransgender woman who smokesmenthol in her garden wearing herfrayed peach robe.CYNDI BY MISHI FOX (VIC)INSPIRED BY AN EXCITINGAND VIVID INNER LIFEBY PAUL DALLA ROSA

MEDIUM: Watercolour pencilsPRICE: $300SIZE: 30 x 42 cmI depicted the scene where The Woman waits allnight in an attempt to bond with her roommate,only for him to show up at 1am, after she hasconsumed 3 bottles of wine, telling her that hehas no interest in becoming friends and hecannot help her with her problems.THE WOMAN SLURS, “THAT IS REASONABLE” BY MISHI FOX (VIC)INSPIRED BY AN EXCITINGAND VIVID INNER LIFEBY PAUL DALLA ROSA

MEDIUM: Watercolour pencilsPRICE: $200SIZE: 24 x 32 cmThis is Zhen. He is a poet from China. The authorof my allocated book was very good at creatingcharacters, and Zhen seems like somebody I'dlike to know.ZHEN THE POETBY MISHI FOX (VIC)INSPIRED BY AN EXCITINGAND VIVID INNER LIFEBY PAUL DALLA ROSA

THE CARRIAGE BY ROBERT GATT (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE SIGNAL LINE BY BRENDAN COLLEYMEDIUM: Wood, 3d printed plastic, brass and steelPRICE: $850SIZE: 25 x 15 x 10 cmA random group of passengers board a train in Orvieto bound for Rome. They arrive afew hours later in Hobart. As would be expected there is a certain amount ofconfusion. This book operates on many levels, but I chose the base storyline to inspiremy piece. Let's face it - who can resist a story about a ghost-train collecting peoplefrom places around the world and then depositing them in random locations. Mysculpture is a glimpse into a carriage on that train. Two strangers sit their kneesalmost touching. The man holds a newspaper as a shield raising it slightly as he reads,as the destination on the outside of the carriage oscillates between Rome andHobart. Many of my sculptures involve moving parts that require audienceparticipation usually in the form of a handle to turn. This piece is no different. Ibelieve that inviting the audience to touch a sculpture helps build a connectionbetween the two. Like the relationship between audience and art I am intrigued withparts that interact with each other; rotating, turning and changing direction.

VESSELS BY ABBI GILBERT (VIC)INSPIRED BY ABOMINATION BY ASHLEY GOLDBERGMEDIUM: Drypoint etching, stenciland spray paint.PRICE: $320SIZE: 43 x 38 cmEach of the two main characters in this book are confronted with the disconnect betweenthe outward appearance of religious purity, success and happiness and the inward realityof dark secrets, shame and failure. One struggles with this within himself, while the otheris confronted with the double standards that become evident within his orthodoxreligious community. I am reminded of a saying of Jesus where he compares the attitudesof the religious leaders of his day with vessels that appear to be clean and shiny on theoutside, but hidden on the inside is greed, self-indulgence and selfish cruelty. My artworktries to represent the contrast between the outward veneer and the internal strugglesthat we, like the characters in the book, face daily. I am grateful that through myrelationship with Jesus he is at work in me to bring peace and cleansing to my inwardturmoil.

HE’S ALIVE BY ROSS HALFACREE ( NSW)INSPIRED BY SADVERTISING BY ENNIS CEHICMEDIUM: Pen, acrylic & mixed media on framed canvasPRICE: $900SIZE: 79 x 64 x 6 cmFrom an artist’s perspective, Sadvertising provided a deluge ofimages and events to translate. From pages 7 to 19 I wastransported back to my early workdays – back when you “owned’ thedesk you worked at, and hot desking, color psychology and eco-friendly were terms not invented. We had one particular person likeDavid, who became famous for how he was able to accumulate stuffand create a unique world. Monitors didn’t exist, but paper, files andfolders were abundant as were a gazillion cereal box knickknacksand side-show toys. Ennis Cehic’s 13-page description of theimpacts, humour and office-politics released cherished memories.

8.02 PM BY ROSS HALFACREE ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE SIGNAL LINE BY BRENDAN COLLEYMEDIUM: Pen, aerosol, acrylic and mixed media on black timber-framed canvasPRICE: $600SIZE: 54 x 54 x 6 cmI couldn’t go past the image of the Ghost Train, and the surreal thought ofa train travelling (very fast) from Rome, Italy, to Hobart, Tasmania – 16,345kms according to travelmath.com. Improbable as it might be, it providedmystery and opportunities and sometimes strange decisions. It seems tome that the Ghost Train is one of many that appear through your life. Youcan watch, shut your eyes and avoid them or hop on and enjoy the ride.Delightfully, Brendan Colley chose the latter for his characters, allowingthem to progress, explore and grow.

STONE TOWN BY BERIT HAMPEL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY STONE TOWN BY MARGARET HICKEYMEDIUM: PhotocollagePRICE: $280SIZE: 60 x 40 cmMy entry is a multilayered collageabout a rural crime drama byMargaret Hickey. Set in an historicgold town, property is highlysought after, and people doeverything it takes to get it.

HELP ME: WHAT HAVE I BECOME? BY BARBARA HEBB (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE GOOD CAPTAIN BY SEAN RABINMEDIUM: Textile/fibre sculpturePRICE: $300SIZE: 24 x 44 x 56 cm“After decades of believing the ocean had beenexplored and tamed, it was now once again unknownand dangerous – a realm where all traditional rhythmsappeared to have been broken and no predictability hadarisen to take their place. “ page 53 Due to the abuse ofthe oceans, this fish has altered at a dramatic rate. Ityearns for its previous form, before the arms and legsgrew.

DOGS AND CATS BY BRUCE HEBB ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE SAWDUST HOUSE BY DAVID WHISH- WILSONMEDIUM: Graphite pencilon acid free paperPRICE: $500SIZE: 61 x 43 cmThe cruelty of being Irish in Colonial times - deportation as afourteen-year-old for crimes not committed - terror of the“hold” and the vast expanse of the ocean, only to be outdoneby the harsh never-ending Australian landscape - findingpassage to America, the dreamland, the reality being adifferent type of nightmare - in this society you are either adog or a rat.

CHARACTERS VISUALISED BY EMILEE HILL (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE UNBELIEVED BY VIKKI PETRAITISMEDIUM: Digital artPRICE: $45SIZE: A4When I was allocated the The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis, I wasinterested immediately, as I like crime based stuffed andfeminism, so it was perfect being allocated a book that has abadass female protagonist in a crime-based novel. As the authordescribed most characters in detail, it was easy to think of a visualof them while reading, which is why I decided to draw them, in away that I viewed them in the book in a comic/ collage style.

AND SO IT GOES ON (DIPTYCH) BY JULIE HOBBS (WARRN, VIC)INSPIRED BY REPENTANCE BY ALISON GIBBSMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $550SIZE: 30 x 30 cm (x 2)Repentence, by Alison Gibbs, targets an important era inAustralian history; the 1970s Forest Wars. The story of a loomingconfrontation unfolds from various points of view – from thehippies who have landed in the remote town to oppose loggingto local families who have relied on the local sawmill forgenerations. Their stories are interspersed with brief micro-accounts of forest life, and it is here the hum and swell of thenatural world resonated strongly and inspired my response.“And so it goes on - day and night, the incessant burble of waterthe dissolving of rocks, the scramble of vines …. All of thiscontinues whether people are there or not…”

TREE- FERNS BY JODIE HONAN ( VIC)INSPIRED BY REPENTANCE BY ALISON GIBBSMEDIUM: Watercolour, graphitePRICE: 160SIZE: 14 x 20 cm (unframed)Alison Gibbs set Repentance in the hills of BundjalungCountry. Her hippies visit the rainforest where leavesand light are softer. Bird calls sound different, and theground is cool and damp beneath the ferns. Cares andclothes slip away. But the forest fellers are comingcloser exposing this precious place. In GunditjmaraCountry tree-ferns remain in a few damp forest gullies.Precious reminders of softer, cooler, lives.MEDIUM: Acrylic paintPRICE: $440SIZE: 150 x 80 cm

A DREAMY PLACE BY CATHERINE HUF (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE KEEPERS BY AL CAMPBELLMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $400SIZE: 60 x 90 cmThe artwork aims to show warmth,brightness and love materialising from acold place. The main image is Iceland, oneof the many dream locations where Jayfinds comfort in her mind. The Matryoshkadolls are Jay's family.

BUT IS IT COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW? BY ANNE- MAREE HUNTER (NSW) INSPIRED BY COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOWBY JESSICA AUMEDIUM: Mixed Media: Recycled Artists Palette, acrylic & oil paint, hand coloured lithographPRICE: $2500SIZE: 55 x 50 cmMother & daughter reconnect as they travel Japan amid typhoon season. Zen gardens,temples, tea ceremonies, oriental landscapes. The older asks the younger …. but “is itcold enough for snow?” An artist’s palette has been repurposed as a canvas, and thedaubs of dried oil paints translate to the standing stones within a raked Japanesegarden. As inscrutable as the Mona Lisa, a Geisha contemplates the landscape, and herhair curls and curves as if whispering in the wind or tracing the furrows made by rakingpebbles or sand. Each strand of her hair trails along as it would if depicted on a mapwhich both mother & daughter are following. They are travellers in this country, and toother’s inner self. The map acts as a translator, helping to decipher their conversationsso each can find or know the other by the time their journey is over.

DREAMING OF SNOW BY ANNE- MAREE HUNTER (NSW)INSPIRED BY IS IT COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW?BY JESSICA AUMEDIUM: Hand-coloured lithograph and block printPRICE: $350SIZE: 17 x 23 cmThis portrait of a Japanese lady appears to be dreaming orthinking. Her hair or thoughts are depicted by a swirling easterndesign of waves. In dreams, falling snow signals the beginninglike a new chapter in life. Unsurprisingly, a new blanket of snowsignifies purity and peace. In Cold Enough for Snow, whiletravelling through Japan, a mother and daughter seek balanceand serenity. Each temple, art gallery and landscape they visitengenders a kind of self-assuredness. They wish for snow in themanner which magical thinking may invoke improved luck; thekind of halo effect new snow might bring.

LITTLE GIRLS BY EVE HUTCHESSON ( VIC)INSPIRED BY LOVE OBJECTS BY EMILY MAGUIREMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $125SIZE: 125 x 22 cmLittle Girls is about my journey asmother to 3 daughters, and all thelittle bits and pieces that come withthat. The memories, the milestones,and the love objects that hold them.

THE BROTHERS BY DIANNE JACONO (VIC)INSPIRED BY DARK AS LAST NIGHT BY TONY BIRCHMEDIUM: Mixed media dioramaPRICE: $1500SIZE: 100 x 55 x 34 cmFrom Tony Birch's collection of stories, I selected "The BicycleTheives". In the artwork, I wanted to show the mixture of joyand terror as Thom and his little brother Pat ride downhill, ontheir heavy old hand-me-down bike, that lacks brakes - the onlymeans of stopping being to crash in the empty lot at the end ofthe street. I wanted to show the bond between the brothers, asthey move through their rough neighbourhood. Birch'sevocative scene setting and descriptions - ie. the way the bike isheld together with wire and rope - is gritty and powerful.

MY DEAR FRIEND BY GLENDA FELL JONES (VIC)INSPIRED BY WHERE THE LIGHT GETS IN BY ZOE COYLEMEDIUM: Oil on wooden panelPRICE: $1125SIZE: 25 x 30 cmA small and ageing cement garden gnomebecame a central figure for me in understandingZoe Coyle's theme. The author tells a poignanttale about what is held dear to the living afterthe death of a loved one. Elevating the centralfigure allowed me to paint snippets of theunfolding narrative in a dreamlike, almost child-like fashion.

NED’S LAMENT BY JULIE KEATING ( VIC)INSPIRED BY LAMENT BY NICOLE KELLYMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $850SIZE: 25 x 20 cmJust for a little while, a suspended moment full ofaction, I believed in Ned and his plan for himself andothers. I saw his vision, his dream of the safety ofreturning to Ireland, of his coming home.

UNTITLED BY BERNADINE KELVY (VIC)INSPIRED BY BODIES OF LIGHT BY JENNIFER DOWNMEDIUM: Ceramics, gold leaf, steel, siliconPRICE: $1000SIZE: 30 x 40 cmAs I read Bodies of Light, the strong images andemotions that I felt gave me a very strongindication of how I needed to portray this difficultstory. When the book ends, my impression ofMaggie is one of a person who has beenshattered and remade over and over again,resulting in maybe a flawed human being, butone whose inner light and strength shinesthrough all the incarnations to form a cohesive,beautiful whole.

WOMAN – AND THE LAYERS CONTINUE BY LISA KENSIT ( VIC)INSPIRED BY APPLES NEVER FALL BY LIANE MORIARTYMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $375SIZE: 45 x 60 cmThe protagonist is incredibly resilient. Her lifeincludes much trauma, a dysfunctional husband,and strong connections and challenges with herautistic twins. She compares her life to many greyhues and bright colours. The layers of whichdefine who she is and what she has become.Despite life, at times, getting in the way, she isstill able to walk forward and continue herjourney - building and creating yet further layers.The artwork is a celebration of women.

THE NATURAL HISTORY BY ELIZABETH KNIGHT (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL HISTORY OF LOVE BY CAROLINE PETITMEDIUM: MonoprintPRICE: $400SIZE: A3A love story woven across countriesthrough the lens of natural and socialhistory.

UNPACKING MAGGIE BY MARYANNE DEANS KOLEK ( VIC)INSPIRED BY BODIES OF LIGHT BY JENNIFER DOWNMEDIUM: Found itemsPRICE: $650SIZE: 50 x 50 x 10 cmBodies Of Light is an amazing book to read. Via social mediainitially, it tell the story of Maggie. Maggie who despite fostercare, institutions, drug addictions and reinventing herself seemsto somehow maintain an optimism and ability to survive.Although harrowing at times it is a comment on society’sstruggle to help. As the story unfolded, I felt it was like she wasunpacking her life, thus the suitcase labelled Maggie anddetritus of her many lives inside. Scrunchie, TDK, denim skirt,mug, packing paper, cot and baby etc. The picture on the lid isan oil painting of a woman emerging from a bird, transformingherself, called Emergence which I painted about a year ago. Herwhole life in a bag - the hurts, the highs, the lows. Almost anobituary to her ability to survive and maintain herself.

FOR YOUR SAFETY BY KELLY KONDIS (VIC)INSPIRED BY ENCLAVE BY CLAIRE G COLEMANMEDIUM:OilPRICE: $890SIZE: 53 x 53 cmAs a fan of sci fi, Enclave rendered images in mymind of Orwell and Dick connecting the suddenpop up in Melbourne over the last couple ofyears of blue bulbs watching us everywhere, allthe time, for our safety.

THOUGHTS OF MOTHER BY SHARLENE KURUPPUARACHCHI ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE NEAR DAPHNE EXPERIENCEBY ALISON REYNOLDSMEDIUM: Graphite and coloured pencilsPRICE: $2500SIZE: 21 x 29.5 cmIn the book Daphne's mother is trying to help her but thepressure is lot for Daphne. It feels like she is surrounded inthe woods with her mother's pressure.

THE TOWER BY MARIA LA GRUE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY ONE HUNDRED DAYS BY ALICE PUNGMEDIUM: InksPRICE: $440SIZE: 45 x 62 cmA contemporary fairy-tale about a teenage princess locked in atower. A large portion of Alice Pung’s novel ‘100 Days’ is setinside a block of housing commission flats. The book’s maincharacter is locked up by her mother who perceives that it is forher protection. I used to always wonder what was going onbehind those hundreds of shaded windows in housingcommission blocks. The book explores the story behind one ofthem and my painting reflects some of the tedium andrepetition of being locked up for 100 days.

COMPLICATIONS BY KATHY LANDVOGT ( VIC)INSPIRED BY MY HEART IS A WILD LITTLE THING BY NIGEL FEATHERSTONEMEDIUM: WirePRICE: $450SIZE: 22 x 16 x 10 cmComplications is a small wire sculpture that is part-heart, part-puzzle. Is it representingrupture, or rapture? Both are core to this story of a middle-aged queer man seekingauthenticity in his life and retreating to the unique landscape of the Monaro. Thepiece is constructed through a looping technique traditional in fibre textiles, but usedhere with the non-traditional material of wire, enabling it to hold 'memory'. I havecontrasted cold, tough stainless-steel wire against more malleable copper wire in thevisceral colours of red and magenta, to suggest the struggle between self-constraintand real emotional connection. The work is designed to be suspended off the wall inits own space, just as Patrick is seeking to take up his own space.

RAINDANCE BY ANNE LANGDON (VIC)INSPIRED BY SMALL MERCIES BY RICHARD ANDERSONMEDIUM: Ink and watercoloursPRICE: $750SIZE: 39 x 52 cmThis book impacted on me through the feelingsof the effect of the drought on its characters.Dimple seemed to have lost all hope but hisstatement, “Celebrate when it happens, notwhat you hope will happen”, provoked myresponse to his delight and heartfelt behaviourwhen it did rain!

CASCADE OF CAUSALITY BY WENDY LEASON ( VIC)INSPIRED BY DENIZEN BY JAMES MCKENZIE WATSONMEDIUM: Monoprinting, acrylic paint, graphitePRICE: $450SIZE: 50 x 70 cm (unframed)The husband believes his role in the world is to be a bloke, a husband, afather, a farmer, provider for his family. His wife's psychosis goesunrecognised, her self-hate projected onto their innocent child. This wholebook is a narrative of psychosis, of the main character's lifelong psychoticexperiences - a troubled mind that can't be still. The element of guiltbecomes a spectre that follows him around and talks to him. This bookreads like a psychiatric patient's nursing notes. The author wants to bringour attention to issues faced in isolated communities, especially the lack ofmental health support services and a failure of locals to recognise mentalhealth issues when they manifest.

TWO FRIENDS BY ATHENIE LECKEY ( VIC) INSPIRED BY FROM WHERE I FELL BY SUSAN JOHNSONMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $1500SIZE: 61 x 51 cmSusan John son's epistolary novel From Where I Fell describes the fr ie ndshipprogress of two very different women, after an initial email is sent by mistake. One ofthe first contrasts is that Pamela resides in Sydney, Australia and Chrisanthi is fr o mSchenectady, New York State, USA. The women unload the minutiae of th eir lives,with their friendship ebbing and flowing – and sometimes completely stopping – towork through love, loss and their cha nged family commitme nts. On the left side, the‘Two Friend s’ painting shows the Australian native Banksia Oblongifolia, found on theNSW coast, which is painted on a ba ckground of greens, browns and or angesrepresenting the colours of the Australian bush. Intermingled in part of the banksiafoliage and spreading to the right of the canvas is the Rosa Carolina, a native rosefrom the northeast corner of USA (the New York state flower is also a rose) with thebackground incorporating the traditional USA red, white and blue colours. Theflowers, like the novel’s protagonists, are distinct, from opposite ends of the globe,and reflect the women's personas, even as far as Chrisanthi's prickly nature. Thefriendship depicted in ‘From Where I Fell’ is as varied and yet as beautiful as anoverabundance of flowering plants in a rambling garden.

HOPE BY CHRISTIARNA LEE (NSW)INSPIRED BY HOME & OTHER HIDING PLACES BY JACK ELLISMEDIUM: Paper, project board foam, cotton thread, LED tea light candle, wooden turntablePRICE: $200SIZE: 30 x 30 x 30 cmThe artwork ‘Hope’ connects to the book Home and Other Hiding Places as the imageson the paper lantern tell the story of the book. The artwork shows the images of hopefor the characters within the story. Using the light of a colour changing LED candle itcasts shadows of images allowing different perspectives of events, acceptance of loveand light and dark as explored throughout the book. The artwork sits on a woodenturntable to provide different points of views of the artwork and moved as howeverdesired. The artwork as within the book shows the unique hope of childhood life andthe adventures to find where you truly belong.

SONG OF MYSELF BY JANE LEONARD ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE SAWDUST HOUSE BY DAVID WHISH- WILSONMEDIUM: Collage – photocopy & tinPRICE: $40SIZE: Small tin – 10cm x 3cmThe Sawdust House captures the fraught complexity of attempting a portrait inorder to reveal who some really is. Told through multiple perspectives, mostpowerful is the central character, Yankee Sullivan's own grappling to articulate andreconcile who he was, and is, with how the world and those close to him know andsee him. The title of the poem the Walt Whitman quote on the intro to page camefrom, 'Song of Myself' sums up these musings. At the beginning of their jailhouseinterviews, he tells the newspaper man "If it is a portrait that you seek you would bebetter to search out the image of me on the long-cut tobacco tin Lorillard’sMechanics Delight. A warm halo shrouds my young head." I couldn't find a picture ofthe actual tin, but I found an image of a Yankee Sullivan tobacco card which I copiedand tore up - I like the idea you read the card text as a kind of poem, and you haveto unscrew and open the tin to find out what Yankee looks like - this is my way ofrepresenting what David has done with his wonderful book.

KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE BY JONATHAN LI (NSW)INSPIRED BY HERE BE LEVIATHANS BY CHRIS FLYNNMEDIUM: Sketch & digital augmentationPRICE: $400SIZE: 20 x 30 cmArtwork depicts the setting of thebackstreets of Las Vegas, with a street kidon the run from the Metros.

THE ORCHARD MURDERS BY TRISTAN LIAO (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE ORCHARD MURDERS BY ROBERT GOTTMEDIUM: PyrographyPRICE: $375SIZE: 30 x 30 cmMy work attempts to embody the darkinterplay between killing and blind faith thatunfolds throughout Robert Gott's brutal andpsychologically intense thriller. The contrastbetween an orchard as a place of growth andthe somewhat sacrificial murders ishighlighted by the pear and the dark cross inthe background. Fragmented scenes from thenovel have then been placed in the forefront.

MAGPIE WINGS BY JAN LIESFIELD ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE MAGPIE WING BY MAX EASTONMEDIUM: LinoprintPRICE: $300SIZE: 38 x 58 cmThe work reflects the title.

CYAN WHERE THE SEA MEETS THE SKY BY SIMONE LINDER- PATTON (SA)INSPIRED BY THE ISLANDS BY EMILY BRUGMANMEDIUM: CeramicsPRICE: $320SIZE: #1 H15.5cm Diam 13.5cm #2 H14cm Diam 10cmHow blue is the sky today? Does the sky reflect thecolour of the sea or vice versa? Depicting the colourintensity of blues in sea and sky there is a meeting pointwhere a fusion takes place. Relating to the cyanometerinvented by Horace-Benedict de Saussure and inspiredby the curvaceous shapes of the crayfishing baskets thevases are decorated in blue glazes.

AIDEN SLEETH BY TOMAS LINEKER (BALLARAT, VIC)INSPIRED BY STONE TOWN BY MARGARET HICKEYMEDIUM: Acrylic, spray paint, resin epoxy on canvasPRICE: $1200SIZE: 40 x 50 cmThis is the scene of Mark Ariti describing how thekids saw the victim and could only recognise himfrom the nose down.

SAGA BY DANIELLE LISTER (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE SORROW STONE BY KARI GISLASONMEDIUM: Acrylic on canvasPRICE: $310SIZE: 20 x 30 cmThe story of a heroic mother and her childtravelling by land and sea; a life of tribulation.The vast and moody setting paints a picture ofthe great challenges they faced both on theirjourney and in the relationships with the peoplearound them. Arriving in a foreign land, thebarren and alien landscape of Iceland; bothconfronting in vastness and alluring in beauty.

LEAVING BY SUSAN LOWE (VIC)INSPIRED BY DAISY AND WOOLF BY MICHELLE CAHILLMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $280SIZE: 62 x 43 cmLife can be unpredictable, and the best ofintentions often never fully resolved. The author,through Mina, a writer, interacts with the partiallyerased and sidelined characters from VirginiaWoolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. She re-centers thesecharacters and creates their journey and voicewhile similarly empathising through Mina’s owncircumstances.

FROM THERE TO HERE BY JANE MACKAY- CLIFT ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL HISTORY OF LOVEBY CAROLINE PETITMEDIUM: Art glass plus mirror (freestanding)PRICE: $125SIZE: 26 x 20 x 4 cmThere are multiple journeys, both physicaland internal, that inform our existence.Reflecting on this informs our understandingof ourselves and the world around us.

DINGO SUE BY ERIN MACNAUGHT (NSW)INSPIRED BY THE ANIMALS IN THAT COUNTRY BY LAURA JEAN MCKAYMEDIUM: Acrylic paint on wood panelPRICE: $625SIZE: 23 x 30 x 35 cmWith my painting, I implemented impressionistic brushwork tomake a visual representation of Sue’s dialogue that is presentin the novel. The idea being that, just as impressionistic artcan be visually fragmentary, as are the thoughts and words ofSue and the other animals in the novel.

FAMILY MATTERS BY DENISE MADDIGAN ( SA)INSPIRED BY FAMILY MATTERS BY ELLIE O’NEILLMEDIUM: Acrylic and collagePRICE: $475SIZE: 59 x 59 cmI enjoyed 'meeting' the family of Irish (and sothe colours used) women working out their lifepath or problems, sometimes in conversationwith each other or by reflecting on theexperiences of others, and of their own. Iwanted to show that the women were acohesive group, but with different lifestyles thatinvolved small children, careers, music andpartners, shown through the collage.

HOME & OTHER HIDING PLACES BY EWELINA MADRY ( VIC)INSPIRED BY HOME & OTHER HIDING PLACES BY JACK ELLISMEDIUM: Mixed media on paperPRICE: $1075SIZE: 59.5 x 37 cmI decided to portray Fin, eight-year-old boy, and his dysfunctional family, from the booktitled Home and Other Hiding Places by Jack Ellis, as a fish since Fin could only find raremoments of joy while on the water, fishing and catching crabs and because his newhome was located near riverside. I represented him as a small grey fish swimming withhis family against a current, in a river of tears towards an unstable burning house,representing his difficult situation and various issues experienced by his familymembers.

MYTH THIS! BY NATASHA MANSFIELD (NSW)INSPIRED BY THIS ALL COME BACK NOW BY MYKAELA SAUNDERS (ED)MEDIUM: Oil on canvas boardPRICE: $375SIZE: 20 x 25 cmMy painting is inspired by the short story ‘Myth This!’ by LisaFuller in this anthology collection of First Nations speculativefiction. It references the presence of an unknown, possiblydangerous, entity that is disturbed by several people. The styleand colours of the painting were inspired by the book’s bright andgraphic cover art, being both vibrant and dark at the same time.This further reflects the various binaries of the story - light anddark, day and night, good and evil, known and unknown, scienceand myth.

WILD HEART BY GWEN MARSHALL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE EDGE OF THIRTEEN BY NOVA WEETMANMEDIUM: PencilPRICE: $70SIZE: 17 x 10 cmThe book I chose is about love, loyalty, and friendship.Teens are explori ng relationships, as well as naturearound them. My artwork represents their wild and freeapproach to life.NB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young people were invited toselect a bo ok of their own choice.

SHELTER BY KATHERINE MASIULANIS ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE GRASS HOTEL BY CRAIG SHERBORNEMEDIUM: Monoprint, pen, gouachePRICE: $350SIZE: 40 x 28 cmI found reading the The Grass Hotel by Craig Sherborne an intense experience: theportrayal of the complex relationship between a man and his mother, told as shedevelops dementia, is harrowing but delicately told. I was struck by the combinationof his strength and vulnerability, particularly as caring for her becomes harder, andthe cocoon of his country life is invaded by duty, his mother’s barbs, and memory. Ihope that this works reflects his vulnerability and the need we all have for someshelter from the outside world.

HANNAH THE SKATER BY FREYA MCCALLUMINSPIRED BY SKATING ON SAND BY LIBBY GLEESONMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $36SIZE: 30 x 19 x 10 cmI created this artwork as I was inspired bythe book, I like how Hannah never gave upon wanting to skate on sand. I’ve drawnHannah skating on the beach, and made abench, like at their campsite, and a roller-skate out of bark and gumnuts.NB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young peoplewere invited to select a book of their ownchoice.

LE PARFUM D’ISOLDE ET LUCETTE BY SARAH MCCALLUM ( VIC)INSPIRED BY HOLD YOUR FIRE BY CHLOE WILSONMEDIUM: Wool, cotton, linen, plants, repurposed glassPRICE: $120SIZE: 41 cmThis artwork is inspired by the short story‘The Drydown’ in Chloe Wilson’scollection Hold Your Fire. It representsthe way in which certain scents can recallmemories of the past, and I thought itfitting to name it after Isolde andLucette, the sisters in the story.

SEE ME, HEAR ME BY LEISA MCCOSH ( VIC)INSPIRED BY EVERYDAY MADNESS BY SUSAN MIDALIAMEDIUM: Ink and acrylicPRICE: $450SIZE: 60 x 40 cmGloria and Bernie have been married for nearly 40 years. Gloria talks non-stop but neverreally says what she wants to say. Bernie wants peace and quiet. They both just want tobe heard, but neither knows how to say it. The book revolves around how wecommunicate to those closest to us. As a woman around Gloria’s age, I could see her inmyself and many women I know, who after half a century are finding their voice andshowing who they are. Others feel like Gloria and Bernie - as if they are fading away andbeing left behind. I am part of a local swimming group called the “Blue Tits”and we swimin the cold water of Killarney beach all year round. It's an eclectic group of women who,like Gloria, are pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, expressing themselves innew ways and who once may have felt slightly trapped in the expectation of the life theirvillage was expecting of them.

THE PASTORALIST BY ALISON MCINTOSH (VIC)INSPIRED BY A ROOM MADE OF LEAVESBY KATE GRENVILLEMEDIUM: Acrylic and oils on canvasPRICE: $2300SIZE: 51 x 77 cm“The genteel young woman […] was dropped like a rosebud into acesspit, into a violent and brutal society on the remotest spot onthe globe.” - - - Kate Grenville.This best describes some of what I was trying to capture in thispainting. The vulnerability and also the strength which wasElizabeth Macarthur. How despite tragedies and enormouschallenges, she forged the Australian Wool Industry and grew tolove this harsh and unforgiving land.

THOUGH SHE BE BUT LITTLE SHE IS FIERCEBY LINDA MCLAUGHLAN ( VIC)INSPIRED BY COLD COAST BY ROBYN MUNDYThis wonderful and absorbing novel is based onSvalbard’s first female trapper, Wanny Wolstad(1893–1959) and a young blue Arctic fox whoWanny calls ‘Little Blue’. Wanny and Little Blue’sexperiences and struggles intertwine as theyface the challenges of surviving in a harsh,dangerous yet beautiful archipelago in northernNorway. Though they are both small, they proveto be strong, resilient and tenacious survivors.MEDIUM: Watercolour & pencilPRICE: $620SIZE: 38 x 26 cm (2x artworks)

BOXED IN BY NIKKI MCMAHON ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE GOOD CAPTAIN BY SEAN RABINMEDIUM: Coloured pencils on Dura-Bright opaque black paper 0.010PRICE: 180SIZE: 44 x 34 cmThe black paper represents the vastness of the ocean. The deadly boxjelly fish consuming a ship made from a plastic bottle is ourinsignificance but also the reason for failing our planet. Our individualsmall actions are of no account to the ocean, but all of our smallactions do impact the ocean. Good and bad. One small plastic bottledoesn’t make any difference to life, but millions of bottles, generalrubbish and our greed are destroying our oceans and planet. With noocean predators left the cockroach of the sea, jelly fish, will be the onlysurvivors.

IN THE NOW BY DILRUKSHI MENDIS ( VIC)INSPIRED BY SIXTY SEVEN DAYS BY YVONNE WELDONMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $400SIZE: 31 x 41 cm (unframed)Eve has experienced so much in her life, I felt she had a regularlife which was represented by the vase of flowers near a windowand a spiritual connection to James and her family who hadpassed as well as her ancestors- represented by the bush, brighthues ground and eyes looking down

SAFETY IN WATER BY ANNE MILLER (PENOLA, SA)INSPIRED BY THE SILENCE OF WATER BY SHARRON BOOTHMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $550SIZE: 50 x 70 cm‘The Silence of Water’ is the debut novel of Australian authorSharron Booth. This painting portrays a child desperately clingingto her mother in fear. In the book, the mother Cath is teaching herdaughter Agnes to swim. “It will give you freedom, in case ofbushfires.” Bushfires are a great threat in Australia, but it could bean allegory for violence in the home. In the painting the words –love, family, lies, deceit, violence, and abuse - are hidden in theriver and washed away by the ebb and flow of daily life, time, andacceptance of the abuse of women and children, here in Australia.I have included a paper banner of ‘Our Australia’ to signify the factthat family abuse continues today – 20 women died in the first 22weeks of this year due to domestic violence. The painting is donewith acrylics, and reminiscent of the style of the 1900s.

24 HAMMERED FLOWERS BY ELIZABETH MILSOM (VIC)INSPIRED BY IF YOU’RE HAPPY BY FIONA ROBERTSONMEDIUM: Natural colour on canvasPRICE: $300SIZE: 28 x 28 cmMy artwork inspired by the book IfYou’re Happy is made from 24flowers hammered on to canvas, onefor each story. Rather than focusingon one story and illustrating that, Ichose to represent all the storieswith the language of flowers..

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS BY LIZ MILLSOM ( VIC)INSPIRED BY GOODNIGHT, VIVIENNE, GOODNIGHT BY STEVEN CARROLLMEDIUM: Ink and ConteauPRICE: $200SIZE: 78 x 53 cmThis story is set in Southhampton, United Kingdom, in amental asylum. During the Great War, where there was alot of explosions having devastating effects on buildingsand society. A dark historical time. A young lady managedto escape a mental asylum and found lifelong freedom,never to be found.

BLUE MOUNTAIN 1 BY KAYE MIRTSCHIN (VIC)INSPIRED BY BLUE HOUR BY SARAH SCHMIDTMEDIUM: Mixed media / collagePRICE: $250SIZE: 45 x 45 cmThe main theme of this story I chose toillustrate revolves around Kitty (theMother) feeling incapable to show lovetowards her daughter Eleanor because ofher own grief and relationship challengeswith George, her husband, a VietnamWar Veteran. Eleanor suffers a loss ofidentity as a result and seeks solace instudying birds and nature: the BlueMountain.

BLUE MOUNTAIN 2 BY KAYE MIRTSCHIN (VIC)INSPIRED BY BLUE HOUR BY SARAH SCHMIDTMEDIUM: Mixed media / collagePRICE: $300SIZE: 45 x 60 cmThe main theme of this story I chose toillustrate revolves around Kitty (theMother) feeling incapable to show lovetowards her daughter Eleanor because ofher own grief and relationship challengeswith George, her husband, a VietnamWar Veteran. Eleanor suffers a loss ofidentity as a result and seeks solace instudying birds and nature: the BlueMountain.

MALLORY AND ALL THE OTHERS BY BROOKE MITCHELL (SA)INSPIRED BY THE FURIES BY MANDY BEAUMONTMEDIUM: Sterling silver, gold-plated sterling silverPRICE: $375SIZE: VariableThe chain of bones is made up of many of the symbols and imagery used in The Furies.Chief among them is Mallory, Cynthia’s lost sister. Her bones are the foundation, keptcompany by those of Cynthia’s lost daughter, the foetal cow used to mock her loss, thebones of the cows at the abattoir whose bodies she butchered, and whose carcasseswitnessed her assault. 45 bones in a chain, and the matchstick that turned her sister toash.The pieces are connected and intertwined like the events of Cynthia’s life, hinged by thememory of Mallory (the gold earring). But also closed by the memory of Mallory, theghost who comes to her through the bush, who leads her to find the others - women whohave suffered the same. And in that Cynthia finds a way to give herself power.Necklace made from sterling silver formed into bones, with a gold-plated earring.

ALL THE WOMEN […] BY BROOKE MITCHELL (SA)INSPIRED BY THE FURIES BY MANDY BEAUMONTMEDIUM: Acrylic paint on canvasPRICE: $175SIZE: 25.4 x 30.5 cmThe full title of the work is: All The Women Taking Up All Those Spaces In A World NotMade For Them I Suppose. The main character of The Furies, Cynthia, endures manytraumatic events. While working in an abattoir, she is assaulted with a bucket ofblood, mocked with a cow foetus, molested and abused. Whether she fights back or“behaves” she is still made to suffer, almost like a sacrificial calf. To be what theyexpect locks her into one box, but to change her fate only moves her into a differentone. In the eyes of her abusers, she is nothing more than another dumb beast thereto entertain or play with, while the rest of the world moves on unaware of hersuffering. In my painting I have represented this struggle. The sacrificial calf tries todecide its own fate, bounding towards what it thinks is its own choice, however theinevitable is on the horizon.

THE LAND HOLDS SECRETS / THIS LAND IS NOT OURSBY BROOKE MITCHELL (SA)INSPIRED BY THE FURIES BY MANDY BEAUMONTMEDIUM: PhotographsPRICE: $150SIZE: A4These two photographs feature the sterling silver necklace I created based on thecharacters in The Furies. One of the overarching losses that Cynthia endures is thatof her sister, Mallory. Forced to step in as a parent while their mother succumbs topsychosis, Cynthia cares for her sister and tries her best to shelter her. When theirmother finally succumbs, all that Cynthia is left with is a pile of ashes, a gold earringof Mallory’s, and the last glance of her mother in the back of a police car. Cynthia ishaunted by this loss, carries it through her following years, her sister’s name aconstant mantra. This imagery in the book was so strong that I wanted to recreateit, sharing the remains of Mallory and reinforcing the importance of that event forthe main character. I have used the sterling silver chain of bones I created based onthe book as the focal point of the photographs, buried in ash and charcoal. The goldearring of Mallory is visible in the ash, as well as the matchstick that brought aboutthe burning (recreated in sterling silver and part of the chain).

THE WORRIED BIG RED BOSS BY RICK MOLLOY ( NSW)INSPIRED BY GUNK BABY BY JAMIE MARINA LAUMEDIUM: Oil on washi paperPRICE: $260SIZE: 17 x 30 cmThe main character of the novel, Leen, becomes involved withan urban terrorist group and the manager of a store adjacent toher ear-cleaning and massage salon - nicknamed 'the Big RedBoss' - is one of her early targets

LENA AND HER TRADITIONAL EAR- CLEANINGBY RICK MOLLOY ( NSW)INSPIRED BY GUNK BABY BY JAMIE MARINA LAUMEDIUM: Oil on paperPRICE: $290SIZE: 17 x 30 cmLena follows traditional Chinese ear-cleaningtechniques (as handed down by her mother) and thispainting reflects Lena and her traditional ear-cleaning!

UNTITLED BY REBECCA MOODY ( VIC)INSPIRED BY HONEYBEE BY CRAIG SILVEYMEDIUM: GouachePRICE: $30SIZE: 30 x 42 cmThe main character of the book issitting on the edge of the bridgeready to plunge to their death.NB: This is an Under 18 entry. Young people wereinvited to select a book of their own choice.

FAULT LINES BY ELIZA MUNRO ( VIC)INSPIRED BY CAPTAIN STARLIGHT’S APPRENTICEBY KATHRYN HEYMANMEDIUM: Ceramic, glazePRICE: $425SIZE: 19 x 19 x 19 cmAn over-sized orange represents the lure and thepromise, inevitably in stark contrast to the reality.Alluring, bright and plump from a distance, thefault lines show upon closer inspection. Theorange is a motif from the novel, CaptainStarlight's Apprentice. The fault lines not onlyrefers to the women's collective traumas withinthe novel, but also the experience for the reader.This work is an ode to the women who stillstruggle, still shining but carrying the scars of theirexperiences.

UNDERSEA BY LISA NOLAN (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE ISLANDSBY DIANA REIDMEDIUM: Digital (Procreate)PRICE: $200The book relates the experience of a migrant familymoving to the remote island of Little Rat Island off thecoast of Western Australia. It was a tough life in abeautiful but gruelling environment. I chose the imageof an undersea landscape for its mysterious beauty, andcreated the image in procreate (digital image)

INFLUENCES & MONEY BY LAUREL NOWACKI ( VIC)INSPIRED BY DINNER WITH THE SCHNABELS BY TONI JORDANMEDIUM: Watercolour calligraphy, found objects,pen and watercolour.PRICE: $200SIZE: 40 x 40 cmThis wry, quirky perspective of our adoption of trends is areflection of us all. The characters' problems and solutionsrevolve around goals, lifestyle and money - "sorted" by theoldest and youngest females of this group of people. Thecalligraphy underpinning the assemblage reflects thestrength and solidity of the (dreaded) mother-in-law and theinescapable pandemic. Money and the landscape planrepresent solutions seen by the heroines of this book.

STRINGS ATTACHED BY LAURA OSBORNE (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE FAMILY STRING BY DENISE PICTONMEDIUM: EtchingPRICE: $125SIZE: 30 x 38 cmAs I read this marvellous book about family relations,depression and religious beliefs I really identified withthe children, especially Dorcas as she struggles tocome to terms with the abuse her mother deals outto her. I thought about the children's string and howthey attempted to make sense of their dysfunctionalfamily. I decided to depict 5 strings to represent thefamily members and leave the interpretation open.

THE FACE OF GUILT BY NINA PAINE (NSW)INSPIRED BY THE WEEKEND BY CHARLOTTE WOODMEDIUM: WatercolourPRICE: $275SIZE: 40 x 30 cmSeventeen-year-old Finn, a constantthroughout Charlotte Wood’s The Weekend,was believed to have been a gift of deepand sincere friendship. But too much wine,too much honesty, an absent friend and adog only its owner could now love,combine to create tensions that escalateover the weekend, ultimately revealingFinn’s devastating truth.

FINN BY NINA PAINE ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE WEEKEND BY CHARLOTTE WOODMEDIUM: WatercolourPRICE: $275SIZE: 41 x 32.5 cmFinn, Wendy’s 17-year-old Labrador-Poodlecross, is oblivious to the hostilitysurrounding him in Charlotte Wood’s TheWeekend, despite much of it being aimedsquarely at him. Tensions between thethree friends – meeting after the death oftheir friend Sylvie – escalate during theweekend, until the truth about Finn isrevealed to Wendy, exposing a painfultruth.

DAMAGED BY NINA PAINE ( NSW)INSPIRED BY THE WEEKEND BY CHARLOTTE WOODMEDIUM: WatercolourPRICE: $275SIZE: 45 x 35 cm (approx.)Finn is a damaged dog. Old and crippled.Dirty and smelly. Arthritic and incapable.Blind and deaf. But Wendy loves him, andwhy wouldn’t she? He’d been a gift fromher very dear but now deceased friendSylvie, a gift she believed had come fromthe heart. As Charlotte Wood’s TheWeekend is coming to an end, however,the truth behind Sylvie’s gift is painfullyrevealed.

THE MOTHER BY ALISON PARKINSON (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE MOTHER BY JANE CAROMEDIUM: Ink Pencil Oilpaint on Fabriano PituraPRICE: $1100SIZE: 70 x 100 cmThe Mother, named after the book allocated to me, is an impression of the pinnacle of this story. A book around theissues of family violence. The feeling of impotency of a Mother and her family when dealing with the perpetrator and theattempts to gain support from the legal system. The so-called normal behaviour of a psychopath. The Mother’s feelingsof the subliminal messages of threat to her grandchildren. The newspaper clippings headlining, “Fathers killing theirchildren” left in the mailbox. The two dead kittens, given to the children by their Father, to be kept at his place and thentheir little bodies in a box left at the Mother’s front door: the place her daughter and two grandchildren now lived. Thecontinuation for four years of ongoing stalking and behaviour so subtle and yet provocative, but behaviour deemed notillegal. The Mother’s decision to STOP all of this - her way. The lead up. She has legally gained a gun license, and a gun. Infront of the Family Court of Australia in Sydney, she shot him. Then we read the consequences. My artwork uses the boldstatue on the façade of the Family Court of Australia, Sydney, to show place. Lightly people are drawn in front of thebuilding; showing the juxtaposing of establishment and humanity - and then - blood splatters the picture. When reading“And she shot him” a wave of disbelieve rippled through me. The story continues; consequences and outcomes. Thecontinued contemplation of: When and how could have an intervention changed the outcome?

MY MAKINGS BY RACHEL PETERS (VIC)INSPIRED BY WOLFE ISLAND BY LUCY TRELOARMEDIUM: Found objects, mixed mediaPRICE: $600SIZE: 50 x 55 x 20 cmMakings immediately appealed to me. These were the sculptured forms made byKitty Hawke from refuse found on her Wolfe Island. They spoke of memories of aformer place and wonderings about the future of the place. They represented thestories of the people who had lived there for a long time, and those who had soughtrefuge for a little while. I too am a bricaleur, collecting rubbish from my environmentand making things from it. So this book and the layered tale it told, attracted me.These makings are my ode to the rich narrative Lucy Treloar created, and theendearing people whose lives she walks beside in Wolfe Island.

CUTTERS END BY RYAN POLA ( VIC)INSPIRED BY CUTTERS END BY MARGARET HICKEYMEDIUM: Graphite on Arches watercolour paperPRICE: $1500SIZE: 51 x 60 cmIn reading Cutters End by Margaret Hickey I wasabsolutely gripped by the opening scene. With asudden disappearance at a telephone booth onNew Years Eve in 1989 I wanted my work to berepresentative of the initial moment of intrigue.The tale of mystery and crime spread overdecades had me engaged until the very end. Ireally wanted to portray the isolation of thedesert along the Sturt Highway in SouthAustralia.

DARK FOLK TALES BY LIZ POWELL (VIC)INSPIRED BY ALL THE MURMURING BONES BY A.G.SLATTERAll the Murmuring Bones might be set in 19thC Ireland, but it is an imagined society built by Slatter. The supernatural underpins the storyof a young woman from a once wealthy and powerful family on the run through a landscape populated by dubious characters, villains andcreatures from Celtic legends, none particularly nice. The bloody truths about her background are revealed as she goes on a hero’sjourney in search of salvation. As she travels, she tells stories remembered from a large book written by the women of the family. Thesetales are not for the faint-hearted. Like many fairy tales we are familiar with, they have their roots in darker tellings. I went looking for folktale archetypes, the bones of fairy stories that repeat as themes: Supernatural folk charge a high price for their help; when the moon isfull strange things are afoot; what lurks behind a beautiful mask; souls can be stolen; there are dark secrets behind locked doors; the wayto the Other Place is fraught with danger; journeys are perilous and rewards often uncertain. I built my book of dark tales with my owninterpretations of "once upon a time" which all good tales begin with. We only see references to stories as, using pull tab constructiontechniques, the deceptive surface glamour disappears and the dark underside is revealed. It is not a comfortable book of bedtime stories.MEDIUM: Drypoint, etching, drawing, paper marbling, tab pull book constructionPRICE: $550SIZE: 33 x 24 cm x variable

UNHEARD AND UNSEEN BY EMILY POWER (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE BURNISHED SUN BY MIRANDI RIWOEMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $75SIZE: 42 x 29.7 cmThe Burnished Sun is a novella that explores history’s voiceless through race, class andprivilege. Riwoe is particularly concerned with the South East Asian female experience,traversing time and space, walking the line of reality and the fantastical. WithinUnheard and Unseen, I wanted to capture elements of the stories told. Findinginspiration from traditional Japanese art I established a composition that explorestraditional symbolism and element from Javanese culture, and modern potentialreferred to in the exploration of mediums.

FOREVER PRESENT BY AVANTHI RAVINDRAN ( VIC)INSPIRED BY SALT AND SKIN BY ELIZA HENRY- JONESMEDIUM: Charcoal & pastel on watercolour paperPRICE: $550SIZE: 38 x 56 cmI was driven to capture the haunting feeling that overwhelmed me when readingSalt and Skin. A haunting that lingered and seemed to sweep over all thecharacters in the book and over the island itself. It made me contemplate thepower of Mother Nature, the human spirit, and how we choose to navigate a lifethat is harmonious to both. Forever Present is not about a single person, it isabout all of us and the stories and people that make up who we are. It comesfrom a place of pondering whether someone can choose to wear these willinglyor force them into deep crevices willing them to disappear? It seems that nomatter how hard we might try to make them vanish, they always find a way toshow themselves, whether we realise it or not.

RETURNED BY FLEUR RENDELL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY BONE MEMORIES BY SALLY PIPERMEDIUM: CollagePRICE: $750SIZE: 38 x 28 cmThe fig tree features often in the pages of SallyPiper's wonderful novel, Bone Memories. While'Loved then taken' was the plaque on the fig thatwas regularly polished and cared for by thebereaved mother, Billie, 'Returned' reflects on thenovel's final pages.

WAYPOINTS IN HISTORY 1 AND 2 BY GLENN REYNOLDS (VIC)INSPIRED BY WAYPOINTS BY ADAM OUSTONMEDIUM: Digital illustrationPRICE: $990 (10 editions of each available)SIZE: 86 x 41 cmInspired by the story of Harry Houdini in his ill-fated attempt to be the first person to fly an aircraft in Australia, the narrator of this novel, BernardCripp, delves into the all the details of the Houdini story in order to re-enact it. This story takes a dark turn when we learn that Cripp is actuallymourning the loss to the skies of his wife and child in the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappearance in 2014. Having the figures floating in atumultuous space speaks of the chaos of the novel, as well as the experience of loss, where everything you once knew, including your hopes anddreams, are thrown into the void. The palette and use of colour was inspired by the weather, as well as the energy and tumult of record-breakingattempts and the experience of the loss of loved ones. The book has a very unique style, without taking a pause or, indeed, a breath. I worked thisbreathlessness into the work depicting everything without rest, a rolling boil, dripping with colour and energy. I’ve chosen a dreamscape style torepresent the construction of memory and experience. Cripp points out that although we remember Houdini succeeding, he was actually beaten tothe record by another pilot. The alternate story embodies the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappearance becoming the material of nightmares.

UNTITLED BY ROBYN ROSS (NSW)INSPIRED BY POMEGRANATE & FIG BY ZAHEDA GHANIMEDIUM: Oil and goldPRICE: $1200SIZE: 50 x 40 cmThe various items in my visual narrative are bothreal and symbolic of this wonderful story. Goldrepresents the richness of their culture heritageand faith . Three figs for the central characters. Ihave painted Zaheda looking up happy andhopeful that this story will highlight lives many ofus could never comprehend - or possibly eversurvive.

THE GRASS HOTEL BY DAVID ROSSITER (VIC) INSPIRED BY THE GRASS HOTEL BY CRAIG SHERBORNEMEDIUM: Ink, acrylic and oil painton canvasPRICE: $750SIZE: 61 x 76 cmI give colour and comic presence to atormented son whose every thought andaction is dominated by a nagging andprogressively demented mother. Continuallyreminded of his shortcomings, solace isfound in farm work and the mutualadoration for his animals.

THE RAIN HERON BY REBECCA ROWE ( TAS) INSPIRED BY THE RAIN HERON BY ROBBIE ARNOTTMEDIUM: Diorama - vintage frame, cabinet, acrylic painting, cast resin, mirrorPRICE: $1700SIZE: 33 x 87 x 60 cmThe Rain Heron is a book of myth, mystery andatmosphere. I wanted to create an artworkwhich drew the viewer in and to wonder aboutthis story. A cabinet of curiosity(wunderkammer) as this story was to me.

THE NANCYS ROOM BY JOANNE RUSSELL (VIC)INSPIRED BY NANCY BUSINESS BY RWR MCDONALDMEDIUM: Mixed mediaPRICE: $400SIZE: 78 x 88 cmThe Nancys have a room in a house underrenovation where they gather to considerevidence, ideas and motivations to their recentcase. The white walls have become an elaboratemind map as they try to solve the 'whydunnit'and 'howdunnit' to the bombing of Riverstonetown centre. My artwork has panels around ashadow box which fold out to reveal the majorideas and themes of this book, along withcharacter notes and notes of the investigation.At the centre of it all, represented in a tattoodesign, is love for family. The artwork takes theform of an Oriental cabinet / compendium.

ANGUISH BY SUSAN SAMBELL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY PALSEART’S NIGHTMARE BY GREGORY WARWICK HANSENMEDIUM: Pen and washPRICE: $450SIZE: 34 x 26 cm“I could not have imagined anything more lethalor perverse that the bizarre horror of what Ireturned to. I could not have imagined therewere such creatures in the world, men whodressed like us but whose substance waswithout the very soul of compassion.” p.20

SINNER – SAINT BY LEANNE SCHUBERT (NSW)INSPIRED BY EVERYTHING IN ITS RIGHT PLACEBY TOBIAS MCCORKELLMEDIUM: Fabric, thread and Prisma-colour on cotton (drawing, embroidery and appliqué)PRICE: $300SIZE: 90.5 x 69 cmAdolescence is a time of identity formation, where weexplore and discover who we are. Ford McCullen, theprotagonist of Everything in its Right Pl ace is noexception. This work highlights key motifs from Ford'sworld that relate to this experience of peers, family,religion, class, difference, and the expectations that comewith each. I chose to make a stitch work as it served toprovide a thread of connection to my own experience ofsimilar struggles, albeit in a different time and location,during adolescence.

MEALS ON WHEELS, WITH AN ENTRÉEBY WENDI SEYMOUR (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE NEAR DAPHNE EXPERIENCEBY ALISON REYNOLDSMEDIUM: Pen and washPRICE: $175SIZE: 29 x 40 cmGeorge’s children had given him a gift of Disney-patternedboxer shorts, of which caused some mirth betweenhimself and his lady love, who just happens to bring hismeals on wheels a few times a week . I laughed out loudand instantly had a visual of the scene.

GRACIE BY MEREDITH SIMPSON (VIC)INSPIRED BY HERE GOES NOTHING BY STEVE TOLTZMEDIUM: Watercolour, coloured pencilsPRICE: $660SIZE: 29.7 x 42 cmHere Goes Nothing is quite a dark novel dealing withdeath and all that comes after, but I found the character ofGrace to be a beacon of light. Her character is bold andfirey and her belief structures are "refreshingly provisionaland admirably slippery." I wanted to represent herspirituality and the way she embraces all ideology.

END OF EXILE BY HADI SLAYMAN ( SA)INSPIRED BY WOLFE ISLAND BY LUCY TRELOARMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $850SIZE: 70 x 56 x 1.5 cmThis artwork depicts the maincharacter, Kitty Hawke, sitting on thebeach of her dying island. Her loyaland protective wolfdog, Girl, is wary ofthe 4 young intruders who haveencroached on Kitty's self-imposedexile. One of the intruders is herestranged granddaughter (wearingpink hat) who is anxious about thechild she will soon bring into adangerous world.

WOMEN I KNOW BY BRENDA SMITH (VIC)INSPIRED BY WOMEN I KNOW BY KATERINA GIBSONMEDIUM: silk, organza, cotton, plastic,ink, eyelets, stiffening, threadPRICE: $450SIZE: 45 x 35 cmIn this artist’s book, I have selected six short stories, exploring women in ethicaldilemmas, or fighting against labels, or structures, such as algorithms. I have tried toimbue the writer’s satire into the work. 1st: A woman's life is a roster, shaped bymen's demands on her. On one of the days, she makes origami, I used this as my title"in the soundtrack of her life, she became origami" 2nd: plotting on a graph, awoman’s loss of self vs consumption by love. 3rd: “people sans algorithms”, people asbits of plastic, at the park, 1st aisle Eumundi market, Big W looking for the gardencentre. 4th: A woman tries to be a global citizen by gluing plastic to her house, I’vemade a nest out of scraps 5th: I've created amulets to protect against invasion ofendangered species. 6th: Embodied symbols of women, as mermaids, witches. I haveseparated the pages. The finished product is a book.

TENDER ENDANGERMENT BY HELEN SPENCER (VIC)INSPIRED BY WILD ABANDON BY EMILY BITTOMEDIUM: Pastel on paperPRICE: $70SIZE: 29.7 x 42 cmTender Endangerment is a dawn response to WildAbandon by Emily Bitto. The narrative begins with ayoung man losing his first love. He embarks on ajourney to ease his pain, only to dance with self-destruction, and witness the deeply sad destruction ofothers. His engagement with caged big cats, ametaphor for his first love, is both life-giving anddisastrous. This image attempts to capture thenarrative, with a human heart on a meat hook, in alarge animal's cage.

SNOW CIRCLES BY KELLY SPIERS (SA)INSPIRED BY COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW BY JESSICA AUMEDIUM: CeramicsPRICE: $260SIZE: 45 cm Cold Enou gh For Snow by is p oetically mesmerizi ng. It holds arhythm that flows almost like song. I loved it and mi ssed it when I'dfinished reading it. The experience of making work in response wasalso wonderful. I got to use the most amazing porcelain, slipping assmooth as si lk through my fingers and firing to be vitrified as hardand cold as marbl e. I also researched and learnt to make cobaltundergla ze that, after being heavily tested, I applied in compl eteenso circles as the book, for me, was p erfect. The act of maki ngenso circles is also poetically mesmerising. Meditative. The openplatter shape came naturally as the giving and receiving of its bodymatched my feeling of the shared experience of everyone who hasread this book. It is celebratory, invites us in and holds memories oftimes spent together. This process has been a gift, thank you.

A POOL NEAR EDENBY SARAH STEED (WA)INSPIRED BY A PLACE NEAR EDENBY NELL PIERCEMEDIUM: Patchwork and appliquePRICE: $150SIZE: 60 x 46 cmThe book made me think of longchildhood summer days floating insuburban swimming pools, thereflections of the ripples, and thescent of eucalyptus.

PARADISE STOLEN BY GAIL STIFFE (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE BURNING SUN BY MIRANDI RIWOEMEDIUM: Handmade paper, pulp painting & collagePRICE: $250SIZE: 24 x 22.5 x 3 cmInspired by the book of short stories The Burnished Sun, I chose to includereference to Paul Gaugin who is a character in one of the stories. I found thestories to reflect the trauma of many of the women involved, several havingbeen abducted from their island homes and taken to the other side of theworld. These crimes were hidden at the time. I made a tunnel book as a way toshow that the historical truth was hidden. The cover shows Gauguin's 'TahitianWomen 1891', that depicts two Tahitians, one in traditional clothing facingaway, the other in missionary clothing. Once the book is opened, the viewerlooks through idyllic palm trees which obscure the final image, a rendition ofThe Scream, demonstrating the emotional impact of the stories in the novel.

NOMURA’S JELLYFISH BY RHYS TATE ( WOODFORD, VIC)INSPIRED BY GOOD CAPTAIN BY SEAN RABINMEDIUM: Sea glass and recycled metalPRICE: $1000SIZE: 100 x 50 x 50 cmThe Good Captain features future oceans devoid ofeverything but gyres of discarded garbage andjellyfish blooms. I wanted to create an artwork thatused as much recycled material as possible.

FERRY. PIER. SHOP. CARAVAN. DANGER.BY PETA TRANQUILLE ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THOSE WHO PERISH BY EMMA VISKICMEDIUM: AcrylicPRICE: $1500SIZE: 92 x 92 cmThe bay of Mutton Bird Island becomes a placewhere the problems start and the mysterycontinues. However, it is also the place fromwhere to escape the island and the imminentdanger. Caleb, a deaf investigator narrowlyavoids being killed and solves the murders withthe help of his brother and support from thelove of his life, on the mainland.

FANTASTIC FOX BY ELIZABETH VERCOE (VIC)INSPIRED BY COLD COAST BY ROBYN MUNDYMEDIUM: Acrylic on organic linen gallery wrapPRICE: $1250SIZE: 30 X 90 cm(three square panels)Cold Coast is an extraordinary account of the first female hunter/trapper in Norway. Beautifully written and utterly compelling, included in thecharacter list are humans, along with the actual landscape and a rather wily, endearing fox. In my early 20s I spent a month or so in the north ofNorway and at that time, resolved not to even try to capture the magnificence and luminescence of the scenery, sensing that my 35mm camerawould never do it justice. These feelings flooded back as I journeyed through Cold Coast and the rugged, breathtaking landscape of this narrative.Happily, Mundy’s fox also entered my psyche quite deeply and so I turned my artistic attention to this arctic hunter and survivor. Simple lines andshapes with a bold sense of white on a warm, natural background of organic linen captured my imagination. It was hard to decide on just onepose and I began with nine ideas which were eventually whittled down to three. Heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to be part of the Biblio ArtPrize, and for thoroughly immersing this long-term vegetarian in Robyn Mundy’s book – despite the very descriptive hunting!

LOVE OBJECTS BY CAROLYN VICKERS (VIC)INSPIRED BY LOVE OBJECTS BY EMILY MAGUIREMEDIUM: LinoprintPRICE: $350SIZE: 54 x 41 cmThis book is so rich visually I had a great timecreating this piece. The characters were written verysensitively and with great insight. The book is centredaround a woman who hoards, and my piece is tryingto convey that all the random things she collectedwere not just what others considered rubbish butthings that gave her a sense of comfort & security.Imagery contained in the piece represent not only thethings she picked up but also her niece and nephew.

THE MESSAGE BY JAN VIRGO (COLAC, VIC)INSPIRED BY THE OTHERS BY MARK BRANDIMEDIUM: Mixed media: fabric, ink, machine & hand embroideryPRICE: $195SIZE: 32.5 cm x45cm”There is a gum tree in my backyard; I like to look at it everymorning, through the kitchen window, when I'm having mymorning coffee. I felt it before I saw it, the broken branch,leaning on the trunk, I knew it was a message; no one elsewould know,, only you and me, and I know you might comefor me, because I had to choose, because I'm one of theothers " A must read - another great book by Mark Brandi.

IT JUST DOES BY NAOMI WALSH ( VIC)INSPIRED BY CAUTIONARY TALES FOR EXCITABLE GIRLSBY ANNE CASEY- HARDYMEDIUM: Mixed media, acrylicand paperPRICE: $300SIZE: 30 x 45 cmA single rosebud, signifying life, emerging out of thechaos of everyday life, does not have to hurry tobloom. It just does. and so the underlying messageemerges from these tales, life weaves its messageand there is no need to rush into life. It will workout. The rose does not concern itself with blooming.It just does. As do the characters with theirintriguing life stories.

LET GO BY YUEXIN WANGINSPIRED BY HYDRA BY ADRIANE HOWELLMEDIUM: WatercolourPRICE: $80SIZE: A3The painting presents the cottage and the boat mentioned in thebook. The island is in the shape of a lion, which is mentioned in thebook as an innocent victim. The lion was blamed for false reasons.The heroine came to the seaside cottage to escape from thetroubles in life, abandoned by her father, her partner, and heremployer. She wanted to get rid of the life she was living. Herexperience around the cottage gave her the answer to life. Thewater looks like her hair and the sinking shadows indicate she letgo of her issues. She reaches out her hand to listen to the voicefrom the lion.

WHEN THE DUST SETTLES BY ESSIE WARMUTH (VIC)INSPIRED BY EVERY DAY IS GERTIE DAY BY HELEN MEANYMEDIUM: Acrylic and collage on canvasPRICE: $250SIZE: 35 x 45 cm“Nina is a tour guide at a small museum in Sydneywhen she is unwittingly drawn into a major culturalbrouhaha.” My works titled: ‘Truth Is Not All Black &White’ and ‘When The Dust Settles’ reflect thedifficult and at times aggressive behaviours of theseekers of the truth. The differences between whatis right and what people believe: art and politicscollide. Because when it all comes down to it: ‘TruthIs Not All Black & White’.

TRUTH IS NOT ALL BLACK & WHITE BY ESSIE WARMUTH (VIC)INSPIRED BY EVERY DAY IS GERTIE DAY BY HELEN MEANYMEDIUM: Acrylic and collage on canvasPRICE: $250SIZE: 35 x 45 cm“Nina is a tour guide at a small museum in Sydneywhen she is unwittingly drawn into a major culturalbrouhaha.” My works titled: ‘Truth Is Not All Black &White’ and ‘When The Dust Settles’ reflect thedifficult and at times aggressive behaviours of theseekers of the truth. The differences between whatis right and what people believe: art and politicscollide. Because when it all comes down to it: ‘TruthIs Not All Black & White’.

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM BY GRACE WARMUTH (VIC)INSPIRED BY REVENGE: MURDER IN THREE PARTS BY SL LIMMEDIUM: Ceramics, permanent ink, wood, gesso, hot gluePRICE: $200SIZE: 67 x 55 x 6 cmThe book follows the story of Yannie, who has grown up poor in Malaysia, in the shadow ofher abusive older brother, Shan. While his educatio n is prio ritised, and then earns a fortunein Australia, Yannie is left at home looking after their ageing parents - her potential lost toher sexist upbringing. The quote that was most memorable to me, was one from the firstpage: “it’s not the physica l hurt that bothers most. It’s the powerlessness of it. Soaringthrough the air ju st as if you were a plate, a piece of laundry. Like there isn’t any point inbeing human at all.” From this I created my artwork: a smashed plate with a quote fromlater in the book “It was your fault” written across it, ink bleeding into the ceramic. A darkwooden background, cheap material like that from their childhood home in Malaysia -framed in gold, the ju xtaposition of Yannie’s poor upbringing and her brothers fortune. Aweapon or a sh ield? A p rison or a chan ce at freedom? A plate or the body of a child?

MY FABRIC OF LIFE BY ANGELA WATSON (VIC)INSPIRED BY THE COMPETITION BY KATHERINE COLLETTEMEDIUM: Fabric, thread & paint on canvasPRICE: $400SIZE: 32 x 42 cmI chose fabric (my own printed designs cut up and collaged) and thread on canvas as theway to interpret the book as I focused on what stood out to me in the text which was theconcepts of “fabric of your being”, “rich tapestry of life” and the “fabric of life” meanings.These were in the forefront of my mind as I wanted to represent the overthinking peopledo, (I have severe anxiety so could relate to the text and how it impacts people’sbehaviours, the way they interact and the horrible place your mind can be some days), thegood and bad things they do in life that makes them who they are. We all learn lessons andeach bit of fabric and stitching here make up who we are. Competition is sometimes in ourown mind. We have to understand ourselves to really be heard which for some happensquickly and others it is a journey. Using this medium and making it shabby not perfect wasintentional. I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone as I usually paint and drawfor these entries. I wanted to show the imperfections in life but also the beauty which Ihope I have conveyed. I feel deeply and think a lot, but ironically when it comes to my art, Ijust go with it and let my creativity take hold which is what I have done with this piece!

HORROR VACUI BY LINDA WEIL ( VIC)INSPIRED BY SADVERTISING BY ENNIS CEHICMEDIUM: InkPRICE: $800SIZE: 55 x 67 cm“Horror Vacui, a fear or dislike of leaving empty spaces,especially in an artistic composition. To fill the entiresurface or space of an artwork with detail.”This art piece is a visual representation of the short storyof the same name in the book, Sadvertising, by EnnisCehic. An introverted young man abhors his open planoffice, dislikes engaging with his work associates andbegins to build a fort around his desk out of stationery,books, ledgers and old office equipment. In the act oftrying to isolate he finds himself bonding with his officemates as he builds his fort and forges a mutual co-existence with the team.

EPHEMERAL REALITY BY DIANA WHITE (NSW)INSPIRED BY HOVERING BY RHETT DAVISMEDIUM: Lithograph, chine collé, pen, charcoal on BFK RivesPRICE: $450SIZE: 57 (h) x 38 (w) cm. 63 x 48 cm framed.My lithograph is a visual response to Rhett Davis’s 2022 novelHovering; a place where a city’s structure bewilderingly shifts andreshapes, as does the structure of a family’s relationships.Everything is transient, nothing is permanent.‘…a large old grain silo stood, with their family home perched ontop.’ (p.147). ‘All these waves, all these ripples, these questions,these variables.’ (p.114). ‘It was her tree. Their tree.’ (p.201). ‘onthe riverbank, he spied a familiar tree.’ (p.252).

UNEARTHING BY GABRIELLE WILLIM ( VIC)INSPIRED BY BONE MEMORIES BY SALLY PIPERMEDIUM: Felted textiles (silk voile, tussah silk, merino roving, tapestry wool, angora, chiengora, cotton crochet and lace work)PRICE: $280SIZE: 114 x 22 cm (hung flat); variable as sculptural formBone memories is a book of generations separated by the gulf of the personmissing between them: daughter and mother. Her murder hangs over the family,ties them in place like roots of the sprawling fig tree below which she was killed.My response echoes the inevitable disruption to place, soil and landscapesdespite the pull of grief to suspend layers in time. Unearthing is a tapestry, a softsculptural form, that is also a shroud, a mantle, a shawl. The push and pullbetween covering and uncovering of memories, the desire to piece fragmentstogether while also to rebuild, to grow. An ache that can be warm on theshoulders, yet also "as subtle as a breath".

DEPARTURE BY KATE WINNEN ( VIC)INSPIRED BY THE FOGGING BY LUKE HORTONMEDIUM: Acrylic paint on linenPRICE: $350SIZE: 40.5 x 30.5 cmMy response to the book The Fogging: Whenthe interpersonal relationship slowly ends,sometimes we don’t even notice what’shappening. Set in an idyllic holiday resort Tomis challenged by his inner thoughts, andperhaps Clara’s position alters after anexperience. The seashells represent twopeople evolving and ever-changing, movingapart, moving on.

IF WE DON’T EVOLVE WE DIE OUT BY HOLLY WOULD (VIC)INSPIRED BY CAUTIONARY TALES FOR EXCITABLE GIRLSBY ANNE- CASEY HARDYMEDIUM: Oil on canvasPRICE: $180SIZE: 20 x 25 cmBeing allocated a book full of short stories, I set myself thechallenge to bring all these stories together into the one image.The image brings together stories of innocence, menace, griefand forbidden love. The text I included was a line from thebook that I found to be very powerful and really resonatedwith me. One human being can hold so many experienceswithin themselves. These short stories could easily be oneperson’s experience, broken down into several stories. If youare really living life, you will have a life full of mistakes, but alsoexperience.

HUMAN NATURE BY ELISE WRIGHT (VIC)INSPIRED BY HERE BE LEVIATHANS BY CHRIS FLYNNMEDIUM: Watercolour and gouachePRICE: $200SIZE: 29 x 37.2 cmIn Here Be Leviathans, I constantly found myself bothinspired and in awe with Flynn's exploration of humannature and human existence - how we simultaneously livewithin a world so beautiful while also finding means ofchanging, living, or destroying it. What further stood out tome was Flynn's exploration of human nature in beingblissfully unaware of the environment around us - andunaware our lives can be changed in an instant, oftenbecause of our own doing. Thus, I explored these ideas bydrawing most closely from the short stories 'Monotreme'and 'Shot Down in Flames', each involving themes ofnudity, water and the Australian environment.

WHO DEALT THE CARD BY KITMAN YEUNG ( WA)INSPIRED BY WHEN WE FALL BY AOIFE CLIFFORDMEDIUM: Gouache, pastel, pencil.PRICE: $540SiZE: 29.7 x 42 cm‘Who dealt the card' is responding to the chiefpolicer's absolute power and authority in the town, hisability to hide this series of murders and affairs. Whyhas the society given this man so much power tocreate chaos from self desires. This is the townthrown into chaos by the dictator.

OUR BACKS BY KITMAN YEUNG ( WA)INSPIRED BY WHEN WE FALL BY AOIFE CLIFFORDMEDIUM: Oil paintingPRICE: $480SiZE: 29.7 x 42 cmA book full of silenced women with interweaving familialand romantic relationships. They are manipulated,murdered, wronged, blamed, and objectified. 'Our backs'is a response to the recurring theme of wings anddesired freedom they always reached for yet neverobtained. I want to insert a sense of freedom into thiswoman on the bed without wings. freedom is gained withyour hands, and something to be fought for, like whatAlex had done, not something to be waited for. 'Ourbacks', depicted without any portraits and faces, is aresponse to the silenced women, they are forced to turntheir backs on us.