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Message BIBLIO ART PRIZE EXHIBITION 2024Proudly in its 16thyear!Founded, curated and presented by BLARNEY BOOKS & ART

conceptArtists register to enter the Biblio Art Prize and are then randomly allocated a contemporary Australian fiction title pre-selected by Blarney Books & Art.The artist reads the book.The artist creates a visual response to the book.Please note: it is not the artist’s job to review the book.An exhibition of selected works is held at our bookshop over Summer.Artists, authors & visitors get to enjoy a unique exhibition - Australia’s only fiction-inspired annual art prize.Under 18s: free entry / can select any title by an Australian author.

2024 artist listGeordie Allardice - Claire Atkins – Chow Banana - Ro Bancroft – Sandra Batten - Alex Beckinsale –Katrina Beissel – Karen Biggs - Louise Brinkmann – Woody Bucci – Helen Bunyon – Paul Burman –Patsy Bush – Megan Cheyne – Heather Davitt - Miles Davitt – Anna Daye – Jason Daye - Lada Dedic –Chrissie Demos – Cherree Densely - Katy Downey - Claire Macrae Drylie – Jo Dunsmuir – Brodie Fairall –Nina Fitzsimmons - Sally Forrest – Chelsea Fox - Marina Fox – Robert Gatt – Lisa Graham - Edward T Guida –Berit Hampel - Michelle Harvey – Barbara Hebb – Dianna Heeps - Julie Hobbs – Leticia Hodson – John Holter –Emmerson Huf - Dianne Jacono – Rebecca James - Glenda Fell Jones – Fruzsi Kenez - Elizabeth Knight –Kelly Kondis – Ann Krause – Anne Langdon – Caterina Leone – Freya Marriott – Gwen Marshall – Alex Mawson -Jessie Mawson - Sara Mazur – Alison McIntosh - Tom Mcrae – Roma McLaughlin – David Merrylees –Sharon Monagle – Bronwyn Munn - Gaby Niemeyer – Charmaine Osborne – Liz Powell – Lynne Pryor –John Rabling - Catherine Ratcliffe – Mellissa Read-Devine - Glenn Reynolds - Ken Rookes - David Rossiter –Wendi Seymour – Catriona Sexton - Meredith Simpson – Brenda Smith – Gail Stiffe – Catherine Thomas –Kim Waters – Diana White - Jenn White – Kate Winnen – Holly Would - Sue Wright

2024 author listThank you to all of the following authors whose works inspired our artists!Jenny Ackland – Pip Adam - Robbie Arnott – Christine Balint - Tony Birch – Trish Bolton –Anne Buist – Steven Carroll - Charmaine Clift - Courtney Collins – Miranda Darling –Ceridwen Dovey – Anna Downes – Briohny Doyle - Kyra Geddes - Alison Gibb - Jane Godwin –Kate Grenville - Sara Haddad – Dylin Hardcastle - Margaret Hickey – Lia Hills – Kirsty Iltners -Sreedhevi Iyer - Julie Janson – Gail Jones - Katrina Kell – David Owen Kelly - Meg Keneally –Finegan Kruckemeyer - Kate Kruimink - Louise Le Nay – Amanda Lohrey - Siang Lu –Melissa Lucashenko - Laura Jean McKay - Catherine McKinnon - Angela O’Keeffe –Stephen Orr - Bruce Pascoe – Liam Pieper - Ernest Price – Nilima Rao –Diana Reid – Alison Reynolds – John Richards - Alice Robinson - Sarah Sasson –Mykaela Saunders - Jonathan Seidler – Jock Serong - Graeme Simsion – Robert M Smith -Cameron Stewart – Jane Tara - Francesca de Tores – Lucy Treloar - Karen Viggers –Ben Walter – Charlotte Wood – Evie Wyld

2024 JUDGES & sponsor listGUEST JUDGES FOR THE GRAND PRIZE FOR 2024: Geoff Todd & Janette LucasHuge thank you to the following people who add so much fun to this project every year!Youth Encouragement Award – Anonymous Donor $250Rainbow Prize – RWR McDonald & Port Fairy’s Merrijig InnStarving Artist Prize - Time & Tide Tearooms & Coffin Sally PizzaFennessy Fine Art Prize - Helen & Ben FennessyChanging Leaves Environmental Prize – Anonymously Donated $250Thank you to Port Fairy Printing for these art cards!The Biblio Art Prize is completely produced & funded by Blarney Books & Art.Entry fees go some way toward paying for the administration and management of the prize.If you’d like to sponsor a prize, please get in touch with us!

Chronicle by Claire AtkinsInspired by Limberlost by Robbie ArnottMedium: Mixed mediaSize: 33 x 30 x 10 cmPrice: $375The work is about the dreams, ambitions, disasters, love and lossthat drive a man’s life.

It Flew Out of a Dream by Wendi SeymourInspired by Why Do Horses Run by Cameron StewartMedium: Pen & ink and acrylic ( mixed media)Size: 30 x 30 cmPrice: $300Ingvar’s world became devoid of colour the momentan unspeakable sadness settled on his Soul. Hetrudged through the motions of living, choosing to shyaway from human contact - instead recording life ashe would share it, in a diary. And every now and then,a flicker of colour would spark his joy, like the GouldianFinch, a bird so glorious it seems it flew out of adream.

All She Loved, Going … by Jenn WhiteInspired by All the Beautiful Things You Love by Jonathan SeidlerMedium: Linocut Reduction Size: 54 x 70 cmPrice: 520The story made me think about how denialcan lead to dishonesty in a relationshipand can result in a lack of future as acouple, and the subsequent parting whenthe truth cannot be avoided, even thoughthere is much love. In the book, After Enzoleaves, with nothing but his bike, Elly sellsoff through Marketplace all the things sheand Enzo collected together during theirrelationship, including her bicycle - a giftfrom Enzo that brought so much joy. Thepurple couch was significant for Elly, andfor me as one who lived through the‘hippy’ era. Having had garage sales andparted with things I later regretted, I alsothought about all the things in my life that Ilove and would hate to see disappear,such as my precious collection of books,records, and the beautiful Aussie parrots,many of which are endangered, already.

Mountain Began to Sing His Ancient Song by Michelle HarveyInspired by Ghost Cities by Siang LuMedium: Acrylic on CanvasSize: 51 x 61 cmPrice: 850As a landscape artist, my connection to the land is tender andfull of memories from my youth. If you’ve grown up in thecountry, the majesty of nature gets into your DNA. Mylandscapes are created intuitively, responding to the essenceof a place based on emotion. In Ghost Cities by Siang Lu, asentient mountain learns the songs of the villagers, graduallyunderstanding itself through their stories and emotions. I wasimmediately drawn to Mountain. He became the keeper of thememories and grows to understand his place through theirmusic. My painting “Mountain Began To Sing His AncientSong” is about that connection. Mountain, who knew nothingand could not stand to be alone, began to sing the folk songsof the villagers, and recognised his name in the breeze. I seemy landscapes in the same way, as holding the memories ofmy own connection to the land. For me, landscapes aren’t justscenery; they’re alive and full of memory, shaped by time.Like Mountain, they are living and breathing. Layered withmemories and stories.

Outside the Littoral Zone by David RossiterInspired by Tidelines by Sarah SassonMedium: Oil and acrylic paint on boardSize: 60 x 60 cmPrice: 1275Elijah was a talented cello player whogrew up embracing the idyllic teenagelifestyle and beach culture aroundCronulla. Coming from a happy family, heenjoyed the adoration of his youngersister ‘Grub,’ and the range of friendsdrawn to his natural charisma. Over thefollowing years a troubled mind led to alife slowly unravelling, and one day Elijahdisappeared. The last contact Grub hadwith him was a postcard that just said‘Don’t forget who we were’…and he wasnever seen again. This paintingendeavours to portray Elijah’s innerturmoil and the void left by his absence.

Duringah’s Journey by Dianne JaconoInspired by Compassion by Julie JansonMedium: Mixed MediaSize: 19 x 13 cmPrice: 300Duringah is a young Darug girllooking for her mother and herpeople. It’s 1836 and manyaboriginal girls are abducted andforced into indentured labour forsquatters. Duringah escapes andhas to survive until she can findher country; Barenjoey. She haswaking visions of a shining path,like shimmering thread, like alightning snake, that she must findand follow.

Troopers: Duringah’s Journey by Dianne JaconoInspired by Compassion by Julie JansonMedium: Mixed MediaSize: 14 cm x 13 cmPrice: 300Duringah is a young Darug girl looking for her mother and her people. It’s 1836 and manyaboriginal girls are abducted and forced into indentured labour for squatters. Duringahescapes and has to survive until she can find her country; Barenjoey. She has wakingvisions of a shining path, like shimmering thread, like a lightning snake, that she must findand follow.

Shining Path: Duringah’s Journey by Dianne JaconoInspired by Compassion by Julie JansonMedium: Charcoal, graphite, chinècolle on Fabriano AcademiaSize: 14 cm x 13 cmPrice: 300Duringah is a young Darug girl looking for her mother and herpeople. It’s 1836 and many aboriginal girls are abducted and forcedinto indentured labour for squatters. Duringah escapes and has tosurvive until she can find her country; Barenjoey. She has wakingvisions of a shining path, like shimmering thread, like a lightningsnake, that she must find and follow.

Peace by Sue WrightInspired by The Sunbird by Sara HaddadMedium: Apoxie and Polymer ClaySize: 25cm x 9cmPrice: 450Sara’s book connects the Nakba to the currentmarches for Palestine. The work shows abattered peace dove, broken wings replacedby leaves and the remaining feathers stillholding tight, protecting the infant clutching onto an olive branch that represents Palestineand peace. The child may be asleep or passedbut peace (holding a white rose given to thosewho fight genocide) protects what is leftregardless.

Ten Thousand Strands of Trouble by Holly WouldInspired by Bird by Courtney CollinsMedium: Mixed MediaSize: 17 x 22 cmPrice: 250Bird is not the first young woman with a fiercelyindependent nature to be described as troublesome.Throughout history we’ve described women who defysocietal gender roles as wild or even dangerous. Ajourney of self is hardly going to be smooth sailing though.If one truly engages in this process with authenticity, it isbound to bring about a variety of rich experiences, thatregardless of their nature will shape who we truly areinside. The presentation of a domestic life can feel tosome women like being trapped in a cage, the onlyescape to set the cage on fire and disappear through theflames.

Displaced by Julie HobbsInspired by The Sunbird by Sara HaddadMedium: Oil paintSize: 70 x 50 cmPrice: 800The main character is an elderly woman who lives inAustralia among a sea of potted plants. Exiled from herPalestinian village as a six-year-old child, she still cannotbring herself to plant anything into the ground. This feelingof displacement was strongly present in this parable aboutloss, exile and an endless longing for home.

Contemplating Win by Marina FoxInspired by Hurdy Gurdy by Jenny AcklandMedium: Bronze, Brass, Sassafras, BlackwoodSize: H43.5, W14, D14cmPrice: 1800The book is set in a near-future Australia and delvesinto the complex issues surrounding women and theownership of their bodies in a conflicting patriarchalsociety. The main character, Win, is 19 years oldand is grappling with the secrecy surrounding herearly life and the difficult choices she faces in heruncertain future. As Win contemplates her limitedoptions from a high diving platform in a small circuswhere she performs, she exhibits quiet innerstrength while considering her challengingdecisions.

Jemma’s Accident by Gwen MarshallInspired by As Happy As Here by Jane GodwinMedium: PencilSize: 16 x 15 cmPrice: 20If you look closely, maybe you'll see theremains of old nail polish. Nervouslybitten nails. The hand of a twelve yearold girl, destined to hold a microphoneone day, fallen limp on the road.

Pyrates by Patsy BushInspired by Saltblood by Francesca de ToresMedium: Card, paint, drawing pen, collageSize: L60, H33, D13cmPrice: 650Inspired by the “Golden Age of Pirates” I have created aPanorama Folded book which features both Mary Read andAnne Bonny, female pirates in the seventeenth century. Mary,the main character, is depicted as a strong woman,sometimes passing as a man, and succeeding in a brutalworld. “Tell me your crow name. Tell me the name you willwear to the bottom of the sea. Tell me the name shaped to fitevery part of you, instep and underarm and the exact curve ofyour ear.” The crow, seen as a messenger between the livingworld and the afterlife, follows Mary throughout her careerand provides a link with mysterious undersea creatures andthe phantoms which haunt Mary.

Territory by Catherine RatcliffeInspired by Gunflower by Laura Jean McKayMedium: Oil on canvasSize: 93cm x 62.5 cmPrice: 2500Territory is inspired by the short story of the samename in Gunflower by Laura Jean McKay. Theartwork delves into themes of conquest, survival,and humanity’s complex relationships with natureand ourselves. Set in the isolated Australian outbackamong Pandanus trees, the scene reflects thestory’s pig-hunting expedition, where characterspursue trophies and seek dominance over the land.

Free by Ken RookesInspired by Free by Meg KeneallyMedium: Pop-up Carousel bookSize: 20 x 30 x 30 cmPrice: 640As historical fiction, the story of MollyThistle extended across the early decadesof the colony of New South Wales. Theheroine proved to be feisty and resilient,going beyond the expected trajectory of aconvict girl. I couldn't decide which part ofthe extended narrative to focus upon, so Ichose six, and fashioned them into aCarousel Pop-up book. I used a simple cutpaper technique, which gives strong visualimages without the need for great detail. Ilike to think that I managed to capture theessence of the entrancing fictionalisedstory which Meg Keneally wove aroundthe historical figure of Mary Reibey.

The Storm by Robert GattInspired by Gunflower by Laura Jean McKayMedium: 3d-printed parts, steel, brass, aluminium, and woodSize: 20 x 20 cmPrice: 950“The storm grew thicker, lashing the decks.The huge drops of rain burst at every windowand porthole. In the chaos, Hanna grew calm,her movements slow and meditative.”Gunflower is a collection of short stories, andthe namesake short story is about an abortionship of the coast of a US state where abortionis illegal. During a storm, the crew lose allcommunication and GPS. They are at seawith no idea where they are. Very spookywhich appeals to me.My sculpture is an automata made of 3d-printed parts, steel, brass, aluminium, andwood. It depicts a ship in a storm.

Funny Guts by Sara MazurInspired by What Fear Was by Ben WalterMedium: Graphite pencilSize: 12 x 14 cmPrice: 100‘What Fear Was’ by Ben Walter is a series ofsurreal short stories. His dark humour keepsyou guessing with every sentence and whenyou put it down, you feel as if you've justawoken from a strange dream. My piece‘Funny Guts’ takes inspiration from Ben’s firstshort story ‘Flathead Out One Day’. The maincharacter is eating flathead that keepappearing in boats. He describes how the manslurps a fish whole and has it swimmingaround his guts, making him seasick.

Dressed for Dinner by Sara MazurInspired by What Fear Was by Ben WalterMedium: Digital drawingSize: 60 x 85 cmPrice: 400‘What Fear Was’ by Ben Walter is a series of surrealshort stories. His dark humour keeps you guessingwith every sentence and when you put it down, youfeel as if you've just awoken from a strange dream. Mypiece ‘Dressed for Dinner’ takes inspiration from Ben’sfirst short story ‘Flathead Out One Day’. The scenepaints a vivid and bizarre image of two flatheadsdressed in human clothes. I chose this scene to drawas I loved the stark contrast between the natural worldand the man made.

Beautiful Birdy by Meredith SimpsonInspired by Days of Innocence and Wonderby Lucy TreloarMedium: Mixed media – acrylic & collageSize: 51 x 41 cmPrice: 350In Lucy Treloar’s Days of Innocence and Wonder, theprotagonist Till’s faithful companion is her beautiful blackgreyhound, Birdy. Birdy is both her protector and herfriend and plays a vital role in helping her to cope withher painful past. In the novel, Till only wears blackbecause bright colours remind her of the traumatic eventthat occurred in her childhood, a time when she used towear bright, cheerful clothing. The black coat of Birdyrepresents Till in the present, whilst the colourfulbackground is made of a collage of vintage children’sbook illustrations and is representative of her ‘colourful’past. An old road map has also been used as part of thebackground collage to acknowledge the road trip Tillmakes from her family home in Brunswick, Melbourne tothe small town of Wirowrie in South Australia. LucyTreloar is a wonderful story-teller, and I hope my artworkdoes justice to beautiful Birdy and her owner Till’sintriguing story.

The Cycad and the Mangrove by Roma McLaughlinInspired by Why Do Horses Run? by Cameron StewartMedium: Papercut. Black Rice Paper and ScalpelSize: 46 x 36 cmPrice: 1500In this papercut, I have drawn upon imagery of vegetation as described in the novel. Thisis a story of beginnings, endings and connectedness. The protagonist, Ingva, runs awayfrom himself to find himself by walking into the landscape of the tropical forest of NorthQLD. The kindness of strangers, especially Hilda, helps him overcome past trauma, but itis the landscape that becomes Ingva’s powerful healing force. Cycads symbolise hope. ForIngvar, their enduring strength and longevity offer shelter from the harsh realities that lifepresents to him. Mangroves are known for their support and protection against tidal stormsand erosion. Ingvar, at his lowest ebb, finds himself among the entangled roots of thesesturdy trees. He emerges from the water to belong to the landscape again, with a legacy toshare.

The Matriarch by Louise BrinkmannInspired by Edenglassie by Melissa LucashenkoMedium: Charcoal on butchers paperSize: 76 x 100 cmPrice: 500"The Matriarch" draws inspiration from the themes of indigenous generational connection toland, people, and culture, as depicted in Melissa Lucashenko's novel, Edenglassie. Thebook weaves together the narratives of characters from colonial and contemporaryMeanjin/Brisbane, highlighting their respective connections to Australian history. Aparticularly poignant moment occurs when young Yugambeh river man, Mulanyin, receivesguidance from his Elders to return a large mulloway to the river, ensuring that her progenywill sustain his clan, children, grandchildren, and future descendants. He comes to theprofound realisation that "all his life he had been eating the decisions of his Ancestors,"affirming his belonging to a people with deep spiritual, and sacred generational connections.I chose to depict Mulanyin's Matriarch mulloway using charcoal for its earthy, naturalproperties. This was done directly onto a roll of butcher’s paper, as a nod to the “whitefella”English tradition of wrapping fish and chips in it, while also reflecting the tensionexperienced by current day characters Winona, Granny Eddie, and Johnny as they navigatetheir differing perspectives on white Australia's historical legacy.

In Memory of Juliette by Katrina BeisselInspired by Broken Bay by Margaret HickeyMedium: Oil on Wood PanelSize: 30 x 30 cmPrice: 400‘From here you could see the wholeexpanse of the bay, right out to wherethe ocean met the sky…. It was allcoastal shrubbery, banksia, saltbush,correa and spiky grass’. This painting isan interpretation of the landscape of thefictional Broken Bay and an imaginedsetting close to where Juliette tragicallylost her life. The book’s tangledambiguity of stories, memories andtruths are reflected in the tightly boundcoastal flora, rugged ground and hazyvista of the painting.

Deep View by Edward T GuidaInspired by Audition by Pip AdamMedium: Steel, CeramicSize: 24 x 20 cmPrice: 450Page 10-13 sets a scene: A Giant NowTrapped (because of his expansion in sizesince AUDITION (a pink small city-sizedspaceship with internal primary-colouredwalls) left Earth, is so big that his only view(from one eye) is into Deep Space througha once-large portal.

Fog of War by Woody BucciInspired by Chloe by Katrina KellMedium: Oil and charcoal on canvasSize: 28 x 28 cmPrice: 220"Beware of women! When he most peaceful of Gaul's daughters, asleep inthe vast fields of resignation, yes when they wake up, appalled by all thathas happened, on that day, the old world will end, and a new world will beborn." As Paris burned through the 18thand 19thcenturies, the women ofthe city fought in any way they knew how, with bayonets and guns, withsubterfuge and collusion, with charcoals and oils. The painting symbolisesthe fight of these women, oft thought of as pure and unable to take to thebattle, and their constant and ongoing struggle to release themselves fromthe caste system into which they were born. The white of the oils showsthe inner turmoil and force underneath the 'pure white' label given to thesewomen. Charcoal was used by the lower classes to contribute to thethriving arts scene in France at the time, with the medium maligned asbeing lesser- the darkness and contrast of the charcoal in this piecedepicts the pull of war and the fragments it leaves behind.

Song at Vespers by Elizabeth KnightInspired by Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte WoodMedium: Watercolour, ink, gouache & pencilSize: 23.2cm x 28.3cmPrice: 200The author, Charlotte Wood, has placed words acrossthe lines to create a picture in your mind of the place,characters and events that build as you read through thepages of Stone Yard Devotional. I have drawn imagery,to include in the painting, that I have interpreted from thescenes in the book. I use line in a different way to awriter, mine are drawn with pencil and paint to createshapes that are cultivated collaging imagery from thebook, my past experiences of such scenes, andpaintings I have viewed. Of course it is the books’dialogue, within and between the characters, that buildsthe picture of the events that the characters findthemselves in. My artwork offers a moment for reflection,as at times the characters find themselves doing, andlike my lines, colours and shapes in painting, the imagesnever disappear.

Home, at Last by Ro BancroftInspired by Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte WoodMedium: ClaySize: 33H x 13L x 9WPrice: 480I was inspired to create this piece as astandalone sculpture as it became clear thatthe character was an introspective person, whospent a considerable amount of timeexamining her own thoughts and feelings.Overcoming troubling emotions – grief, despairand guilt – and regaining a sense of innerpeace, forgiveness and acceptance and evena certain happiness and quiet contentment withthe life now chosen. A solitary figure who lovedthe silence of this outback retreat.

Ode to Sally Ride by Helen BunyonInspired by Only the Astronauts by Ceridwen DoveyMedium: Found Object Assemblage with LightsSize: 440x250x80mmPrice: 495My assemblage diorama artwork is a playful response to CeridwenDovey’s short story, ‘We, The Tamponauts’ which highlights someof the absurdities and barriers faced by women in historically male-dominated fields. Her story was inspired by NASA’s 1982 missionwhere Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, was offered100 tampons for a seven-day orbit — a comical miscalculation thatexposes societal discomfort with women’s bodies. In this story,Sally Ride’s fictional granddaughter honours her legacy, by writinga play featuring “tamponauts” (tampon astronauts) on a mission toMars, telling the tale of resilience and ambition with humour andfact.

There Was No Warning (Corhanwarrabul to Wollumbin) by Kelly KondisInspired by Always Will Beby Mykaela SaundersMedium: Oils on canvas in hardwood frameSize: 63 x 63 cmPrice: 1390In the consumption of the hopeful andinterwoven future in each of the stories,regardless of their variety, characters andoutcome, I felt the connection to the peak andthe land. The earth and the forest. Themountain and its caretakers.

Mary Cluny’s Kitchen by Claire Macrae DrylieInspired by Women and Children by Tony BirchMedium: AssemblageSize: 69 x 88 cmPrice: 650My work depicts a wall in the kitchen of a home in a working-classsuburb of Melbourne in 1965. The home of Marion Cluny, and her twochildren Ruby and Joe. Each vignette on the wall tells a story of theirlives at this time. 12-year-old Ruby is smart and a favourite with thenuns at the local Catholic school. 11-year-old Joe spends his daysdodging trouble with the nuns and hanging out with his much-lovedGrandfather Charlie, who lives nearby. Grandfather Charlie has ashed full of curiosities, shelves full of books, and a very good friendRanji, who owns a scrapyard where Joe is free to roam. Marion'ssister Oona often comes to stay at short notice. She is a victim ofdomestic violence - shockingly ignored for years by the authorities.Women and Children is a heartfelt story of the loss of childhoodinnocence and a family coming together to help right a terrible wrong.

Days of Innocence and Wonder by Brenda SmithInspired by Days of Innocence and Wonder by Lucy TreloarMedium: Mixed MediaSize: 51 x 41 x 11 cmPrice: 475This is a story about the girl that was saved, Till, who named herself after her friendwas abducted. Till is now 23 and has lived her life imprisoned in the trauma of thatevent. She can’t mention the name of her friend, she calls her E. The absence of E isalways at the corner of Till’s mind, the memory of them playing, and E skipping awaywith the man - “actually skipping” in her red coat haunts Till. At 5, Till didn’t know thewords to describe the man that took E. Empty lines without words is etched in Till’strauma. She carries the guilt of not telling someone about the man, and what sheshould have done, “she should have screamed down the house”. Undeserving ofcolour, she chooses to wear black. She is a singer, yet she sings for E in E’s voice.The man that took E, took Till’s personal autonomy. The man, the taker, and other‘takers’ are finally beaten. Under the theme of taker, we acknowledge First Nationspeople and what was taken off them. In a forgotten town called Wirowie, Till finds herhome and her people. She stops running away from herself.

These Hands by Miles DavittInspired by Repentance by Alison GibbMedium: Graphite on PaperSize: 30 x 21 cmPrice: 150Sandy Mitchell is a good man. SandyMitchell provides for his family. Heworks with his hands, just like all themen his timber mill employs. But atwhat cost? A few birds and bugs loseout? These men have the bestinterests of the bush at heart --sustainable harvest. Even so, thefuture flies on swift wings.

The Nymphs of Pain by John HolterInspired by Sidelines by Karen ViggersMedium: WatercolourSize: 51 x 42 cmPrice: 200I’ve depicted Sidelines as a young girl tornbetween the need to comply with family,school and friends and the yearning to followher own heart.

Alright was Enough by Catriona SextonInspired by Edenhope by Louise Le NayMedium: WatercolourSize: 30 x 20 cmPrice: 320Marnie, financially struggling following divorce, hasrescued her two small grandchildren yet again fromtheir drug-addicted mother. As she heads west back tothe safety of a welcoming and supportive communityaround Edenhope, seeing a pair of eagles soaringabove the landscape ahead of her, she thinks that tobe alright will be enough here among the kindness offriends and neighbours.

CAMP (After Goya) by Chow BananaInspired by Host City by David Owen KellyMedium: Acrylic on corfluteSize: 90 x 60 cmPrice: 800Sydney, 1980s. A young gay man comes to Sydney tofind his tribe, meaning and happiness. Then the ‘gayplague’ begins — memoir becomes alternate history —and the cultural tide changes. The government usesthe army to turn Darlinghurst into a gay ghetto inside acontainment wall. Spinning across the top are crystalsurveillance globes which emit killer electric bolts —lethal anti-disco balls. This viscerally disturbing storymade me think of marginalised groups under siege,and of pink triangles. My references include: — Goya’s‘Third of May 1808’, its central figure with arms raisedabout to be executed by a firing squad; — the Nazis,who marked gay men with an inverted pink trianglebefore forcing them into the ghettos enroute to deathcamps. In politics as usual, the cries of themarginalised are ignored by the great powers, unlessconsidered dangerous or infectious, whereupon theirexisting tragic suffering is visited with yet furtherviolence, even as the rest of the world with ourdisparate moralities look on or protest, helpless.

Cryogenic Solutions in a Futuristic Wastelandby Glenda Fell JonesInspired by If You Go by Alice RobinsonMedium: Oil on canvasSize: 20 x 30 cmPrice: 275Alice Robinson conjured a nightmare for mewhere I easily imagined a futuristic situationof smart medical breakthroughs for the elitewithout parallel development of facilities andcare. A disconcerting narrative.

The Crib Tin by Sally ForrestInspired by The End of the Morningby Charmaine CliftMedium: Oil on canvasSize: 51 x 40 x 3 cmPrice: 700The Crib Tin is an exploration of a nostalgic momentinspired by Charmaine Clift's evocative prose in The Endof the Morning. This oil painting encapsulates theinnocence and wonder of childhood, as experienced byCressida during her Saturday morning delivery of the cribtin to her father at Bombo Quarry, Kiama. I aim to capturethe mighty colossal rock columns that tower majesticallyagainst the expansive blue sky and the vast moving sea.The juxtaposition of these natural elements serves as atestament to both strength and beauty, embodyingCressida’s profound reflections: "I thought: the earth isstrong. I thought: the sea is big." Here the innocence ofyouth meets the raw power of nature. Through The CribTin, I aspire to ignite a contemplative dialogue about ourrelationship with both our heritage and the natural worldaround us.

Dolly’s Hat by Barbara HebbInspired by Restless Dolly Maunderby Kate GrenvilleMedium: Basketry and StitcherySize: 33 x 18 x 18 cmPrice: 220Dolly wished to have the sameopportunities as a man. Despite beingprejudged as less capable than a man,Dolly showed such strength and vigour incontinuing to strive for her dreams,Barbara’s hat, half plain-half embellished,fulfills its purpose. Whether plain orcovered in frippery, your head will beprotected. Our outer appearances neednot determine our potential.

Let’s Talk – and Listen by Charmaine OsborneInspired by The Desert Knows Her Name by Lia HillsMedium: CeramicSize: 5 x 7 cm; 27 x 14.5 cm; 21 x 10 x 8 cmPrice: 375The Desert Knows Her Name brought back memories of acountry childhood. Lia Hills writes the landscape into thenovel as a character with such ease it’s a joy to read. But it’snot all joy. The characters take us on a fascinating,uncomfortable journey. An important one. I read the noveltwice and finding a worthy response was a challenge. ‘Seed’plate and ‘peppermint tea’ cups: Sometimes we just need asafe space to take time out to talk, listen and learn, withoutanger, fear, judgment, or retribution. The ‘box’: A box is forsafe keeping treasured items – jewels, and memorabilia; orfor containment of items to be kept but not seen. There areboxes mentioned in The Desert Knows Her Name. I feltcompelled to make one. I chose the exterior colour to mirrorthe beautiful book cover rather than reflect the contentswithin!

On the River by Ann KrauseInspired by Edenglassie by Melissa LucashenkoMedium: Gelli printSize: 46 x 33 cmPrice: 300On the river in Edenglassie (Brisbane) is the heart-wrenching location where the young Aboriginalcouple share their grief after hearing their wholefamily has been poisoned with flour as a reprisalby the white settlers for a small 'theft.' The dingoson the bank nearby accompany the couple in theirhowls of grief. I found this passage absolutelydevastatingly unimaginable. How to survive in thislandscape?

Trapped by Anne LangdonInspired by The Story Thief by Kyra GeddesMedium: Hand coloured drypoint printSize: 15 x 20 cmPrice: 395The idea for ‘Trapped’ [The Story Thief] wasalmost like an epiphany in the last couple of pagesof my reading of this book. I felt Lillian had neverdealt with her mother’s death and her guiltsurrounding the fires impacted on her abilities tolove and let go of her children. Her continualsearching and appraisal of Lawson meant she hada reason to keep going with her life as I think shefelt it would create images in her mind of hermother. It was like she had to go through thisjourney to finally find peace. This drypoint printwas hand coloured with watercolour. Thistechnique of drawing into the plate suited the idea.

Unbroken by Lisa GrahamInspired by Seeing Other People by Diana ReidMedium: Analog collageSize: 61 x 44 cmPrice: 250A story of two very different sisters, and thesummer that stretches their relationship almost tobreaking point. My artwork has focussed onEleanor and Charlie’s evolving and intersectingrelationship with Helen. We’re taken inside theminds of the three young women as they navigatetheir relationships and try to walk the line betweenprinciples and desires. They are tested andstretched to the point of almost breaking, but theirstrong bond ultimately keeps the three youngwomen close together, if not quite in the sameshape as when we first met them.

Brave New You by Gaby NiemeyerInspired by Only the Astronauts by Ceridwen DoveyMedium: Acrylic on canvasSize: 22.5 x 22.5 cmPrice: 380This artwork illustrates the experienceof the International Space Station, that- like in Dovey’s book - will bediscarded and rejected by its creator.As the relationship between object andmaker transforms, I wanted to bringhope for the station as it ventures onits next phase of existence, wishingthat it might be more magical thananticipated.

Tiniest House of Time by Chelsea FoxInspired by The Tiniest House of Timeby Sreedhevi IyerMedium: CeramicSize: 35 x 45 cmPrice: 800My ceramic sculpture is inspired by the novel The TiniestHouse of Time & embodies themes of protection andresilience. Like the characters in the novel who navigatetime and memory, this sculpture stands as a protector, akeeper of both fragile and powerful moments held withinits form. This guardian monster is the protector of storiesand memories that shape us and are passed downthrough generations.

Becoming by Anna DayeInspired by A Language of Limbs by Dylin HardcastleMedium: CeramicSize: 10 x 20 cmPrice: 225These two ceramic artworks beautifully narrate the journeys oftwo women as they navigate their queer identities. The first cupembodies the experience of Limb One, with its textured exteriorreflecting the struggles of coming out and the initial rejection fromher family. Over time, the surface becomes smoother,symbolising her gradual acceptance and the emergence of amore consistent sense of self. In contrast, the second cuprepresents Limb Two, who grapples with concealing hersexuality. Its exterior, while appearing predominantly smooth,captures the subtle fluctuations of her emotional landscape—revealing the inner turmoil that often accompanies her hiddenidentity. Together, these pieces invite viewers to explore thecomplexities of self-discovery and acceptance within the queerexperience.

Into the Wild by Berit HampelInspired by Red River Road by Anna DownesMedium: PhotocompositeSize: 50 x 60 cmPrice: 225My work is an interpretation of Kathy'sexperiences as she travels Western Australia'scoastline in a desperate hunt for her sister,illustrating her connection to the landscape andher view of the world she finds herself in.

Starman by Helen BunyonInspired by Only the Astronautsby Ceridwen DoveyMedium: Found object assemblage, metal, wood, watch part, airdry clay, paintSize: 40 x 40 x 72 cmPrice: 595In ‘Only the Astronauts’, Ceridwen Dovey has written five short stories giving a voice toinanimate man-made objects floating around in space - space junk - where there is a blurring ofscience, fact, human emotions, and fiction, whilst exploring our fascination with space and someof the strange things we’ve sent there. Her stories make the surreal seem almost ordinary. Thismix of whimsy with fact gives her work an edge: the scenarios seem outlandish, yet therealization that many of them actually happened, including the one I chose to make an artworkresponse to - ’Starman’ - brings an unexpected resonance. ‘Starman’ is based on Elon Musk’s2018 launch of a Tesla Roadster into orbit. Right now, the car is floating beyond Earth, taking557 days to orbit the sun, with a mannequin, "Starman," in the driver’s seat. “Starman” themannequin speaks longingly to his creator, wearing his heart on his sleeve, caught betweenastronaut and outsider as he drifts through space. My found object assemblage sculpture ismounted on a base that rotates when turned, taking Starman on his life-long journey.

You’re on a Boat by Emmerson HufInspired by What Fear Was by Ben WalterMedium: Oil paint on hessian wood panelSize: 62.5 x 59 cmPrice: 200My painting combines two short stories thatstood out to me in Ben Walter’s collection ofshort stories where death is sudden andunforgiving.

Spiralling by Gail StiffeInspired by Heartsease by Kate KruiminkMedium: Handmade paperSize: 35 x 22 x 22 cmPrice: 250Inspired by the book Heartsease by KateKruimink, my piece reflects a spiralling out of thesisters lives when one of them died. The brightinterior of the spiral represents the sister'shallucinations experienced during the eveningand the outer montage depicts the tragicaccident that tore their lives apart.

The Conversion by Glenn ReynoldsInspired by The Conversion by Amanda LohreyMedium: Oil pastel on paperSize: 80 x 100 cmPrice: 1500Shaping Amanda Lohrey’s novel is the Australian obsessionwith home ownership, along with how we can live in givenpredefined spaces that aren’t ordinarily domestic. The inner lifeof the main character, Zoe, drives the narrative arc, her dreamsas well as self-questioning give us insight into her characterand motivation. Her encounters with locals, family and wildlifeilluminate the novel, providing opportunities for growth andexpansion. My work is inspired by the architecture ascharacter, with people coming and going, and a dialog with thelandscape and animals.

The Picnic by Dianna HeepsInspired by The Near Daphne Experienceby Alison ReynoldsMedium: Acrylic paint, fabric with stitchingSize: 50 x 50 cmPrice: 350The picnic is where the 'Near' Daphne Experience occurred.

Psycho (Cat) by Dianna HeepsInspired by The Near Daphne Experienceby Alison ReynoldsMedium: Wire sculpture with upcycledfabric, yarns and materials.Size: 25 x 15 x 25 cmPrice: 290Psycho is a cat. One of the characters in thebook, Jonathan, commits a heinous crimewhich starts with the demise of his sister'spet cat. She is also the embodiment ofDaphne, a psychiatrist, who is the book'smain character. Daphne isn't all she appearsto be. She is cunning, has dark thoughts andis out for revenge.

Font I by Kim WatersInspired by The Conversion by Amanda LohreyMedium: Wheel-thrown and slab-built with underglaze decoration.Size: 29 x 19 cmPrice: 300The Conversion by Amanda Lohrey told the story of Zoe movingfrom the city to live in a deconsecrated church to fulfill her deceasedpartner’s dreams. The relocation to the church gave Zoe theopportunity to reflect, rethink the past and form a new life. I wasinspired to make a piece shaped like the baptismal font in thechurch. The presence of the font had an impact in the story andwhen it was removed Zoe’s reflection was described - “That nightshe sits contemplating the empty space in the floor and feels as ifan amputation has been carried out.” (page 147) I felt that this actseemed a pivotal point in Zoe’s life and her attachment to thechurch and her past. Font I was decorated with elements of thelandscape and features of the church influenced Zoe and herreflections on her past life and events with Nick. The ever-presentblack cockatoos in the macrocarpa pines that circled the building,sheep in the neighbouring pastures and scotch thistles, along withthe inscription on a brass plaque “O Lord deliver us from our presentfallen life”, and the glow of the stained-glass windows.

Font II: Flight of the Black Cockatoos by Kim WatersInspired by The Conversion by Amanda LohreyMedium: Wheel-thrown and slab-built with underglaze decoration.Size: 25 x 22 cmPrice: 300The Conversion by Amanda Lohrey told the story of Zoe movingfrom the city to live in a deconsecrated church to fulfill her deceasedpartner’s dreams. The relocation to the church gave Zoe theopportunity to reflect, rethink the past and form a new life. I wasinspired to make a piece shaped like the baptismal font in thechurch. The presence of the font had an impact in the story andwhen it was removed Zoe’s reflection was described - “That nightshe sits contemplating the empty space in the floor and feels as ifan amputation has been carried out.” (page 147) I felt that this actseemed a pivotal point in Zoe’s life and her attachment to thechurch and her past. Font I was decorated with elements of thelandscape and features of the church influenced Zoe and herreflections on her past life and events with Nick. The ever-presentblack cockatoos in the macrocarpa pines that circled the building,sheep in the neighbouring pastures and scotch thistles, along withthe inscription on a brass plaque “O Lord deliver us from our presentfallen life”, and the glow of the stained-glass windows.

Daisies (for a Daisy Chain) by Brodie FairallInspired by The Glass Houseby Anne Buist & Graeme SimsionMedium: Watercolour, collage, cottonSize: 32 x 44 cmPrice: 280The journey of one of the families inthe book was particularly powerful tome as a mother. I wanted to create adelicate (through the use ofwatercolour), yet subtly complex(through the use of mixed mediacollage and stitching) homage to thecharacters struggles and growth.

As Much as Anything Else by Alex BeckinsaleInspired by The Echoes by Evie WyldMedium: House paint, biro, pastel, charcoal and conte on cotton ragSize: 52.5cm x 52.5 cm Price: 450This drawing is an exploration of the multi-generational and layered narrative ofEvie Wyld’s The Echoes. In this work I explore the visual symbolism and vividimagery that Wyld weaves throughout the novel. The background is filled withsmall biro sketches that reflect the small drawings Hannah’s father, Piers, wouldmake in the margins of newspapers. These biro sketches reference moments ofdeep emotion and memory for the different generations of characters, momentsthat often seem to define the trajectory of their lives. These sketches have thenbeen layered over with other materials. They are still present but difficult to fullydecipher, becoming the foundation on which the drawing is based. Drawn on topof this foundation rests a naturalistically rendered image of a baby goat. It’scrumpled, foetal position evoking the feeling of either sleep, or of death. Theambiguity of this pose reflects the complex symbolism that goats hold in TheEchoes, both as an image of hope, and of despair. It invites the viewer toconsider the complex nature of our histories and the impact of that on ouridentities.

สมองของผู้หญิง (The Feminine Brain) by Catherine ThomasInspired by Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte WoodMedium: TextilesSize: 40 x 40 cm Price: 250Throughout Charlotte Wood's Stone Yard Devotional our nameless narrator makes manyreferences to her Primitive Brain. The Primitive Brain was conceived by theNeuroscientist Paul MacLean who developed the 'Triune Brain' model. Hence, this modelstates that there are three aspects of human thought and behaviour. The reptilian brain orprimitive brain is responsible for instinct. The mammalian brain feeling and memory andthe human brain is the area responsible for thinking. This neurological model has becomecentral to this piece. Wood's antidotes of the feminine experience of life and love appearat first to be unrelated and at some points even random. For example the mouse plaguethat infected everything, "all sense of smell of course, but even sound and even memory"or the goanna, that forced its way into the chicken coop and was shot by Gittensaccording to his wife, a ploy to dismantle our narrators friendship with her husband.However, the smallest details of family and children, dhal for the nun's and visits toThailand have all been brought together with the notion of this triune brain, as thoughts,feelings and memories are woven together to tell a story of one woman's existence.

Blank by Sandra BattenInspired by The Sitter by Angela O’KeeffeMedium: Mixed - Scratch, ink, collage on cardSize: 12 x 15 cmPrice: 380“In the portraits of me there are many blanks” says O’Keeffe’s Hortense, the wifeand frequent subject of the French painter Paul Cezanne. Cezanne said If hecouldn’t find a feeling for any part of a subject, he would leave that section of thepainting blank. 'The Sitter' by Angela O’Keeffe is narrated by Hortense Cezanneas she witnesses an author in 2020 write a book about her life. In my artisticresponse I was drawn to the notion that ‘The Sitter’ is a book about appearance,love and grief and the sacrifices women often make for love. Throughout the bookHortense certainly finds a way to fill in those blanks, to tell her story and show usthe strength and beauty of her being. Her confessor is the woman who is writingabout her, and she also has a story to tell.

A Remarkable Boy by Sandra BattenInspired by The Boy in Time by Stephen OrrMedium: Mixed - Scratch, ink, collage on cardSize: 42 x 32 cmPrice: 350A boy seems to be a re-occurring theme in myimage making, a boy pondering, wandering,bewildered by their surroundings and often standingalone on the vast landscape of life. I am not reallysure why, but it is often on my mind, perhaps areflection of past travels and observation. So, itsomehow seemed apt that I was allocated ‘The Boyin Time’, a book of nineteen short stories byStephen Orr. Each story greatly moved me and leftme wondering about the world we live in, a worldthat is often so difficult to comprehend. Afterexploring many ideas in response to this beautifulnovel I constantly returned to an image of a boy witha book and a torn shirt pocket and a particularphrase in the story titled ‘The budgerigar’ “You are aremarkable young boy Tom” (p. 96). Young boyssoon to be men can all be remarkable if we walkalongside, listen to their words and seek tounderstand the story within.

Still Life with Dolly by David MerryleesInspired by Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate GrenvilleMedium: Photographic print on baryta paper with archival inksSize: 33 x 44 cmPrice: 125This is a reimagining of that pivotalmoment under the tall camelliawhen Dolly Maunder interrupted hergranddaughter at play. "Do you loveme, Cathy?"

The Great Re-Appearing Act; Not Just Smoke and Mirrors by Lada DedicInspired by Tilda is Visible by Jane TaraMedium: Plaster, polystyrene, 24 karat goldSize: 33 x 44 cmPrice: 125Jane Tara's ‘Tilda is Visible’ may seem like a light-hearted read, however beneath itssurface is a subtle darkness that resonated deeply with me, mirroring my own strugglewith the 'second coming-of-age’ - the transition into midlife, it captured my personalfeeling of being unseen and being unknown then ultimately finding comfort embracingmy quirkiness while taking up space in the world as a middle-aged woman. Ipurchased the book in Nipaluna Hobart then travelled to Kuala Lumpur. My initialconcept was thwarted when I ordered some very specific paints from a verytemperamental English paint-maker, the paint never arrived… totally ghosted! I thenhired a ceramics studio in Indonesia for the second iteration, sadly tragedy struck and Iwas off to Naarm Melbourne. In a dodgy Melbourne hotel room, I sculpted plasterbandages onto a polystyrene form. My next trip was The Lock-Up Arts Centre inAwabakal Newcastle where I sealed the plaster, then up to The Lighthouse Arts fordelicate gilding in extreme conditions; a very loose homage to Kintsugi, the Japaneseart of repairing with gold. Ta -Da! Look again, there she is! Cheap plaster and gold: an"unspirational" process, messy yet precious… much like recovering your visibility.

Two Friends by Kate WinnenInspired by Crows Nest by Nikki MottramMedium: Acrylic on canvasSize: 73 x 53cmPrice: 450“A flock of crows rose up from a mound of rolled hay balesin the crops beside the university campus. Dana’s thoughtsturned to Van Gogh’s wheatfield paintings. The symbolismof birds in a menacing sky. The dead-end path to the endof life”. This quote from the book inspired my painting. Thetwo horses represent the bonds that exist in humanrelationships.

(M)Other Tongues & Other Myths by Fruzsi KenezInspired by Ghost Cities by Siang LuMedium: Stoneware clay, underglaze, glazeSize: 28 x 3 x 2 cm per chopstickPrice: 1280In the book, the protagonist Xiang is whisked away by the ebullient director Baby Bao to Port Man Tou, a fictional city funded for hiscreative production. When Xiang realizes this ghost city is populated by hired actors including the people by the food stand, heexclaims “are those people act-eating, or eat-acting?” This humorous moment highlights the idea that culture is essentially a type ofmass public performance with invisible rules and expectations. These over-large stoneware chopsticks playfully dissect the dualmeaning of tongue as a vehicle for food as well as language, adding the additional rich tapestry of countless ‘tongue-centric’ idiomsand phrases much to the delight and suffrage of anyone attempting to learn English as a second language. The idea of ‘translation’underpins this book, and in its own way, Ghost Cities invited me to contemplate belonging, culture and language for myself. The powerthat the words we choose to speak have to wound, or to salve, or in the protagonist Xiang’s case, shame both privately and publiclythrough the viral trending hashtag #BadChinese. As a multilingual person who calls Australia home, this work is inspired not only by theprotagonist Xiang’s complicated journey with language and belonging, but also my own.

The Words We Speak by Fruzsi KenezInspired by Ghost Cities by Siang LuMedium: Stoneware clay, underglaze, glaze, wireSize: Container is 11 x 14 x 12 cm plus installation of chips & chopsticksPrice: 1870My piece is a meditation on the box we are each put in based on our exteriorqualities, told through the lens of our protagonist Xiang. This book invited me toexplore the idea of culture as performance, and the power of language and the wordswe say to those we view as being different from ourselves. The hand-built ceramictake-out container represents Xiang as the world sees him in the simplest terms - aChinese man. On the inside, however, he is an English-speaking Sydneysider, usinggoogle-translate to fly under the radar at his translator job, until he is found out,mocked and fired with the viral trending hashtag #BadChinese. Shamed even by aChinese-speaking GP for his lack of language and unpatriotic food choices, his innerAussie world is represented by our national fare, the faithful fish and chips. Everydetail of this piece is intentional, from the mouth-worn and misshapen dinerchopsticks to the fictional restaurant characters ‘Ghost Belly Palace’, paying homageto both to Xiang’s google-translate snafu as well as the title of the book. Engravedupon the chips are direct quotes strangers have said to me unprompted, based on myname, accent, or other perceived ‘otherness’, not unlike Xiang.

Obsession by Bronwyn MunnInspired by The Gorgon Flower by John RichardsMedium: Pastel on Sanded PaperSize: 50 x 70 cmPrice: 1000I was allocated the book The Gorgon Flower byJohn Richards. From the collection of shortstories, I was intrigued by the title piece 'TheGorgon Flower'. It is an account of a botanist's ill-fated quest and his obsessive search for a rareflower that has hypnotic and deadly properties, -and displays obsessive traits of its own.Obsession can be a powerful force for good - orcan lead to destruction. I wanted to portray thestriking and exquisite beauty of the flower, withan atmosphere of mystery and menace. I ampassionate about animals and our natural world -and all the wonderful flora and fauna found there.

Life Cycles by Liz PowellInspired by The End and Everything Before Itby Finegan KruckemeyerMedium: Watercolours, tunnel book construction, collage, etchingSize: H29.5m x W100cm x D40cmPrice: 350The book is a story about souls and cycles of living and dying, centred around the growth of a small andgentle town on the banks of a river. The connections of the characters criss-cross through generations,and through space and time, and it all loops back on itself at the end. When people in this town die, theybecome birds. Birds are a constant presence in the story till the end when this imagery takes overcompletely. In one scene towards the end an old man puts his arm across his aged wife’s shoulders andfeels her feathers beginning to grow. I’ve used the idea of lives cycling through stages of birth and deathand whatever comes in between and whatever comes next, till souls are released like birds soaring.

Host City by Jason DayeInspired by Host City by David Owen KellyMedium: Book and papermache modelSize: 30 x 20 cmPrice: 250Ty has decided he needed a break from theoppressive environment that he hasdiscovered in Sydney and thought he'dhangout on the cover of his favourite DavidOwen Kelly novel, Host City!

Score by Jessie MawsonInspired by Sidelines by Karen ViggersMedium: Oil on canvasSize: 50cm x 75cm x 2cmPrice: 450The word 'score' is defined as "to win or get a point or goal in a competition, sport, orgame" but also: "to make a mark or cut on the surface of something hard with a pointedtool." These meanings converge in Karen Viggers' novel Sidelines when a high schoolathlete is driven to self harm by unrelenting pressure - from her parents, coaches, andteammates - to perform on the soccer field. In creating the artwork, I wanted toincorporate a performance element exploring the fickle nature of sporting success - theups and downs, and the role of luck. So I went into my own backyard with a soccer balland took some shots at goal. When I got a goal, I painted ‘score’ and when I missed, Ipainted ‘shoot’. This artwork is a record of that process; a literal scoreboard displayingmy successes and failures in high contrast. Through Viggers’ novel, we learn how itfeels to be a teenager overwhelmed by the weight of outside expectations - theunyielding anxiety, the distorted sense of reality, and the repetitive stress of carryingsuch a heavy load. I aimed to replicate this emotional state in my piece.

The Creeper by Megan CheyneInspired by The Creeper by Margaret HickeyMedium: Acrylic on canvasSize: 50cm x 25cmPrice: 550In the dark, rural landscapes ofAustralia a sinister presence lurks. WithMargaret Hickey's masterful storytelling,this haunting tale will keep you on theedge of your seat, questioning theshadows that hide in every corner andthe darkness within those closest to us.

Crows Nestby Tom McraeInspired by Crows Nestby Nikki MottramMedium: White pine, mountain ash, stainless steel and various small timber pieces.Size: 40 cm x 19 cm x 24 cm (2.4 kg)Price: 45After a personal trauma, Dana Gibson takes a secondment toToowoomba from her job in Sydney to try and get her life inorder. Her first assignment is in a nearby small town calledCrows Nest. This artwork represents that assignment. To startwith, everything is "prickly" and out of control. However Danaeventually overcomes the obstacles and repairs essentialnetworks, and everything becomes smoother going. At the end,she finds that her initial troubles have fallen into manageableperspective, and her Sydney life really is cradled by loved ones.

Love Song for Yen Seby Lynne PryorInspired by Imperial Harvestby Bruce PascoeMedium: CharcoalSize: 34 x 52 cmPrice: 235This is an epic story. It tells of the demonic blood-thirsty Khan who creates an earthly hell on anunimaginable scale during his military campaigns in13th century Central Asia and beyond. While thismakes disturbing reading, more importantly, it hasbeautifully crafted characters that once were victimsbut somehow manage to find a way to live their liveswith courage, kindness, dignity and love. Humanity'sinterminable involvement in war, greed and powerprovokes deep thought about colonisation andgenocide, but ultimately this is a book about physicaland spiritual nourishment, love, hope and the legacywe leave for our future generations. I really enjoyedthis book: it made me think and feel deeply, andimagine what the world could be, if only....

Land Songby Katy DowneyInspired by The Desert Knows Her Nameby Lia HillsMedium: Collage on boardSize: 75 x 47 cmPrice: 150I use collage to evoke theelements that constitute thethree landscapes in Hills’novel: desert, bush andfarmed/urban. The sharedmatter across these are smallunits of matter and I feel themosaic effect achievedthrough small fragments ofpaper, bead and thread unitesthese different land types.The embroidery spirals movelike sound on the air and arefound across all scapes.These are both above theland and within it.

Changing Passage by Alison McIntoshInspired by One Another by Gail JonesMedium: Oil on boardSize: 72 x 51 cmPrice: 2500My painting Changing Passage is inspired byGail Jones’s Another One and captures thecomplexity of stories within stories, mirroring thechoices we face in life. Through Helen, aCambridge student entangled in a violentrelationship while pursuing her PhD on JosephConrad, I explore the intricate interplay of loveand pain. The layering of boats referencesConrad’s great narratives, symbolizing thejourney and the various paths we take. This workencourages viewers to contemplate the weight ofdecisions and the directions that define our lives.

Call of Nature by Heather DavittInspired by To Sing of War by Catherine McKinnonMedium: CeramicsSize: 25 x 25 cmPrice: 600 (or individually available)In the midst of WWII, the colours andsounds of nature offer the charactersrespite from the horrors of war.These ceramic whistles, or ocarinas,are: barking owl and of Australia,cockatoo and Victorian crownedpigeon from Papua New Guinea,kumagera / wood-pecker from Japanblue jay from New Mexico.

Cry for the Dead by Diana WhiteInspired by Edenglassie by Melissa LucashenkoMedium: Lithograph, collage, ink drawingSize: 58 x 49 cmPrice: 550 This work is a visual response to the powerful and moving sentence found inChapter 14 of Melissa Lucashenko’s novel Edenglassie: ‘Women and men wailedbehind him on the hill, the Cry for the Dead echoing off every tree trunk andboulder’. This chapter graphically describes the hanging of warrior Dundalli atWilwinpa (Windmill Hill) on 5 January 1855. In my work the backdrop for the horrorof the hanging tree is a British map of Brisbane Town from around 1855, the timewhen this part of the book is set. It shows the Wilwinpa area snugged in by thesnaking Warrar (Brisbane River). The tree is dead, shadowed by a ghostly outline,an echo of grief and loss. An aboriginal scar tree is beside with the killing tree.Mulanyin’s mob, water people, carved boats from these trees and for some, scartrees marked sites of significance such as burial sites. Rocky outcrops branch outright and left at the base of the hanging tree, achieved by the use of a solventrelease process from the artist’s photographs.

Murder Mystery by Karen BiggsInspired by Death of a Foreign Gentlemanby Steven CarrollMedium: Dry point etching, paint, stitch on canvasSize: 15 x 14 cmPrice: 1200 I made a book in response to the novel. Istarted responding visually before I hadfinished reading the novel. As eachcharacter came to life in word, I tried togive the same characters life with print,paint and stitches. The process of creatingthe book was like participating in a game ofmurder mystery. The characters in mybook change in their appearance as Ibecame more connected to them. I found Iwanted to give some characters analternative fate…. More chapters to theirindividual lives.. chapters filled withoptimism and hope for the future.

The Good Companion by Rebecca JamesInspired by Why We Are Here by Briohny DoyleMedium: Acrylic paint on canvas, framed in natural timberSize: 100 x 76 cmPrice: 2400 Why We Are Here by Briohny Doyle is a book about grief andthe connection between a woman and her dog. It made methink about the relationship we have with our pets, how wecare for them in the physical sense -- feeding and wateringthem, cleaning up after them -- and how, in turn, they are suchgood, loyal companions. The woman in my painting is reclining,her arms wrapped around herself protectively, potentially sadand grieving, while the dog leans towards her, a faithful andnon-judgemental presence. A good companion.

Leaving by Jo DunsmuirInspired by The Settlement by Jock SerongMedium: Oil on linen boardSize: 28cm x 23cm x 3.5cmPrice: 390 A complex, multi layered, and bleak history of Wybalenna, Flinders Island.The Settlement, is a place that along with the characters of the whiteprotagonists, remains nameless in this tale of cruelty towards, anddispossession of, First Nations Tasmanians. The Storekeeper is the onlywhite man to show a heartfelt compassion, especially to the children, andyet is powerless to stop the cruelty of this place. He builds a dry-stonewall to distract himself from succumbing to alcohol and despair. Ultimately,he encourages a young boy, Whelk, to escape by dinghy. In my work theBlack Dog, whose presence at the Settlement acts as a kind of moraljudgement on The Commandant, watches the boy's dinghy as it recedesfrom view towards an unknown future. Perhaps this is hope.

Maternal Truths and Fictions by Sharon MonagleInspired by Whenever You’re Ready by Trish BoltonMedium: Acrylic and ink on paperSize: 56 x 76 cmPrice: 500This artwork references a scene inwhich Lizzie is showering her elderlymother, washing her hair with greattenderness and love. Her mothertakes the moment to speak of herregrets, at not being the mother shehad hoped to be. It is a poignantscene that speaks to the essence ofthis book - that we can love someonedeeply but still let them down.

Animals Do Not Have To Explain Themselvesby Mellissa Read-DevineInspired by Thunderhead by Miranda DarlingMedium: Acrylic on woodSize: 25 x 25 cmPrice: 490Miranda Darling’s book of a womantrying to make sense of her life wasrich with imagery. I had great troublechoosing just one that inspired me.Imagine “walking the streets with nodestination in mind”. Imagine “zebraswho make a break for freedom”. Andthat antelope… I think the inhabitantsin the painting need not explainthemselves more.

A Room Full of Windows and Lightby Caterina LeoneInspired by Water Music by Christine BalintMedium: Silverpoint (.99 silver and 23k gold) on wood panelSize: 20 x 15 cmPrice: 550Water Music is a short, arresting novel that exposesthe way women’s artistry and talent was compromisedby the life choices available to them. The violin is theprotagonist’s ticket to a better life, yet the novel endswith her questioning the social aspirations that werethe sole reason for her learning of the violin, in favourof a life as a nun, cloistered but devoted singularly tomusic. Lucietta’s choice is based not only in historicalveracity but is an ongoing dilemma: a life of security ora life in art? For women artists of a child-bearing agelike myself, this dilemma is especially pertinent. Thenovel ends with Lucietta’s choice unknown, and Irecreate this in my work: is the white cloth obscuringthe violin or accentuating its form and protecting it?

Linda Taylor by Chrissie DemosInspired by The Pyramid of Needs by Ernest PriceMedium: Graphite on paperSize: 29 x 39 cm (unframed)Price: 270In the opening scene of this book we are introduced toLinda Taylor, face down on the concrete path in herNoosa backyard. Vain, stubborn, selfish and utterlylacking in self-awareness, Linda's thoughtsimmediately travel to the indignity of the fall and howshe can manage the optics of the situation. In myillustration. Linda, our self-styled protagonist, isupstaged by the kookaburra on her fence, which iscompletely unaware and unfazed by her predicament,

Depth of Field by John RablingInspired by Depth of Field by Kirsty IltnersMedium: Watercolour on paperSize: 25 x 30 cm (unframed)Price: 450Parameters for creating understanding.Time and interrelationship. Memory -and the tricks memory can play.Sometimes what we think we see, whatwe saw, and what we’d like to see don’tquite reconcile - but the reality,perceived or otherwise, can always bea pleasant surprise.

Silos #1 by Paul BurmanInspired by The Price of Justice by Robert M SmithMedium: Acrylic on canvasSize: 20.3 x 25.4 cmPrice: 300In this murder mystery, set around the small Mallee townof Manangatang, a body is discovered behind one of thelocal silos. I wanted to capture the vastness of the Malleeitself and of the sky; a suggestion of the bush with distant,scrubby trees; the geometry of the shadows, and of coursethe brilliant colours and shadows.

Crow: A Symbol of Autonomy by Nina FitzsimmonsInspired by Saltblood by Francesca de ToresMedium: Stoneware clay and glazeSize: L28cm x W10cm x H12cmPrice: 200My crow is an homage to Crow, theself-determining companion of MaryRead. The crow is often consideredsymbolic of death but in the novelrepresents autonomy which is why Idecided to create the piece.

Kalashnikov by Leticia HodsonInspired by Appreciation by Liam PieperMedium: Acrylic on canvasSize: 50 x 50 cmPrice: 750I chose to position Kalashnikov at thecentre of the trajectory taken by themain character Oliver Darling throughthe book. The feline gaze will test thestrength of even the most robustcuration of the lies we tell, and thetickets we hold on ourselves. AndOliver has more than a few.

A Murmuration of Supermen by Freya MarriottInspired by What Fear Was by Ben WalterMedium: Watercolour and gouacheSize: 30 x 30 cmPrice: 250One Lois Lane, too many Supermen,few phone boxes, queues form….Flocks of Supermen fill the skies, allcompeting to be the hero. Thispainting is based on the short story“We Are All Superman”. When I readit, the images formed immediately andvividly in my head. I just had to getthem onto paper. I’ve purposely usedflat colours reminiscent of comics fromthe fifties.

‘And They Slit the Nostrils’ by Geordie AllardiceInspired by Imperial Harvest by Bruce PascoeMedium: Mixed media, wood, leather, fabric, fibre, metal, stone, copper, wire.Size: 28H x 22L x 13WPrice: 420This sculpture draws influence from both the surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s 'TheTemptation of St Anthony' and the Australian Author Bruce Pascoe’s book'Imperial Harvest'. Dali specifically with the elongated legs, adding to thegrandeur of the horse as a majestic animal. An excerpt from Pascoe’s bookImperial Harvest that directly influenced the sculpture: 'You will be travelling withthe Scythians. We have arranged the acquisition of more horses on theexpedition, and you will be required to ready them for the Khan’s men. Do youunderstand your instructions, Yen Se?’ I did but pretended ignorance. ‘I’m sorry, Ido not understand.’ ‘For the air, for the lungs. You heathens do not understand.Your horses are heathens too. The Mongol horse needs to breathe at the gallop.It is why we are undefeatable. You will slit the nostrils.’ Tokur indicated theprocess with a dramatic gesture at his own nose. ‘Or we slit you, but lower down.Is it clear?’ ‘Yes Tokur.’ I was conscious that my sculpture was only arepresentation, and that it too was helpless to alteration, however here, not forperformance, but to suit my own aesthetic.

You’ll Need to Look Closely by Alex MawsonInspired by The Whitewash by Siang LuMedium: Acrylic on canvas and paper overlayedSize: 53 x 42 cmPrice: 200Lu’s novel takes an often-humorous lookinto the life of celebrity, but at its core‘The Whitewash’ explores the ongoingstereotypical roles people of colour areforced into. This artwork reflects thevibrant tapestry that should exist on ourscreens, which is so often overlooked orhidden.

Disappearance in Fiji by Cherree DenselyInspired by A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima RaoMedium: Ceramic and electrical wireSize: 30 x 40 cmPrice: 300This piece attempts to explore theintricacies of the attempts to solve acrime between two cultures- Indian andFijian

Flowers for Buddha - from Cambodia to Footscray!by Julie StarkInspired by Unpolished Gem by Medium: Linocut, paint, markersSize: 30 x 30 cmPrice: 175I delighted in Alice Pung’s amusing andinsightful account of her family’sadjustment to life in Footscray, afterescaping Cambodia eg ….”dressed by thewondrous St. Vincent” , mastering “TheGreen Man and Red Man”( crossing ourbusy roads)!

Time to Remember by Leisa McCoshInspired by The Desert Knows Her Name by Lia HillsMedium: Ink, wax crayons, posca pens, charcoalSize: 55 x 75 cmPrice: 400The materials used with layering of wax and ink represents thelayering of history of this story. Hill's poetic writing brings beautifulimages of the Wimmera, traditional lands, moving through time. Ayoung girl who emerges from the desert "the desert girl" andtriggers the memories of another girl in the desert. The mystery ofthis girl stirs up the small town, bringing media and past memories -"violence against bodies, violence against the land." It heightensissues of land use, ownership and colonisation. Some would preferto keep the past stories of the desert a secret, and others want‘redemption’. The river is a life force and taker. Look closely at theimage - can you see the girl emerging from the desert?

'No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself’ by Kylie SirettInspired by Thunderhead by Miranda DarlingMedium: Oil on linenSize: 33.5cm x 33.5cmPrice: 690My work reflects the intersection of nature, light, and the often-overwhelmingflow of thoughts in a woman’s mind. Inspired by the Banksia trees and theJapanese concept of komorebi — the play of sunlight filtering through leaves—I explore how these elements mirror the constant mental buzz that fills dailylife.