Craft / Strathnairn Arts Small Sculpture Prize 2025. At Strathnairn Arts Woolshed Gallery until October 2. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.

More than 300 entries were received for the inaugural Strathnairn Arts Small Sculpture Prize.

Entries were received from a diverse range of artists working in a wide number of media. A total prize pool of $14,000 was awarded and the judges shortlisted 38 works for the exhibition.

The winner’s prize was awarded to Louis Pratt for The Body Politic, two bright pink figures in polylactide, plaster, resin and paint that are a little distorted and could be having an argument.

Several local artists are exhibiting and there are artists from around the country. There was a size limit of 50cm in any direction, and while the committee has included works that were oversized and were selected, they were not eligible for the award.

Tom Buckland, who often works in discarded cardboard, is showing two Gang Gang parrots in Gang Gang (gregarious in nature). This is a fun and colourful work that is in Bucklands oeuvre.

Many of the artists have used recycled material such as Jacqueline Bradley who used cast recycled glass for Stone Crown, and Mahala Hill, whose Waste Columns used bone china burnouts and waste glaze. The black columns on which sit white insects are quite threatening. Glenda Kent has used recycled blue glass from Bombay gin bottles and a discarded teddy bear. Sapphire Ginny is a very spiky toy in bright blue.

A Highly Commended award went to Dan Maginnity, who may be better known as Byrd – the painted of murals around Canberra. This hanging wall piece, titled How I learned to stop worrying and love the Arts (my brilliant career) is another fun work that plays on the combination of materials and references the paucity of artists incomes.

Philip Spelman is represented by several works of public art around Canberra. He has again teamed up with Pat Harry, who used to teach at the ANU School of Art and Design. Their work, Icon, is a combination of timber, paint and acrylic and is a colourful work which must be viewed from both sides.

Another work which was highly commended – I understand it was difficult to decide between the two – is also in cardboard and acrylic. Tracy Luff is showing Mat Matter. It is folded, rather like a piece of fabric, and has a huge amount of work in it.

This is an exciting exhibition – many works which are serious, and also many that are just plain fun. The size restriction may have been limiting for some artists, but others have responded to take advantage of the opportunity. It is to be hoped this is the first of many sculpture exhibitions at Strathnairn.