The Royal Queensland Art Society would like to congratulate all the winners in the 2026 Audrey Gibbs Art Prize!
Thank you also to our judges Brian Merriman, Marcia Gibbs and Greg de Silva F.R.Q.A.S, and also our exhibition sponsors The Gibbs family. Please scroll down to view the winning artworks and judges’ comments.
Overall Winner
Indulgence
by Purple Chang
Our winning work demonstrates a confidence and grace of execution that is outstanding. The artist has captured a moment of captivating connection between subjects which can be hard enough to do in any medium, but is especially so in watercolour. It is not, however, overworked with the warm browns complementing each other beautifully. The love between the woman and the cat is evident and the work overall is masterful. There is something very Audrey about it. It should come as no surprise that the winner of the inaugural Audrey Gibbs Art Prize and $5000 is Indulgence by Purple Chang.
Highly Commended
Into the Woods
by David Wells
At first glance this unique work is very well painted, yet the more you look at it the more engaging it is, with clues to the story behind the work becoming apparent. From the boy’s awkward feet caught in a should I or shouldn’t moment, to the fleeting shadow of a wolf – is it there or isn’t it – the well-known story behind this work comes to life. Our first $500 Highly Commended is awarded to David Wells for his work Into the Woods.
Highly Commended
My Favourite Swing
by Mrs. Carolyn Morgan
This is a work Audrey would have found especially compelling. It is a somewhat ethereal style artwork, and while is delicate and modest in scale, it is still quietly powerful. The skillful paintwork, striking colour palette and composition create an ephemeral quality, capturing a magical moment in time. Our second Highly Commended award of $500 goes to Carolyn Morgan for My Favourite Swing.
Commended
It’s a Waiting Game
by Dylan Jones
This large painterly work has a loose but simultaneously controlled style. It shows good use of warm and cool colours, capturing the vibrancy of the city at night while still celebrating an innocuous moment of every day. Congratulations to Dylan Jones for It’s a Waiting Game.
Commended
Rooted in Wonder
by Penelope Gilbert-Ng
Our next commended work is a lovely example of the brief, telling the audience a story while being technically superb. Grouping figures in an artwork can be very difficult but in this work it has been done very successfully in a way that shows the enormous amount of skill demonstrated. The light and the way it falls on the figures have also been captured beautifully. Congratulations Rooted in Wonder – Penelope Gilbert-Ng.
Commended
Max Draws at Petrie Terrace
by Maureen Hansen
There is great confidence in the way the paint has been put down in this work. It is painterly and bold with a strong composition. The technique used demonstrates great skill and conveys meaning without needing to be overly realistic while still engaging with the audience. Congratulations Maureen Hansen for Max Draws at Petrie Terrace.
