We are thrilled to announce that Kay Gibson has been selected as a finalist in the 2025 WAMA Art Prize, one of Australia’s leading national awards celebrating art inspired by the natural world.

The WAMA Art Prize recognises artists whose work reflects a deep connection to nature — making Kay’s inclusion especially meaningful. Her finalist artwork pays homage to the three-acre wildlife corridor that bordered her home for 45 years, a place regularly visited by western grey kangaroos who feature throughout her practice. The work combines soft-ground etching on rice paper with delicately layered acrylics, finished with wax varnish — a poetic blend of memory, environment and materiality.

With a major acquisitive prize of $15,000 and several excellence awards, the WAMA Prize attracts significant national attention and will culminate in a finalists’ exhibition later this year. This recognition places Kay’s work among Australia’s leading environmental artists and continues her long history of award-winning practice, exhibitions and contributions to the South West arts community.

ARTIST STATEMENT

This work is a homage to my previous home of 45 years and the three-acre wildlife corridor that bounded it. Sadly, the property has been ear-marked for residential infill to accommodate our ever-increasing population. Western Grey kangaroos were regular visitors that came to graze, spar and lounge about before retiring back to the bush in the evening. They have been the subject of many of my artworks. The background in this work is created by soft ground etchings on rice paper using native vegetation from the site. The ‘roos’ are rendered in thin layers of acrylic paint and sealed with layers of wax varnish.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate this achievement with Kay.

To view Kay Gibson's artworks visit her website page below.