LOCAL Barkandji artist Krystle Evans has been awarded the Joyce Spencer Award for 2025, receiving financial support to assist her presenting a solo exhibition called Goddess at the Broken Hill City Art Gallery.
Evans said she drew on Spencer’s words about creative mess as inspiration in the work.
“As I spend countless hours darning so many holes into forgotten fabrics, I become both lost and found in an inner creative world,” she said.
“I am inspired by Joyce’s words about creative mess and idleness as I too make many a creative mess. I am deeply honoured to be a recipient of the Joyce Spencer textile awards.”
The awards, which are supported by The Cad Factory, Western Riverina Arts and the Spencer family, celebrate textile artists and the legacy of artist and writer Joyce Spencer, an artist from the Narrandera Arts community.
The awards, created in her honour in 2020, support regional textile artists to deliver new work.
Four artists were awarded, with The Cad Factory’s Sarah McEwan saying this year’s entries were very difficult to choose from.
“Because it was so difficult to choose, the panel awarded two fellowship recipients, Lindee Russell from Narrandera and Peggy Zephyr from Coffs Harbour. Each will receive a $3000 fellowship”, said Ms McEwan.
Amy Hammond from Tamworth also received the Highly Commended Award, and Evans was awarded $600 for the Joyce Spencer Prize, which she said she’ll put towards an exhibition in Broken Hill.
“This award will bring forth a new body of work, the Goddess series to be exhibited at the Broken Hill City Art Gallery in 2026. The Goddess series is poised to be a deeply considered ode to female omnipotence and mythology,” she said.
“Through my work I honour the art of sewing and matriarchy and pay thanks to so many amazing women.”
