From Parkes Shire Council:
Parkes-based artist Christine Somers has claimed the top prize at the 2026 Waste 2 Art exhibition, continuing her long-standing involvement in the program that celebrates creativity and sustainability.
A familiar participant in Waste 2 Art for numerous years, Christine was awarded both the Open Two-Dimensional Category and the prestigious Overall Winner for her thought-provoking work Marie’s Revolution – Take Part in the Revolution: Adopt Eco-Responsible Habits.
The winning piece is a meticulously hand-sewn artwork created entirely from fabric waste. Through her work, Christine demonstrates how even the smallest discarded materials can be transformed into powerful visual storytelling.
“I have tried to show that even small pieces of fabric waste can be combined to express an idea,” Christine said.
“I saw a picture of a head on the wrapping of Pepe Saya butter which made me think of the French Revolution. Rethinking waste is like a social revolution. To succeed in decreasing the amount of waste we each produce involves social and government rethinking of aspects of our everyday lives.”
The 2026 local exhibition attracted 65 entries, showcasing a diverse range of artworks made from discarded materials. This year, rather than following a set theme, artists were challenged to ‘Shrink their Waste Footprint’.
In keeping with this focus on reduction, all artworks were required to pack down into a shoe or boot box, encouraging participants to think creatively within constraints while exploring the potential of waste materials.
Christine’s work stood out for both its artistic merit and its strong environmental message, highlighting the role individuals and communities play in reducing waste.
All category winners, including Christine, will now progress to the Regional Showcase, to be held at the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum (GeoCentre) in Broken Hill. The exhibition will officially open on Saturday, 15 August 2026.
Waste 2 Art continues to inspire communities to rethink waste and embrace sustainable practices through art, creativity, and innovation. Our local Waste 2 Art exhibition is open till 20th June in the Coventry Room gallery at the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre.
Here is the full list of the 2026 winners and highly commended awards:
| Category | Artist Name/s | Title of Work |
| Primary 2D | Yr 4/5/6 St Joseph’s Peak Hill | From scraps to masterpieces |
| Primary 3D | Harvey Gray | Scorpion |
| Primary Functional | Nate Sharwood | Check Mate Waste |
| High School (combined categories) | Emily Wild | Un-scrunchable |
| Community 2D | Alison Westcott | Found on my Farmers Work Bench |
| Community 3D | Max Davison | Usain Bolt |
| Community Functional | Debbie Gould | Beauty of Books |
| Open 2D | Christine Somers | Marie’s Revolution-Take part in the Revolution |
| Open 3D | Helen Standen | Consumer Monsters |
| Open Functional | Peter Hannelly | Ply another day |
| Scrap Metal | Max Davison | Usain Bolt |
| Overall 2026 Waste 2 Artwinner | Christine Somers | Marie’s Revolution-take part in the Revolution |
| The Parkes Shire Council Department of Planning & Community Services Award | Middleton Public School | Middleton Square (and the entire community built around it) |
| Packers Prize | Liz MacRaild | What shrink my footprint?! All 8 of them?? But I am as light as a feather |
Highly Commended Awards
| Category | Name | Title of Work |
| Pre-school | Bangala-la | Bangala-la’s scrap-happy scarecrow |
| Primary 2D | Kinder Jacarandas & K/1 Buttercups Middleton Public School | Our CD Flower Patch |
| Primary 3D | Olivia Sharwood | Niwe sawol – New Soul |
| Primary Functional | HPGE Arts Group, Parkes East Primary School | The Singing Fence |
| Community 2D | Tracy Dawson | Bubbles |
| Community 3D | Anne Wynstra | The sound of flowers |
| Community Functional | Lisa Dwyer | Wacky gift bags |
| Open 2D | Helen Standen | Reimagined |
| Open 2D | Deb Jones | Colour and Song |
| Open 3D | Ronda Sharpe | Highly Commended |
| Open Functional | Jeff Tanner | Arthritis Cures |
| Open Functional | Helen Standen | Circulated Cushion |
Caption:
The overall winning entry by Christine Somers is entitled: Marie’s Revolution – Take Part in the Revolution: Adopt Eco-Responsible Habits. The piece is a meticulously hand-sewn artwork created entirely from fabric waste.