Jimboomba-based artist Stacey Bennett was crowned the people’s favourite at a Victorian chalk festival last week.
Ms Bennett’s piece Jewel of the Forest was constructed on the main street of Yarram, a small town in Victoria’s southeast.
She went up against 14 other artists from across the globe, including Canada, Japan and Colombia, and emerged with the People’s Choice Award.
“I was definitely nervous, but also incredibly excited to be surrounded by such a diverse group of talented artists,” Ms Bennett said.
“Their finished pieces were absolutely breathtaking, and winning the People’s Choice Award came as a wonderful surprise, especially considering it was my first attempt.
“This is a huge confidence boost and motivates me to keep pushing my creative boundaries.”
Ms Bennett is an experienced pastel and chalk artist, specialising in bold portraits and wildlife artworks.
“The beauty with chalk is that it is temporary so there are not the usual limitations with a permanent piece of public art,” she said.
“It encourages the community to come out and see it before the elements takes it away.”
Ms Bennett said she hoped similar event were held closer to home, “especially around Logan in the future”.
The theme of this year’s festival was “forest”.
Ms Bennett said her attendance was funded through the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Logan City Council to support local arts and culture.
