We are thrilled to share a very special honour for our Gallery Director, Terri Lew, who was invited to judge the 2026 SWELL Sculpture Festival Prize.

Huge congratulations to the award winners:

Neumann Family SWELL Sculpture Award ($15,000):
Clayton Blake — Ascend

Neumann Family Highly Commended Award ($5,000):
Thomas Pall — The Weight of Consciousness

Reflecting on her decision, Terri shared:

“It didn’t take me long to decide. I fell in love with both works immediately!

My first impression was the exceptional skill demonstrated by both artists — the strength of their geometric structures, the clean lines and their extraordinary attention to detail.

Then I read the artists’ statements, and the works resonated with me on an even deeper level. Their messages reflect so much of how I feel about the state of the world we are living in today and, in many ways, how much we seem to have lost our way.

I encourage you to read both artists’ statements, as they add another powerful dimension to the works and will help explain why they connected with me so strongly.

And finally, when I checked Clayton Blake’s entry number and realised it was No. 19, I smiled. For those who know me, 19 has always been my lucky number.

At that moment, I knew — it was simply meant to be!”
👇

The Swell Sculpture Festival runs 11–20 September along Currumbin Beach, QLD. A must-see if you’re on the Gold Coast!

Watch the behind-the-scenes video here