Two Toowoomba students were honoured at last night’s Independent Education Union Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) Awards for Excellence in Art Design.
The Awards, held at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Brisbane, attracted hundreds of entries from students and teachers across the Queensland and Northern Territory non-government education sector, with entrants submitting artwork responding to the theme of ‘Reflections’.
Attendees were also treated to an engaging lecture by guest speaker James Hillier (Nordacious), a Brisbane-based visual artist and illustrator whose work moves between popular culture, politics, portraiture and queer storytelling.
Hillier reflected on the highlights and challenges of his career as an artist.
Student Ginger Jones from Downlands College, Toowoomba was awarded the top honour of the Harriet Hunter Memorial Award, established in memory of a gifted student whose life was tragically taken in the 1999 South-East Queensland floods.
The Harriet Hunter Memorial Award winner is selected from all winning entries across Pre-school to Year 12 and was reviewed by Harriet’s parents, Adrian and Sue Hunter.
Ginger also received an Award of Excellence in the Years 3-4 category for her piece.
Reviewers Adrian and Sue Hunter said Ginger’s standout work was chosen for its playful interpretation of the theme of reflection.
“It considers personal reflection, the value of our relationship with nature and ocean mythology,” Adrian said.
“The medium has been handled with sensitivity and the composition, placement of colour and form is overall visually appealing and vibrant – a positive outlook on life and transformation,” he said.
Ava Manteufel, a student at Concordia Lutheran College in Harristown, received an Award of Excellence in the Years 7-8 category for her work.
Years 7-8 category reviewer Jennifer Chaplin said she was impressed by the thought process behind Ava’s piece.
“This piece shows the difficulties young teenagers face in the world of social media, with the many pressures on what they should look like, say and do,” Ms Chaplin said.
“The message is very positive and invites the viewer to ‘Just Be’ – just be you, just be me, the way you are. You are good enough!”
The annual Art Awards were established in 1994 to promote and encourage artistic students and celebrate their flair for creativity.
At last night’s presentation evening, held at the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Brisbane, award-winning artworks were displayed in an exhibition, and recipients were presented with certificates and cash prizes.
IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said the reviewers were wowed by the quality of the hundreds of submissions received across all age groups in response to the 2026 theme, Reflections.
“The reviewers commented on the high standard of entries and the varied and creative interpretations that entrants brought to this year’s theme,” Mr Burke said.
“Art is a very important area of learning in schools, and IEU-QNT is proud to support the artistic talent of students and staff in the Queensland and Northern Territory non-government sector.”
