The work of The Hero's Journey Art Prize 2020 winner was described by judge Jaklyn Babington as "a personal story detailing her family's grit and resilience in the face of extreme hardship this year".
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Stella Evans agrees with this statement but the University of Wollongong visual arts and graphic design student is adamant her work is also about never giving up hope.
"The Road of Hope is the title of it and it just emphasises the importance of having hope, not only in farming but in all aspects of life," Evans said.
"If you can hold on to small goodness of hope in the hardest of days, you are doing a good job."
The 21-year-old grew up in the family's sheep farm in the rural NSW town of Boorowa and has always known that life on the land is tough.
She was though still shocked by the mental, physical, emotional and financial effects of the current drought on not only her family but their entire community.
She used her artwork to convey this.
The Road of Hope' depicts Evans' father hand-feeding the sheep on their property amidst the dustbowl of a long drought, reflected in her choice of a sombre colour palette consisting mainly of shades of brown, yellow and cream, with her father's blue shirt providing the spark of colour and hope.
Evans created the poster in Adobe Illustrator using a photograph she had taken of her father, with other elements such as the freight truck, the dried up dam and the windmill then illustrated separately and integrated thoughtfully into the scene.
"I chose to recreate the storyline by depicting farmers as the everyday silent heroes of our country, working day in, day out, and around the clock to put food on our tables and clothes on our back," Evans said.
"During this time I left like I was living between two very different worlds. Of the country to the city.
"I believe there needs to be more education and awareness about country Australia and farming in metropolitan areas. Without farmers, we would not survive."
Evans was awarded $3000 for winning the competition run by aMBUSH Gallery, in partnership with Kambri at ANU.
All three judges on the panel praised her "narrative that illustrates a heart-breaking experience with a hopeful message".
The posters of the 50 finalists are currently on display in a free, online exhibition on the aMBUSH Gallery website.
In November, a physical exhibition - featuring all entrants and the 50 finalists - will be held at aMBUSH Gallery (Kambri at ANU) where artworks will be printed, exhibited and sold on the artists' behalf, with no commission taken on sales.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
