# Chelsea Gustafsson wins Kennedy Prize with miniature portrait of her mother **Featured** — On Your Markus **Event:** Kennedy Prize **Tickets:** http://www.kennedyprize.com.au/ **Published:** 10 November 2026 **Author:** Markus Hamence **Source:** https://onyourmarkus.au/chelsea-gustafsson-kennedy-prize/ Melbourne artist Chelsea Gustafsson has won the 2026 Kennedy Prize, a national visual arts competition offering $25,000, for her miniature oil portrait Bonny (9x14 cm) depicting her late mother, who lived with dementia. The intimate work, which explores beauty found in life's simplest moments, was judged for its sensitivity, dignity and emotional power as the fitting conclusion to the prize's Beauty theme. The Kennedy Prize exhibition runs at the Royal South Australian Society of the Arts, State Library, until Sunday 29 November. --- **Kennedy Prize 2026 Winner Celebrates the Beauty in the Smallest Things** Melbourne artist Chelsea Gustafsson has been awarded the 2026 Kennedy Prize with her deeply personal miniature oil painting depicting the beauty in observing the smallest of things. ![Older woman with white hair wearing a pale blue cardigan over a yellow shirt, smiling against a dark background.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/c2285e72-5d44-40e7-9e9b-920abc5d0f82.jpg) The leading national visual arts competition attracted an exceptional standard of entries for the culmination of its ‘Beauty’ theme for the coveted $25,000 prize. Small in scale but large at heart, Gustafsson’s award-winning portrait Bonny measures just 9x14 cm and was inspired by her late mother, who lived with dementia. The intimate work captures the significance of connection and the beauty found in life’s simplest moments. “My mum passed away earlier this year. She had dementia and was incredibly frustrated with how it affected her capacity to communicate clearly. Each week we went to the river, and she was delighted to discover an interesting leaf or feather, taking home a small bouquet. It was an enriching part of our day to observe the beauty in the smallest of things”, Gustafsson said. Kennedy Prize judge Jim Thalassoudis said that the winning work stood for its sensitivity, intimacy and emotional power. “A small, beautiful gem of a painting that is sensitive and intimate, yet quite powerful. As people age, they often become invisible, and their world grows smaller. To notice, to care and, in this case to paint what could be a confronting image, but to do it with such beauty and dignity, is why this work deserves to win the Kennedy Prize”, Thalassoudis said. Kennedy Prize Coordinator Mark Kennedy said that Gustafsson’s work is a fitting finale for the prize’s Beauty theme. “Chelsea is a three-time Kennedy Prize finalist, and this work has an incredible power which captivated the judges. Bonny is the perfect statement to close our Beauty chapter, before launching a new era for the prize next year”, Kennedy said. Gustafsson was revealed as the winner of the 2026 Kennedy Prize during Friday night’s Kennedy Prize exhibition launch event. 50 finalists, including Gustafsson’s, are on display at the Kennedy Prize exhibition in the Royal South Australian Society of the Arts at the State Library until Sunday, November 29. The 2026 Nyland photography Prize is awarded on Friday 13 November at the National Wine Centre with all works on display from Saturday 14 November until Sunday 31 January 2027. **For more information and to view the list of finalists, please visit ****[www.kennedyprize.com.au](http://www.kennedyprize.com.au)** **For more information on Chelsea Gustafsson: ****[https://www.chelseagustafsson.com](https://www.chelseagustafsson.com)** *Lead Image: Pilar de la Torre "Tumbling Sand Figures"* ![Nasturtium flowers and green apples arranged in a glass vase against a soft blue-green background.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/9627052b-b36f-4ec1-aaf3-9b8a0d114182.jpg) *Crispin Akerman "Nasturtiums"* ![Woman with blonde hair and jewelled hand accessories poses against a dark teal background in a contemplative portrait.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/2debd8c6-afac-4cb6-8c3f-a62138dc59bb.jpg) *Sarah Lubcke "Awaken"* ![Billowing fabric tent glowing golden-yellow against a dramatic darkening sky at dusk.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/b5bbf0da-8b67-4c94-b291-b6f05f8a5ed2.jpg) *Jordan Andreotta* ![Abstract portrait painting with bold strokes in pink, yellow, navy and cream tones depicting stylised facial features.](https://media.onyourmarkus.au/admin/2026/11/d86c86e1-6c23-4db7-bceb-74b5adba3926.jpg) *Nick Glade-Wright*