Now in its tenth year, the Zonta Ashburton Women’s Art Awards focuses on the art of emerging and mid-career artists who identify as women living and working in Waitaha Canterbury. At the awards ceremony on March 06, Rokowhiria Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum Director Shirin Khosraviani noted that she was ‘heartened to see the awards reach this ten-year milestone and still have so much to offer’, with the awards exhibition remaining unique in Aotearoa ‘for its focus solely on emerging to mid-career women artists’. She also spoke of the awards growing in recognition and popularity, resulting in ‘once again presenting the Young Generation entries in a separate gallery space, ensuring each category has a distinct and meaningful presence within the exhibition.’

With a total of 84 entries this year, 23 finalists were selected from the 47 entries for the Premier Award, and 23 entries were featured in the Young Generation Award category, for those aged 16-20 years.

This year’s Premier Award was won by Miranda Parkes for her work dreamchaser. Beneath the colourful painted surface, the support of this work is a weighty industrial shipping pallet. The pallet’s three-dimensional face, covered with ridges and indentations, offers a highly textured surface. Parkes navigates the topography of this surface—sometimes following the concave valleys or convex protrusions, sometimes departing from them in organic, overlapping pools. Once an object of industrial service, dreamchaser now inhabits the space of art, drawing attention to the way we place value on objects.

Judge Anna McLean, speaking on behalf of judges Bridie Lonie and Kim Pieters, expressed that ‘it was a pleasure to accompany Kim and Bridie in judging the ZAWAA this year. The entries were diverse and exciting, and we had our work cut out for us.’ She noted that Miranda Parkes’ work dreamchaser ‘stood out from the beginning. The vibrancy and depth within this work provided a refreshing escape that is hopeful and joyous. The quality of the work and the artist’s critical approach allowed us to see this work easily sitting within the context of a solo exhibition.’

Along with a cash prize of $4,000, Miranda Parkes has also won the invaluable opportunity to create a solo exhibition at Rokowhiria in 2027.

The ZAWAA26 Young Generation Award went to Georgia Swale for her painting Wairua. The judges described the work as having a ‘strong sense of self, and a clear creative direction into the future.’ They also noted the work’s connections to both Georgia’s Pākehā and Māori whakapapa, which they described as thoughtful and timely.

The ZAWAA awards exhibition will be on display until 19 April 2026. Visitors to the Gallery are encouraged to choose their favourite artwork for the People’s Choice award.

Winner of the ZAWAA25 Premier Award Julia Holderness’s exhibition Botanical Correspondents: Crossing time with Julia Holderness and Emily Cumming Harris is also on display. Emily Cumming Harris (1837-1925) is best-known for painting the indigenous flora of Aotearoa, producing hundreds of artworks in her studio in Whakatū Nelson. One hundred years after her death, her remarkable paintings continue to invite audiences to contemplate the beauty of the natural world. In this exhibition, Holderness responds creatively to her life, work and artistic practices. Botanical Correspondents will run until 19 April 2026.

The awards exhibition is delivered through a partnership between the Zonta Club of Ashburton and Rokowhiria, and generously supported by the following local organisations:

Ashburton District Creative Communities, Forsyth Barr, ANZ Private Banking, Scorpio Books, Bushey Park Trust, Everist Gilchrist Lawyers, Samantha Rose Flowers, The Rabbit Ashburton, Kate Murney, Barkers Foodstore, Liquorland Racecourse Rd, and Tricroft Properties.

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