Entertainment
8 November, 2025
Local artist up for QLD award
A LOCAL artist is one of just four finalists up for an Emerging Artist Award at the Queensland Regional Art Awards.
Jaelene Durrand is a visual arts educator and practicing artist currently teaching at St Stephen’s Catholic College, Mareeba.
Her artwork What Remains is an intricately drawn sea shell “worn by time”. Ms Durrand said the shell reflects how memories, like the ocean, move through us – sometimes gently, sometimes forcefully – leaving imprints that shape who we are as time continues forward.
“I’m honoured to be named one of only four finalists in my category for the Art Awards,” she said.
“This year’s awards received over 400 entries from artists across Queensland, so being selected is a real privilege.
“I’m incredibly proud to represent Far North Queensland and our thriving regional arts community. There’s so much creative talent here, and it means a lot to see our stories and landscapes recognised on a state stage.”
Ms Durrand said her art practice and teaching both focus on connection to place, environmental storytelling, and community collaboration.
Alongside her classroom work, she regularly presents at state art teacher conferences, including the Queensland Art Teachers Association Conference, sharing approaches to regional and community-based art education.
She’s also received an Australia Day Award for her contributions to arts education and community engagement in the Tablelands.
The Art Awards celebrate creative excellence across regional and remote Queensland, with finalists’ works touring major galleries throughout 2026. The winners will be officially announced at a gala night in Brisbane on 3 December.
