Ethan Maxwell from Parkes is the winner of the 14-18 age group for drawing and painting with this entry. (See all the winning entries on The Parkes Phoenix Facebook page.)
The Art of Resilience competition has been a huge success with over 130 entries from across the Parkes Shire.
Feedback from schools and parents have shown just how beneficial the competition was for the Parkes Shire youth in providing a platform for important discussions concerning drought, bush fires and COVID-19. It also highlighted the importance of resilience during these events and what it means to the youth in their personal experiences.
The quality of art work entered in all the categories was extremely high, and it was obvious that all participants put their heart and soul into their entries. Judging the competition was extremely difficult with much deliberation required in order to select the winners.
One of the messages which stood out in all the art work was how important nature is to our youth. It showed a strong connection and a deep understanding of the importance of a healthy environment and how fundamental it is to healthy and happy human beings. The importance of human connections, social interaction and friendships during COVID-19 also stood out.
By Roger Kitson