Shire artists shine at regional showcase

Two Parkes Shire artists have taken out major awards at the 2026 Waste 2 Art Regional Showcase in Broken Hill. Pete Hannelly of Parkes was named the Functional Winner in the open category for his work called Ply Another Day, while Alison Westcott of Alectown received the Herb Clarke Memorial Award for her work called Found on My Farmer’s Workbench. The two award-winning works kept Parkes Shire’s name among the winners from 12 other councils across the NetWaste region. Found on My Farmer’s Workbench, an outdoor mosaic by Alison Westcott of Alectown. PHOTO: Jenny Kingham This year’s regional showcase celebrated the creativity of artists, students, schools and community members who transformed discarded and recycled materials into imaginative and thought-provoking works of art. Inspired by the 2026 theme ‘Shrink Your Footprint’, the entries demonstrated the incredible potential of materials that might otherwise be considered waste, while encouraging people to think differently about reuse, recycling and sustainability. The regional showcase was officially opened in Broken Hill on 15 August at the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum (GeoCentre), following the local Waste 2 Art exhibition held at the Coventry Room at the Parkes Library and Cultural Centre in June. Pete's winning entry is a bowl made from discarded plywood that he transformed into functional art, revealing the unexpected beauty within a material often overlooked and thrown away. “By turning the plywood on a lathe, the layered construction becomes the feature rather than something to hide - each line telling a story of manufacture, use and renewal,” Pete said. “The form is deliberately simple and refined, allowing the exposed laminations to create natural patterns that echo topographic lines or growth rings, blurring the line between engineered and organic materials.” Pete’s work demonstrates how a material once destined to become waste can be given a second life and elevated through craftsmanship and creative intention. Ply Another Day by Pete Hannelly of Parkes. Alison’s award-winning work is an outdoor mosaic wall hanging created from an eclectic collection of materials found on a farmer’s workbench. The base of the artwork is a used coulter from a plough, cut into three pieces, while the mosaic incorporates a range of salvaged and broken items. “The objects used to create the mosaic were from items found on my husband’s workbench: chain, a couple of coffee mugs and a broken blue wine glass waiting to be fixed, Coca-Cola can tabs, plastic mesh, a broken mirror, nuts, bolts and washers,” Alison said. Parkes Shire councillor Bill Jayet congratulated Pete and Alison on their achievements. “It is fantastic to see Parkes Shire artists recognised at a regional level for their creativity, craftsmanship and ability to see potential in materials that others might consider waste,” he said. “Pete and Alison have both embraced the spirit of ‘Shrink Your Footprint’ in very different and imaginative ways. "Their success demonstrates that sustainability is not just about what we put in the recycling bin - it is also about rethinking what we use, what we discard and what we can give a second life. “Congratulations to Pete and Alison, and to everyone who took part in Waste 2 Art. Their achievements are a wonderful reflection of the creativity and community spirit we have here in the Parkes Shire.” The Parkes Waste 2 Art exhibition attracted 65 entries, showcasing a diverse range of artworks made from discarded materials. This year, rather than following a set theme, artists were challenged to ‘Shrink Their Waste Footprint’.