Cheryl Kensett

Local Contemporary Art Prize 2026 – Finalist

Image courtesy of the artist. Photo by Christine Hall.

Cheryl Kensett | Courage and grace | 2025 | charcoal and gouache on Arches paper | 148 x 83cm (framed)

All the models who have faced me from the plinth, bring something different to my experience of the human body. Above all they give of themselves, sometimes their own stories are revealed, not through words but considered and sometimes constrained poses. Respect is just a one-word description, but I am also in awe of their power and the sense of self they bring to the sessions.  

The three pictures were sketched at different times using Arches paper and charcoal. In catching a reasonable likeness at Sunshine Coast Art Group, I took them home to my studio, densifying the image with white gouache. Gouache is a flexible material and allowed me to capture an image which essentially is a pose while finding the essence of each model.

At first, I thought the 3 figures were distinctively separate but bringing them together created a singular story of committed Grace.

NB The 3 models have given their written permission to display this work publicly.