Elisabeth Lawrence

Local Contemporary Art Prize 2026 – Finalist

Image courtesy of the artist.

Elisabeth Lawrence | You don't have to win every race | 2025 | oil on canvas | 98 x 143cm

This painting expresses a resistance to the relentless speed and competition of modern life.

The hares, known for their speed and haste are paused and relaxed while enjoying domestic pleasures and free time. They are breaking the need to move faster, achieve more or even to arrive first. The boats drift without urgency well above the ocean of masses of fish which echo the pressure of keeping up with the crowd.

This work invites viewers to notice their own pace, find balance and to cherish the quiet joys that can be easily lost in the rush of everyday life. Life does not need to be a race.