Mr MATT KEAN (Hornsby) [7.35 p.m.]: Tonight I recognise an inspirational local artist in my electorate who recently won the Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing. Susan J. White from Hornsby Heights won the prestigious national art competition for her large ink on paper drawing entitled Hawkesbury. Ms White's drawing was one of 470 entries in the competition and was adjudged the winner by nationally acclaimed Archibald Prize artist Jenny Sages.
I am particularly proud of Ms White's accomplishment as she was diagnosed with cancer two years ago and bravely fought through tough, dark times. Ms White's unwavering courage during that difficult time was truly remarkable and she continues to be a valued leader in the local Hornsby community. Her winning entry has been valued at $20,000, and has been described as depicting a "special place which confronts a mysterious reality below the surface."
I am proud of Ms White's latest piece because it depicts the Hawkesbury River, which is considered one of the local waterway jewels in my Hornsby electorate. Hornsby is known as the "Bushland Shire", and Ms White captured this concept brilliantly with her mix of dark colours to depict the natural bushland and lighter tones to highlight the Hawkesbury River's breathtaking beauty. Ms White said the inspiration for her masterpiece came from a desire to replicate the energies and forces in nature. While designing her artwork, Ms White drew on personal experiences as a child, when her father would hitch rides on boats and barges up the Hawkesbury River. Ms White mixed these childhood stories with her education about the local Aboriginal people, who used the river for fishing, to shape her final design. The multitalented artist is an advocate for further breast cancer funding and is hugely respected in the Sydney art community. Ms White is also a finalist in the NSW Parliament Plein Air Painting Prize and has a solo exhibition at the Drawing Room Gallery.
I also congratulate Ms White on her community service work in volunteering as a guest judge for Hornsby's Studio ARTES Windows of Opportunity disability program. Studio ARTES is a not-for-profit community organisation that is very close to my heart. It gives local people living with a disability the opportunity to develop their skills not just in art but also in life. That is a wonderful thing. Ms White's Hawkesbury artwork will be on display at the Adelaide Perry Gallery in Croydon until Friday 5 April. She is a remarkably talented individual who is making a contribution to the arts not just in the Hornsby community but also across the State of New South Wales. Moreover, she is making a contribution not just in the artistic world but in the broader community. Her support of important initiatives such as Studio ARTES, which provides much-needed opportunities for people living with a disability, is greatly admired and appreciated.
On behalf of the New South Wales Parliament and Government, I express my sincere gratitude to Ms White for her community service and for the inspiration she provides to so many in our area. Without people like Ms White we would be so much the poorer. We would not have her wonderful artistic expression to appreciate but we also would not have someone who is committed to helping some of the most vulnerable people in our community—those living with a disability. I note that National Down Syndrome Day was last week. Studio ARTES in my community, which Ms White supports, is a great advocate of Down Syndrome NSW and caters for people living with Down Syndrome. It is greatly encouraging for people living with a disability and people with a range of ability and disability options to have the support of Ms White.
The opportunities they get at Studio ARTES would not be available if it were not for people like Ms White, who give up their time to make a contribution and afford others an opportunity to experience things that the rest of us take for granted. I hope many members in this place will get to see Ms White's artwork and appreciate her excellent talent. My community of Hornsby has a fine tradition of producing talented artists, the most notable of whom is Margaret Preston, who, I am sure, is well known to many in the Chamber tonight. Ms White follows in the footsteps of some trailblazers in the arts community and she is making a name for herself by using her talents. She is making our community very proud of what she has achieved.
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