Olivia O'Connor wins $5,000 sculpture prize

No stranger to the pages of Australian Wood Review, woodcarver Olivia O’Connor has won another first prize to add to her list of awards. The 2026 Neerim ArtsFest Small Sculpture Prize includes a $5,000 prize and recognises excellence in small-scale sculptural practice.

The winning piece, Little Frog. Big Climb, depicts a small hand-carved frog mid-ascent, captured in a moment of quiet determination. Carved in a single piece of Huon pine, by hand using traditional reductive techniques, the sculpture allows the natural grain and character of the timber to remain visible. The piece was shortlisted in Australian Wood Review’s Maker of the Year Awards in 2025.

Olivia O’Connor’s practice centres on a deep engagement with nature, particularly local wildlife. Working slowly and intuitively with wood, she seeks to create pieces that invite viewers to pause and to reconnect with the living world around them.

Little Frog. Big Climb, Huon pine

‘The frog might be small,’ she says, ‘but there’s something powerful about its persistence. Little Frog. Big Climb is about climate catastrophe, resilience and those everyday acts of effort that often go unseen.’

The Neerim ArtsFest is a much-loved biennial celebration of regional creativity, drawing artists from across Victoria and beyond. Winning the Small Sculpture Prize marks a significant milestone in O’Connor’s career and continues her growing reputation for finely crafted, nature-inspired works.

O’Connor lives and works in South Gippsland, where the surrounding landscape remains her greatest source of inspiration. See more of her work via her Instagram or Facebook pages: @oliviaoconnorcarving

Neerim Artsfest is running from now until 15 March, with a calendar of activities and exhibitions of the Small Sculpture Prize and Outdoor Sculpture Prize, visit www.neerimbower.com.au for more information.