TMP25 Shortlist Finalists - Introduction

In its 23rd year the Tom Malone Prize; known as the Tom Malone Glass Art Prize since 2022, is supported and managed by a small committee of voluntary, art and glass-art enthusiasts: Sheryl Grimwood, Elizabeth Malone, Marc Leib, Linton Partington, Miranda Brown, Andrew Thornton Hick, and the team at Linton and Kay Galleries. 

The Tom Malone Prize was initiated in 2003 by Governor of the Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation, Elizabeth Malone.  The Prize continues in perpetuity since 2018 through the support of Foundation Benefactor, Sheryl Grimwood, and, as a national award has gained much recognition and international acclaim for Australian glass artists.

An acquisitive prize, each year’s winning entrant is awarded $20,000, with their work becoming a part of the WA State Art Collection where it will join works by previous winners: Clare Belfrage, Gabriella Bisetto, Charles Butcher, Cobi Cockburn, Brian Corr, Mel Douglas, Mark Eliott, Deirdre Feeney, Kevin Gordon, Marc Leib, Jessica Loughlin, Tom Moore, Nick Mount, Benjamin Sewell, Ayano Yoshizumi, and Liam Fleming.

With the support of Linton and Kay Galleries, the shortlisted works are exhibited and available for sale; an advantage offered to shortlisted Artists since 2022.

The 2026 exhibition features the works of:  Ruth Allen (VIC), Clare Belfrage (SA), Giles Bettison (SA), Annette Blair (ACT),  Peter Bowles (TAS), Lisa Cahill (ACT), Scott Chaseling (NSW), Anne Clifton (TAS), Erin Conroy (QLD), Billy Crellin (VC), Dr Mel Douglas (ACT), Amanda Dziedzic (VIC), Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliot (NSW), Cheryl Edwards (VIC), Hannah Gregory (WA), Marcel Hoogstad Hay (SA), Kristin  McFarlane (VIC ), Nick Mount (SA), Nada Murphy (WA), Catherine Newton (ACT), Brenda Page (VIC), Drew Spangenberg (SA), and Jarred Wright (QLD).

These twenty-three shortlisted works demonstrate how our nation’s glass artists continue to invent and reinvent, to challenge themselves technically and artistically, and to find new frameworks to distil human experience in accessible and enlivening ways through this truly unique medium. 

The Committee wishes to thank Linton and Kay Galleries, and AGWA, for their invaluable and material support of the Prize, and to congratulate Australia’s Glass Art Community on their outstanding endeavours in challenging artistic boundaries and developing their globally recognised technical skills.

2025 Shortlisted Works

  • Ruth Allen - Fossil – Eucalyptus camaldulensis

    Mould-blown, cut and polished glass, lost wax bronze casting. 630 x 660 x 160mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Fred Kron.

  • Clare Belfrage - Superabundance #14

    Blown Glass with cane drawing, sandblasted and pumiced. 430 x 350 x 150mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Pippy Mount.

  • Giles Bettison - Bloom 2025 #1

    Cold assembled and hot worked murrini canes. Rolled up and blown. Cold
    ground, carved and finished. 340 x 140mm diameter  Courtesy of the artist. Pjotography: Giles Bettison.

  • Annette Blair - Traces of stillness #24

    Blown and cold worked glass, glass enamels and rust 390 x 250 x 205mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Adam McGrath.
    Acknowledging: Completed with the support of the Museum of glass team, Tacoma USA.

  • Peter Bowles - Quiescent Object: Kepler-186f

    Neodymium and cobalt tinted striking phosphate opal glass, overlaid opaque coloured glasses. Blown, cut, ground and hand lapped pumice finish. 225 x 225 x 155mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Peter Bowles. Acknowledging: Anne Cliffton.

  • Lisa Cahill - Rift

    Kiln formed glass. 290 x 450 x 170mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Greg Piper.

  • Scott Chaseling - Urban Nocturne

    Mosaic glass, kiln fused, blown, and polished. 580 x 500 x 420mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Scott Chasling.

  • Anne Clifton - Vetrograph: Williams

    Built on a clear starter bubble, (Blown glass) multiple internal and external colours are built up using layered powdered glass, colour shards, and hand-drawn stringers applied under direct torch heat prior to inflation. 410 x 210 x 210mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Peter Bowles.

  • Erin Conron - Prism Study: Innerverse #1

    Hand cut and finished mirror glass with painted and hand incised surface. 750 x 630 x 16mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Dave Gleeson.

  • Billy Crellin - Speculative Future - how 3 pieces intergrate as an installation

    Furnace melted colour glass, blown and knapped. Cut with diamond saw, and reassembled. 3 pieces: 210 x 140 x 80,  140 x 130 x 130, 110 x 180 x 180. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Kevin Gordon.

  • Dr Mel Douglas - Space as Perception

    Blown, coldworked and engraved glass. 480 x 480 x 400mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: David Paterson.

  • Amanda Dziedzic - Segments in Time

    Blown, hot sculpted and lampworked glass with found objects including wood, bakerlight and netting. 80 x 40 x 50mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Mark Lobo.

  • Benjamin Edols and Kathy Elliot - Cascade

    Blown glass, overlay, cane work, lathe carved with diamond and stone wheels and polished with pumice. 710 x 210 x 120mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Isobel Markus-Dunworth. Acknowledging: Annette Blair and Rob Schwartz.

  • Cheryl Edwards - Woven Series #21

    Large glass Murrine vessels constructed using tiles of coloured glass cane. The cane is cut and arranged into patterns then kiln formed using heat and gravity. It is then ground and sandblasted. 39 x 39 x 14mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: David McArthur.

  • Hannah Gregory - Bush Wee

    Stained Glass. Sandblasting, hand filing, engraving, kiln fired grisaille painting and silver stain. 1260 x 670 x 40mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Hannah Gregory.

  • Marcel Hoogstad Hay - Contour

    Blown and mirrored glass. 200 x 370 x 370 mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Grant Hancock.

  • Kristen McFarlane - Fragile Strength: Hydrangea Study

    Kiln formed glass, hydrangea petal specimens, hydrangea skeleton specimens, silver leaf, cobalt and stainless steel. 595 x 7mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: James Hughes.

  • Nick Mount - Mounts #4

    Suspended blown glass, cane, surface worked, assembled, powder coated steel, brass and wood components. 880 x 740 x 150mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Pippy Mount.

  • Nada Murphy - Interwoven

    The graphic was developed with successive firings using translucent colours (lean layers) to mix colours and to progressively build the image. Triptych 1500 x 600 x 30mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Matt Jelonek.

  • Catherine Newton - Maternal Connection

    Gaffer lead crystal, lost wax casting. 200 x 170 x 110mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Damien Newton.

  • Brenda Page - Trace

    Blown, Screen printed, cast and fused. 330 x 330 x 60mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Tord Johnston. Acknowledging: Annette Blair.

  • Drew Spangenberg - Vessel Study (Containers #11-13, 16-18)

    Blown glass, with coldworked solid colour components - hot joined, sandblasted and sealed. 1750 x 250 x 360mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Pippy Mount.

  • Jarrad Wright - Pendulums and Plumb Bobs

    Wall hung hand-blown borosilicate glass. 900 x 350 x 100mm. Courtesy of the artist. Photography: Jarrad Wright.

2025 Finalists