
VISUAL ARTS JUDGE
Christine Cansfield-Smith’s
Christine Cansfield-Smith trained as a graphic designer and worked as an art director/production manager in advertising agencies and art studios before obtaining her BA(Hons) at the University of Queensland.
She received her MA from the University of Virginia, USA and publishing qualifications from Radcliffe College, Harvard. In 2006 she completed a Master of Management with the Australian National University.
Christine was the production manager for the Atlantic Monthly Press, New York and, after returning to Australia, was appointed the head of science communication at the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville.
She then built and established the CSIRO Discovery centre, a major education and exhibition facility in Canberra, where she was the Director for 14 years.
Christine received formal training in botanical art, after which she established the Canberra Institute of Botanical Art and the Beechworth Institute of Botanical Art and managed these schools, as well as the Canberra Botanical exhibition, for several years. She moved to Beechworth in 2011.
Christine has taught an introductory course in botanical art for many years. She has curated and managed in Beechworth four biennial botanical and wildlife art exhibitions for artists from around Australia. In 2017 she co-founded the Mayday Hills Art Society which provides
17 art studio spaces for artists in the northeast.

VISUAL ARTS JUDGE
Dianne Kotzur Bio
Di Kotzur is a painter, drawer, collage artist and sculptor based in the Indigo Valley in North-Eastern Victoria – who will happily confess that while she creates in a wide range of media and processes, she is a master of none! Although trained in formal, figurative practices and techniques, Di has spent the last 30 years working in schools and universities teaching, then breaking, all the rules. She is constantly in awe of the creativity and ideas explored by both her students and the creatives and makers around her.
Di’s work is largely inspired by the places and fascinating people she meets every day. She herself is a bit of a bowerbird, collecting bits and pieces from ‘people watching’ and her day-to-day interactions…. gathering stories, objects, unusual patterns and beautiful colours, layering and rearranging them to tell new narratives. She is always fossicking and picking up interesting old objects from markets, seedpods and branches from walks etc, and endeavours to incorporate these new elements into her works, contrasting textures and timelines.
Her latest exhibitions have included prints, works on paper and sculptures based on the idea of home, and a series of collages and paper-cuts documenting fantastical insects and plants. Her current work involves the creation of life-size timber figures challenging traditional notions of beauty, age and gender.

PHOTOGRAPHY JUDGE
Ben Eyles Bio
Ben is an experienced educator specialising in captivating student experiences.
Started work as a 10-year news photographer with Fairfax newspapers, then enjoyed six years as a photography teacher in Creative Industries teaching Adobe Suite and photography.
I was a e-learning trailblazer at Wodonga TAFE where I co-delivered the successful online Diploma of Photography with industry veteran Tracey Matheson.
I have skills in Photography, Videography, E-Learning, Storytelling, Mentoring and Editing software like Final Cut, Photoshop, Capture One, and the wider Adobe Suite.
Proud to say I am self-taught and grateful to all the mentors who have helped me along the way. Committed to paying all that love and support forward for the rest of my days.