Stephen Glover Wins 2026 Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award 

Art has a unique way of cutting through the noise of our daily lives to reach something deeper and more profound. It connects us to our shared humanity, offering spaces of quiet reflection and powerful emotional resonance.

We are incredibly thrilled to announce that Stephen Glover has been named the winner of the 2026 Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award for his breathtaking work, Dear Shadow.

This prestigious accolade recognises an artist who pushes the boundaries of their medium, and Stephen's work does exactly that. In this post, we will explore the significance of the Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award, dive into the emotional depths of Dear Shadow, and hear directly from Stephen about his highly unique creative process.

The Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award

Innovation sits right at the heart of all artistic growth. Without it, creative practices stagnate, and the visual languages we use to understand our surroundings lose their edge. Recognising this vital need for forward-thinking artistry, Burrinja partners each year with Swinburne University of Technology (Wantirna Campus) to present the Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award.

This distinguished award selects one standout artist from the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios group exhibition. The selection process is rigorous, and the judges look for artwork that clearly demonstrates three core pillars of creative excellence.

Innovation
The judges seek fresh approaches to traditional methods. Artists must show how they take established techniques and twist, turn, or entirely reinvent them to create something previously unseen.

Boundary-Breaking Concepts
A winning piece must challenge the status quo. Whether through its chosen medium or its underlying concept, the artwork should provoke thought and push past conventional artistic boundaries.

Technical Excellence
Concepts alone are not enough. The artist must display a high standard of execution and vision, proving their mastery over their chosen materials to bring their innovative ideas to life.

Celebrating Innovation at the Continuum Opening

On March 12, the vibrant local arts community gathered for the highly anticipated Continuum Exhibition Opening. The evening overflowed with creative energy, bringing together artists, their loved ones, and passionate community supporters.

A major highlight of the night was the presentation of the Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award. We extend a massive thank you to Amy Jo, Coordinator of Swinburne’s Visual Arts Diploma at the nearby Wantirna Campus, for attending and presenting the award. Swinburne has delivered visual arts programming in this region for over 30 years, originally under the banner of Eastern TAFE. Their courses continually evolve, embracing experimentation and the ongoing development of creative practice to provide a dynamic, forward-thinking learning space for artists.

During her presentation, Amy Jo shared some profound thoughts on what innovation truly means in contemporary art. She noted that innovation often describes the ways artists seamlessly blend techniques, materials, histories, and technologies. By combining these elements, artists express entirely new perspectives and reflect the profound complexities of modern life. It is within this rich environment of creative exploration that the Swinburne Award for Innovation finds its purpose.

Unpacking "Dear Shadow": A Masterclass in Emotion

When describing Stephen Glover’s winning piece, Dear Shadow, the language of emotion and atmosphere takes centre stage. The artwork operates almost like a portal. It offers a quiet but deeply powerful window into an inner world.

The piece is luminous yet dark at the exact same time. Layered heavily with chalk pastel, it feels simultaneously atmospheric and intensely physical. The surface carries a distinct weight, a heaviness that manages to catch and hold the light.

Dear Shadow resonates strongly with the legacy of colour-field painting. Artists working within this historical tradition understood that colour alone carries profound emotional power. As the famous painter Mark Rothko once stated, his interest lay solely in expressing basic human emotions such as tragedy, ecstasy, and doom. In Dear Shadow, colour and surface transform into a space where emotion is securely held rather than simply illustrated. The field of colour becomes a destination for contemplation, a space you enter rather than a surface you merely observe.

The luminous darks and highly layered surfaces create a quiet intensity. You can almost feel a hum vibrating from the paper. The careful composition draws the viewer inward, silently asking them to slow down, breathe, and sit with the work. It conveys a strong sense of shadow and presence. While it verges on feeling like a void, it also holds an undeniable tenderness. Ultimately, Dear Shadow acts as a continuous conversation between darkness and light.

We live through uncertain and highly complex times. Between global shifts, social changes, and rapid technological advancements, life often feels overwhelming. Art provides a sanctuary where we can safely reconnect with our shared humanity. Works like Dear Shadow remind us that within heaviness, we can always find space for tenderness, understanding, and hope. It is this thoughtful merging of process, material, and emotional resonance that makes Stephen's work such a compelling example of innovation in contemporary drawing.

Stephen Glover on His Creative Process

Understanding the final artwork requires a look at the deeply physical and conceptual process that brought it to life. Stephen Glover shared his thoughts on the creation of, revealing a fluid, ever-evolving approach to making art.

"Drawing becomes Printmaking. Printmaking becomes painting. Painting becomes collage. Collage becomes drawing, and so it goes…" Stephen explains.

In line with the theme of Continuum, Stephen created this large drawing in four distinct sections. The piece builds upon an earlier etching and aquatint, serving as part of his ongoing exploration into the overarching theme he calls "Soft Geometry."

Stephen begins his process by establishing a dark background. He loosely applies chalk pastel colors over this dark base. From there, he starts to build up the surfaces and layers, intentionally allowing fragments of the under-drawing to emerge through the pigment. He creates incredibly soft edges by blending light over dark and dark over light.

Interestingly, Stephen does not view the four sections as a unified whole during the actual drawing process. This intentional separation allows for a slight awkwardness and misalignment to become a fundamental part of the final composition. He tapes the paper while drawing, and when he removes the tape, it reveals minor, structural interruptions to his soft marks. He sprays fixative over each successive layer to securely fasten the dusty chalk to the surface.

Finally, Stephen insists that the drawing remains unframed. He pins it directly to the gallery wall. This deliberate presentation choice allows viewers to fully appreciate the dry, dusty, and highly textured surface without the barrier of glass.

A Thriving Creative Community

Choosing a single winner for the Swinburne Visual Arts Innovation Award is never an easy task. The work presented by all the artists this year was truly exceptional. The Dandenong Ranges Open Studios program consistently highlights the incredible depth of talent hidden right here in our own backyards.

We congratulate Stephen Glover once again on this well-deserved recognition. His commitment to pushing the boundaries of his medium serves as a massive inspiration to artists and art lovers alike.

We also celebrate every single artist who contributed to making the Continuum Exhibition Opening such a spectacular success. Each participant adds a vital thread to the rich cultural fabric of our region.

If you want to experience this incredible local talent firsthand, we highly encourage you to explore the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios and visit Continuum. Take a weekend to wander through the hills, visit the creative spaces, and discover the innovative works being produced by our passionate local artists. Support local art, engage with the creators, and let their unique visions inspire your own perspective.

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Acknowledgement
Portions of this article draw upon the thoughtful remarks and speech notes shared by Amy Jo Jory, Coordinator of the Swinburne Visual Arts Diploma at Wantirna Campus, during the Continuum Exhibition Opening. We thank Amy Jo for her insightful reflections on innovation in art and her ongoing support of our creative community.

Visit Stephen's studio (STAIN Studio), which he shares with his partner Rain White.

Image Credit - 42 STUDIOS - Julia Broad