SUCCESS STORIES

Many Blue Fringe entrants are involved in a range of other endeavours and we love to celebrate their successes.

Blue Mountains Portraits is the Cultural Centre's annual celebration of the local community and its diverse members. The exhibiting artists portray the unique people that make up the cultural fabric of the Blue Mountains and tell the stories behind the person. The artworks cover a broad range of styles and media including painting, photography, drawing, installation, collage and mixed media. So exciting to see four Blue Fringe contributing artists chosen to be part of the 2025 exhibition.

Xi Xiao, Sarah Southall, Imogen Maskell and Karen Stevenson

"If it wasn't for Blue Fringe's support I wouldn't have entered into any other exhibition" - Sarah

HELEN SHIELDS

Helen Shields is a contemporary multidisciplinary artist living and working on Gundungurra and Darug lands in the upper Blue Mountains of NSW. Helen has an exhibition coming up at Braemar Gallery in Springwood, Sept 18th - Oct 19th with the
Opening Celebration on
Sept 20th 2pm. Helen holds qualifications in Chemistry, Fine Arts, Education and Design. Her practice explores the dynamics of colour and the reiteration of simplified organic motifs, encompassing Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Collage and Fabric Design. WEBSITEwww.helgashieldsyartist.com.au INSTAGRAM helgashieldsy@instagram

SAM CURRAN

Successful Blue Fringe entrant and now valued committee member, Sam is currently enjoying an Artist in Residence program in Japan. Follow her artistic journey on Instagram @s.l.curran
Sam Curran has also published a beautiful book of her poems. Available from wolfboundbooks.com.au
"blue is how i know you" (BIHIKY)by @s.l.curran features a unique blue themed collection of Samantha's poetry and delicate embroidery - both words and art printed in ocean blue ink on sandy white paper.

LEE MITCHELL

Lee Mitchell, long term contributor and former committee member is busy planning for his first solo exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural centre in 2026.
Lee entered his first sculptural work “One Ultimate Realization” into Blue Fringe in 2016 and won the People’s Choice Award . He gave up the day job and his works have now been exhibited across Australia including The Outsider Art Awards in Brisbane, the Blacktown Art Prize in 2022 and 2023 and winner of the Nerine Martini Memorial Award at HIDDEN Rookwood 2023. He is also an organiser and exhibitor in the Australian zine community and continues daily to fight the good fight against bipolar and imperfectionphobia.

KAREN STEVENSON

Karen was born in England and emigrated to Australia with her family in 1973. Karen studied art at the Stanley Street School of Art in South Australia after completing high school, but the lure of the dollar was more enticing, and left art college after only 18 months. Karen’s interest in Art was reignited in 2012 whilst undertaking a Community services course at Tafe. Part of the course was to participate in the running of the Blue Fringe Exhibition. Karen also entered her first painting that year, (against her teachers judgement)!, believing the stigma around mental health needed to be heard, and was awarded Artists choice for her acrylic painting of a bushfire scene. The image was created using finger painting, unable to hold paint brushes after a life changing operation to remove a row of bones in her wrist. Karen doesn’t have a favourite medium, but chooses to create in sculpture, painting, sketching, mosaics, textiles and printmaking, taking inspiration from nature, including wildlife and the beautiful Blue Mountains scenery……..and her chickens.
At 47, Blue Fringe was Karen’s first attempt at exhibiting her artwork, and after receiving Artist choice, was encouraged to continue along the ‘art path’. Successfully exhibiting in mostly Blue Mountains exhibitions, including Artfest, Blackheath Art Show, BM Art Prize, Springwood Art Show and continuing to participate in Blue Fringe. In 2022, after much deliberation, Karen chose to exhibit a very personal artwork, a sculpture depicting a lifetime of bullying (including school bullying, sexual harassment at work and very personal DV). Her belief that people do not need to ‘know’ and be influenced by the ‘intricacies’ was challenged. Her sculpture was awarded the BMCC Visual Arts Prize.
Karen has a long history of volunteering, including, Blue Fringe for the past 12 years, both as an exhibiting artist and an active member of the committee, a member of the State Emergency Service for over 30 years, RFS for 4 years, President of the Blue Mountains Women’s Shed for 5 years and the Guide Dog Puppy raising program, presently doing temporary care. She also has a therapy dog, for complex PTSD, who provides great relief on the ‘dark days’.
With numerous physical complaints, a single mum of a 20 year old daughter and with her mum interstate, life has been challenging, but with her art (when motivated) it can make a dark day a whole lot brighter.

LIVONNE LARKINS

In 2016, I was encouraged to enter Blue Fringe for the first time. I was very hesitant to put my work on display. I had very little confidence in myself or my art. But after a bit of encouraging I caved and entered. I went to the op shop and bought a second hand frame which was all I could afford at the time and my son and I framed the work. So, I was stunned that year to win the overall prize. After the shock wore off, my confidence started to build. I started to put my work out there a bit more. I won a few competitions one of which saw my work being displayed at the Victorian Arts Centre. I have also been asked to do a few artist’s talks. Two of these happened at the Art Gallery of NSW where a piece of my work was on display. These are things I could never have dreamed of.
I have had 2 major solo exhibitions and been involved in a number of joint exhibitions. My first solo exhibition was the story of my life, told as a fairy tale and it has single handedly been the most important step towards healing myself. Art has started to fill the cracks left from trauma.
I have been so privileged to have been offered two residencies, one at Bundanon in 2017 and the other in a French Chateau earlier this year. That was the experience of a lifetime. Spending time with amazing artists in a 12th century chateau was mind blowing. Next year, some of the artists from Australia and overseas, will come together to do an exhibition about our time there. Currently, I am involved in a photography exhibition which opens in Stanmore on the 23rd July.
In all honestly, I don’t believe I would have achieved half of what I have without the support of the Blue Fringe family and the confidence I gained from that first award back in 2016.

ADELAIDE WORCESTER

Adelaide Worcester is a Canberra-based artist working in mixed media, sculpture, and textiles. Her practice transforms everyday materials into powerful reflections on trauma, power, and mental health. Adelaide began creating art as a form of storytelling in 2022, when she first participated in the Blue Fringe Arts Festival. The support of the Blue Fringe community gave her the confidence to share her work more widely, and since then, her art has been exhibited more than 30 times across Australia.
In July 2025, Adelaide held her debut solo exhibition, TOXIC: An Artistic Reflection on Workplace Bullying, in Melbourne. The show sparked meaningful conversations about psychological safety at work, and Adelaide is now seeking opportunities to tour the exhibition regionally. She is also developing future solo shows exploring post-traumatic stress and the journey of recovery.
Image: Loose Lips (Sink Ships) - Digital photograph, 2024