Wyndham City is delighted to announce the winner of this year’s Wyndham Art Prize People’s Choice winner.
Todd Simpson has won the coveted prize with his winning entry velvety realism ‘Waters of Life’, an intricately detailed painting in acrylic on aluminium taking the people choice award.
The People’s Choice winner is the final prize announced as part of the 2026 Wyndham Art Prize. The winner receiving $2,500 in prize money.
255 votes were submitted during the seven weeks of the exhibition with the audience voting for Simpson’s work depicting realism and an affection for the environment.
Visitors to the gallery voted for their favourite artwork from a wide variety of works including painting, sculpture, photography, textiles, drawing and installation.
The 79 artworks on display this year made the choice challenging for audiences. With several artists whose work came close to being chosen, notably local artist Jenny Rutsch with her work ‘Wearing the Stories: Following the Threads’, and Gina Kalabishis for ‘Lost Paths and the Silence of Birds’. Duain Kelaart’s wonderful growling ‘Oceanic Dragon’, also won many votes.
Simpson is a Melbourne based contemporary realist artist and studied at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney. Practicing in sculpture, portraiture and painting.
He has been a finalist in numerous Australian and New Zealand Art awards for his work including the Glover Prize (2025 People’s Choice Winner), Clayton Utz Art Award (2025 Highly Commended & People’s Choice Winner), Calleen Art Award (2025 People’s Choice Winner) and Lethbridge Landscape Prize (2025 Highly Commended). In 2025 he was named as one of Australia’s top 100 artists by top100artists.com.
The Wyndham Art Prize is Wyndham Art Gallery’s signature annual exhibition in our visual art program and this year attracted over 700 artwork entries.
Over 5500 people visited the Gallery during the exhibition and feedback was extremely positive.
To view the artwork visit: