Soup for Dinner? by Amelia Kluger

Isabella is one of those people who makes everyone around her feel welcome. In a small, warm kitchen she’s surrounded by friends, sharing food, conversation and the kind of everyday moments that quietly build a community. She has dedicated herself to environmental activism, but it’s through these simple acts of care and connection that I think her values are most clearly expressed.

Scattered throughout the painting are handwritten notes, protest plans and reminders of the environmental and social issues that shape her life. Although the words are intentionally unreadable, they suggest the constant presence of the causes she works so hard to support, even in moments of rest.

For me, this portrait is about the people who create change not only through public action, but through kindness, generosity and the communities they nurture. Brisbane feels like home because of people like Isabella, who remind us that meaningful change often begins around an ordinary dinner table.