Coen-based artist Naomi Hobson has been named a finalist for this year's 2025 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA), recognised for her photographic work Present & Beyond.
A Southern Kaantju and Umpila woman, Ms Hobson lives on her ancestral lands in Cape York, Queensland.
Her work draws deeply from her connections to Country, culture, and family. Her selected piece forms part of her Life on the River photographic series.
"I think living here – you know, this is my home – I've been here all my life," she told National Indigenous Times.
"My grandparents lived here, they were born on the river where my house is.
"The photograph that was entered into the Telstra Awards, that's of life here so you're getting an insight of what happens in community."
The work depicts a young Coen boy lying near a riverbank beside a toy sailboat, his reflection mirrored in still water.
According to Ms Hobson, the image captures more than just a moment - it documents the continuity of life on the Coen River, and its cultural and communal significance.
"It is the smallest community in Cape York – 300 people live here," she said.
"We're made up of six different clan groups. What's so unique is that river connection we all have.
"It's about living together on Country and staying connected – that comes strongly through my artwork."
Present & Beyond is a pigment print on cotton rag paper, and has been nominated in the Telstra Work on Paper category.
The work was selected from 216 entries across the country, with 71 finalists exhibiting from 21 June 2025 to 26 January 2026 at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory on Larrakia Country in Darwin.
Ms Hobson said the river's stories and the legacy of her family guide her creative direction.
"Everything that I do has always been passed down generations from my great-grandfather," she said.
"A couple of metres up the river is a pandanus forest, a women's site – very special.
"Our ancestors had a presence here, and for me, she's still here. Their spirit is within the river system."
For Ms Hobson, being part of NATSIAA is about more than recognition.
It's a way of continuing her family's legacy of storytelling and preserving culture.
"I feel like I'm adding to my family's history," Ms Hobson said.
"My grandfather was a storyteller. My aunties and uncles, they danced to tell stories.
"I'm contributing too... it's a responsibility but I'm proud to take it on."
She hopes audiences walk away with a sense of the richness and resilience of life in Coen.
"We're still here. We're always going to be here. This is Aboriginal land, and we're proud people," she said.
"When you look at my work, you can see the colours, you can feel Country.
"I want people to embrace that - the lifestyle, the culture, the heritage, the place."
Winners of the 2025 Telstra NATSIAA will be announced on 8 August in Darwin.
