Kristi Biezaite named Breaking Ground 2027 winner

Robe textile artist Kristi Biezaite has been selected as the latest recipient of Country Arts SA’s bespoke professional development award.

The Breaking Ground Award supports an artist to explore new areas of their art form by working with a mentor of their choosing, pushing their practice into new and uncharted territory over a 12-month period.

As well as a $5000 mentorship, the award includes a $10,000 sum for the artist to produce a significant body of work for exhibition at Murray Bridge Regional Gallery during the 2027 SALA Festival.

Kristi will use the opportunity to master traditional fibre-processing and naturally dyeing wool by working alongside mentor Heather Thomas at the Australian Tapestry Workshop.

“Much of my skill is self-taught, with experimentation being at the centre of my practice,” Kristi said.

“My current process, however, still relies heavily on chance and unpredictability.

“Engaging with a knowledgeable and experienced mentor is absolutely indispensable, allowing me to consolidate my knowledge and take it to a level of mastery I could not acquire alone.”

Influenced by her upbringing in Latvia, where creativity and the natural world are deeply valued, Kristi draws on both her Baltic heritage and the Australian landscape in her work.

Her slow, process-led practice explores themes of connection to place, people and the environment.

“The methods I employ support a level of self-sufficiency and minimise impact on the natural world, relying on slow, low-intervention processes and plant-based dyes,” Kristi said.

“This approach is important to me because it aligns with my values of working responsibly and sustainably, using processes that minimise impact on the land.

“At a time when environmental concerns are increasingly urgent, engaging with locally available, low-impact materials is not only a practical choice, but a necessary one.”  

Country Arts SA visual arts manager Lauren Mustillo said the Breaking Ground panel – Murray Bridge Regional Gallery director Fulvia Mantelli, SALA Festival CEO Bridget Alfred, Country Arts SA Port Lincoln arts and cultural facilitator Gillian Steel, and past Breaking Ground winner Gail Hocking – were impressed with Kristi’s application.

“Kristi’s application conveyed a mastery of various textile-making practices, along with a commitment to experimentation and innovation, specifically through her use of dying methods using native plant materials,” Lauren said.

“The panel commended her commitment to developing her creative practice, evident in her exhibition history and previous professional development opportunities.”