When you think about religious art, the first thing that comes to mind for many is little baby Jesus with a golden halo. Not so, when it comes to the Blake Prize which explores the religious and spiritual in art. One year a textured abstract took the $25,000 prize. Another year, a Buddhist entry scooped the prize.

I’ve always wanted to enter the Blake but couldn’t muster a strong entry. This year, my teddy, who I’ve owned for over 40 years came to my rescue.

As a child, my teddy bear, Pandy, was my conduit to God. I would pray through him. Later as the foundations of my faith shifted, I realised that Pandy had become a talisman in his own right and I would travel with him stuffed into my bags to ward off evil.

Despite his flea-bitten ragged look, I can’t part with him and those googly eyes stare at me accusingly in the dark of night.

Here’s the run-down of the making of Idolatry.