Sources of inspiration…

Clarice Beckett’s tonalist paintings were very influential as the gentle, humming mood of her work connected with my conception of people, place and comfort. I was inspired by Xavier Rudd’s song Spirit Bird, particularly through the lines ‘Joining hearts and hands and ancestral twine’ and ‘Slowly it fades, slowly we fade, slowly you fade’ that capture a longing for a bygone time. The film All of Us Strangers and the series Boy Swallows Universe, were other major influences, as their themes of nostalgia, time, childhood and how they shape who we are, as well as their warm, colorful aesthetics reflected my specific perception of youth.

Materials and processes…

I predominantly used oil sticks and paint in my broken color process as the slow-drying quality allowed me to create cohesion and movement. The painting evolved over many layers, starting with an initial wash of translucent oil paint, diluted with thickened linseed oil, onto foam core board. The boards smooth surface was particularly effective in building layers in my paintings. To create the translucent photographs, I print on overhead projector film, using a standard printer. I made trials with the opacity when printing the images to strike a balance between reading both the image and the work underneath.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the initial construction of my scene the most interesting aspect when creating my work. I used photoshop to collate family photographs, taken by my father, to digitally construct the initial reference for my paintings. I trialed layering different shots of my siblings, playing with opacity to create images that shimmer with the movement of time, like those created in your mind’s eye. What I found most challenging was trying to incorporate the printed images onto the artwork. I tried printing on tissue paper (too delicate), Vellum paper (too opaque), considered digital projection (impractical), until deciding on the transparent projection film.

Sources of inspiration…

I am inspired by an appreciation for the beauty and complexity of nature. My love for biology encourages anatomically realistic depictions of animals and birds. Marshmallow Laser Feast’s immersive Works of Nature (ACMI) exploration of perception, mindfulness, and the unseen aspects of nature, inspires me. Carnovsky’s RGB was another inspiration, it incorporates the element of light with a focus on animal forms, where layers were revealed under coloured lights. I aspire to study medical imaging where visual diagnostic techniques reveal anatomical and physiological details. I admire the observational precision in medical radiation; I aim to replicate this in my art.

Materials and processes…

I used pictures I had taken of myself holding the birds as references for my work. I used a mixed-media approach for the first time. A transferring technique helped me create a sketch of the birds with accurate proportions. A blue acrylic wash added dimension and vibrancy, emphasising the charcoal. A matte black gouache background allowed the charcoal to adhere to the surface. Blending and layering techniques with charcoal helped me achieve a detailed composition. Fixatives between layers, and an isolation coat over the charcoal ensured the application of the UV reactive paint didn’t compromise the fine charcoal details.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Combination of different mediums, have experience in individual techniques and mediums, required kits if experimentations Creating an isolated layer for UV reactive paint was challenging, as I needed to avoid smudging or damaging the preceding charcoal and pastel layer. Painting fine details under UV light was demanding and time consuming, leading to minor sunburns on my hand, from holding the torch as I worked. Creating a realistic skeleton required patience and precision, as the UV reactive paint made mistakes nearly impossible to correct. Unable to find a complete reference for the bird’s skeleton, I combined multiple images of bones to reconstruct the angles and shapes, while trusting the process to achieve the most accurate result.

Sources of inspiration…

My works this year were heavily inspired by David Frazer’s linocuts. In December last year, I visited the Queens cliff Gallery to see an exhibition of his works, and it was there that I decided I wanted to try my hand at printmaking. Much of his work has been described as ‘allegorical landscapes,’ and I think this was an inspiration for my own take on the landscape genre.

I was also particularly inspired by Australian modernist printmakers, as discussed above. As well as their ideas and subject matter, I was inspired by their stories; Spowers, Syme, and Black were all successful, renowned women artists working with an avant-garde medium at a time where very little space was made in the art world for women. Through their talent and their drive and their unrelenting hard work, they carved out their own space, and they made space for other women through their work founding galleries and schools. Their work as artists and as people is an endless source of inspiration.

Finally, I am inspired by the world around me. I can’t help but see beauty in everything, the curve of a branch, a grey and stormy sky, a pile of rubbish on the side of the road, the unrelenting presence of a freeway bridge. To make art of something, you must fall in love with it a little. I’m constantly falling in love with everything. It’s why I create.

Materials and processes…

The Bike Track and Winter are both linocut prints. Linocut is a reduction printmaking process. This means you carve away sections of the block, and then the remaining surface is printed, resulting in the final image. The Bike Track is a single block print using just black ink. Winter was created as a multiblock print, meaning that I carved and printed three blocks in three colours, one on top of the other.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I am endlessly fascinated by the printmaking process, so learning how to control that to the best of my ability was both challenging and interesting. The most challenging part of the process was learning how to design and print Winter so that the registration would be correct across the three blocks. Even in the final print, I hadn’t completely perfected this.

Sources of inspiration…

What inspired me to my work was my love for the beach. The beach has always been a personal place of comfort for me, inspiring mindfulness, allowing me to truly exist in the moment.

Another initial source of inspiration was artist iris.wildros and her experimentation with 2D animation.

When refining my artwork’s idea, a major source of inspiration was the current social media trend of ‘romanticizing your life’ – a trend on Tiktok in particular, which connects to my work idea by zooming in on the details of life to increase gratitude and joy.

Materials and processes…

Lightbox Processes: Taking photographs of my everyday moments. Sculpting the sand on top of a lightbox to render my selected photographs. My final process was printing photographs of my sand paintings of high quality.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

What I found interesting, as well as challenging, was the sand’s consistency and appearance on top of the light box. The processes evoked mindfulness, as I had to concentrate on making sure the sand did not move accidentally. With light shining behind the sand, the amount of sand in a specific area influenced how much light could pass through, effectively creating variations in tone. I utilized this to render form and depth in my illustrations.

Sources of inspiration…

I drew inspiration from historical tattoo archives online, inspired by the stories and art these images conveyed. Tattoos, which are a personal passion of mine, inspire me to create visuals that emulate the boldness of these archival photographs.

Throughout the year, studying artists deeply influenced my creative direction. Sublation’s use of black-and-white photography taught me to focus on subjects without distraction. Juergen Teller’s editorial lighting techniques and Martin Parr’s unique approach to capturing people shaped my perspective.

History also plays a significant role in my work. I adore collecting old photos, appreciating how people dressed, styled their hair, and applied makeup.

Materials and processes…

Lens for sharp in focus portraits 85mm

Camera

Jupio led lights to light my subject.

Lightroom to enhance the contrast of black and white.

Set up: adjusting lighting angles to highlight tattoos and skin, ensuring the tattoos were clear.

Composition: Focused on shots that drew attention to the tattoos, incorporating unique poses to emphasize the designs.

Black-and-White Conversion: Used editing to enhance contrasts, creating depth while removing color distractions.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Working with the element of chance became a significant part of my process.

Walking into a studio, I never knew who would be there or what their tattoos would look like.

Once, I rented a professional photo studio, and every single person I had scheduled canceled.

This forced me to adapt to uncertainty and accept that things wouldn’t always go as planned.

It was especially challenging because I had a clear vision of how I wanted my images to turn out.

However, photographing random people often resulted in outcomes I hadn’t anticipated, pushing me to embrace unpredictability in my work.

Sources of inspiration…

Martha Rosier’s ‘Body Beautiful, or Beauty Knows No Pain’; Rania Matar’s A Girl and Her Room’; Michael Lawrence’s ‘Portrait of an Artist’

Materials and processes…

Digital Photography and Object Assemblages. Inkjet Printing and Photo-editing.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I enjoyed visiting the intimate spaces of my subjects’ rooms and creating a work that reflected both who they are and the influences upon them. It was challenging to work in small spaces, with available light, and to put my subjects at ease.

Sources of inspiration…

Kimerlee Curyl – I was inspired by her sepia toned photographs and how she captures the lives of wild horses in their natural state.

The Salt Lake by Murray Fredricks – Similar to myself, Murray Fredericks captures implied texture in his photographs. The magnified textured images in large scale was powerful and inspired me to consider a larger scale to emphasis the texture of my works.

Rapheal Macek – I was inspired by his hyper realistic works, and the use of studio shooting, such as flash, to create rich colour and the black background that is featured in my works.

Materials and processes…

During photoshoots, I aimed at developing a narrow depth of field through both the aperture settings and angling my camera. In photoshop to remove any distractions such as reflective specks of dust on the coat of the horse. I also used the levels function which allowed me to manipulate the highlights, midtones and shadows, allowing for a richer colour and heightened contrast. I used my built-in flash on my camera, paired with paper folded over to diffuse the light. In this series, the angle of the flash created strong highlights and deep shadows.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Experimenting with and using photoshop and lightroom. My knowledge of editing images expanded from editing photos on my phone to being able to use a desktop. I enjoyed learning about different flash techniques, angles for the best shadows and saturation and working with a backdrop.

Difficult: Printing the images. Understanding different colour profiles moving from laptop to desktop to printer – Learning and applying colour profiles for different papers, learning about output sharpening and how different sizing affects the dpi and pixelation, and experimenting with enlarging sharpening, discovering the most detailed and precise outcome for my prints.

Sources of inspiration…

Women in my life: I am lucky enough to be surrounded by strong women of all ages who inspire me and how I view the world.

Artist Silvie Mahdal: a hyper realistic artist that I take inspiration from due to her technical skills and her ability to convey deep emotions through the subtle details in the composition of her subjects.

Salvador Dali: Through studying Dali, with the help of my teacher, I discovered that surrealism has a sexist history, as they often depicted women as young, naked and faceless.

Materials and processes…

Photographed the subject using an iPhone and applied a black and white filter for accurate depiction.

Graphite on paper for base sketching and details.

Graphite powder to form a base for the skin.

2H to 11B pencils used to convey appropriate depth and texture.

Tissues to blend larger areas and a tortillon (blending stump) for smaller details.

Kneadable eraser and normal eraser for highlights (and mistakes!)

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Drawing aged skin was interesting as I had never attempted it before, and not to this scale. I found it satisfying as each wrinkle and mark was so specific and unique.

I felt added pressure when creating this piece as it was realism and with the subject was a close family member, I wanted it to be as accurate a representation as possible.

This was my first time drawing short hair at such a large scale and level of refinement. Whilst initially I thought short hair would be easier, I found it more difficult due to the many random directions it lay in

Sources of inspiration…

My Grandma – Grandma Jen is one of the kindest, wisest, most selfless individuals I know. She is a retired high school science teacher, but also one of my biggest supporters. She inspires me with her diligence and kindness, and most of all her selflessness and wisdom. I aspire to be like her, and she always encourages me in my passions.

Arinze Stanley – this contemporary artist was inspiring to me, due to his confronting and relatable depictions of everyday, domestic citizens – captured in a hyper- realistic manner.

Materials and processes…

Graphite drawing: conducted a photoshoot for reference images, then edited the reference photos to higher details (HD) and levels of contrast to create a realistic portraiture drawing.

I used the processes of layering and outline to progressively build-up my composition through tonal rendering, scribbling and burnishing.

Graphite pencil: this portrait was drawn with various graphite pencils – of various tones – including lighter shades (such as 2B grey lead pencil; for the underdrawings and initial sketches) and darker tones (such as 6B and 7B; for the darker lowlights and shadows of the piece; to create depth). I used key techniques such as tonal rendering and burnishing to depict textures and materials such as fabric and skin.

Layering: the process of layering was key within the creation of this piece. I used initial layers with lightly drawn graphite pencil to sketch the rough proportions of the composition, then progressively layered with darker tones of graphite pencil to embed depth and value.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Challenges in drawing: ensuring that the proportions were correct and depicting different textures in a realistic manner to the best of my ability.

Interesting aspects: drawing on a large-scale medium; which was eye-opening; it allowed me to meditatively hyperfocus on the smallest of details, whilst still depicting a life-size piece.

When I was creating this piece, my biggest aim was to capture a realistic and authentic depiction of my younger sister, Tali. One of the largest challenges I faced was the facial section of the drawing.

I had to redraw the portrait’s face a few times, to illustrate the most realistic scaling and proportions possible. However, this process was quite frustrating, as I essentially had to redraw arguably the most key aspects of the portrait – the face –multiple times. I had to really distance myself from the piece sometimes to realistically draw this area and ultimately succeeded in depicting an authentic portrait.

Sources of inspiration…

June Henry’s music has been a major inspiration. Her ability to articulate the nuances of the genderqueer ‘freak’ experience in her song writing has given me the framework to express my own struggles and sense of self, whilst her large body of work and sincerity has garnered a community of fellow gender-freaks, creating a sense of connection amongst young transgender people. The artist Clive Hicks Jenkins’s use of narrative in his work has been insightful to telling a story just by composition and medium. In his work, such as ‘Saint Herve and the wolf’ and ‘Saint Kevin and the Blackbird’ Jenkins approaches animal and human dynamics with a unique sensitivity. His use of shape to create arching emotive characters and strange in between spaces, achieves a composition of movement, it suggests a story. He speaks how, “Animals which changed their nature continue to fascinate me”. The painter Savanna Judd use of unnerving hues to create eerie atmospheres of story and surprise challenges traditional understandings of art. In her game ‘Who Is Kitty?’ she explores queer history, social groups and ‘the bystander effect’. In intricate and intimate detailed environments swathed with green-blue lights and warm shadows, the viewer gains an understanding of Kitty’s life and identity.

Materials and processes…

The process of Membrane Wulf began with storyboarding the narrative, compositions and flow of the animation. These storyboards were then used to create a series of digitally painted environments in ibis X paint. To create a sense of connection between the different environments I utilized a colour palette of bright red, muddy greens, purples and pinks to achieve a cohesive atmosphere. When adding movement to these environments through the animation process, a range of resources were drawn upon to create realistic running, walking, howling and emotions of the wolves. I took videos of my dog (Tarshi) to use as a reference, as well as videos of bells, organs, plants, wind and insects to create a sense of life and form. To create the collage seen in the explosion and church scenes, I cut out circles from scrapped science nature textbooks, cellophane, maps and pen drawings. These were scanned individually and moved in groups with the scanner, creating distorted waves of text and image. I then framed and masked these scans into the app Flip-A-Clip, moving the circles in a way to imply depth and closeness.
To edit together the various scenes, I used CapCut, importing the animation in and either overlaying or connecting sections. To give the film an old southern atmosphere I used a textured grainy filter. To create a soundtrack, I used BandLab, intersecting a series of royalty-free tracks, including insects buzzing, dogs howling, church bells, 70s sci-fi riffs and a drum beat.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The animation process was time consuming and didn’t allow room for error, however it was an insightful and challenging method. I learned the importance of planning ahead, using the right programs and how to incorporate multimedia into a digital film. I really enjoyed researching other animations (such as GOBELINS Funeral at Nine) and understanding how the animators used time, pattern, sound and hue to create such immersive and comprehensive short films with an intricate sense of emotion and narrative. Small details such as a stationary second with no movement, or the way in which a line vibrates can transform a scene in a way I hadn’t understood prior.

Sources of inspiration…

My sister – Tali always inspires me. Her wisdom, passion, maturity and servant heart inspire me, and I wanted to dedicate a piece to her. She is my sister, but also my friend, she keeps me encouraged and passionate about art.

Annmarie Busschers – I was inspired by this contemporary artist, and especially her subject matter of children and youth, depicted in a raw, authentic and emotional light. Additionally, I really liked this artist’s use of tonal rendering and burnishing techniques to depict realistic textures.

Traditional Christian art – the regal, intricately detailed style of Renaissance artworks and religious portraiture.

Materials and processes…

Graphite drawing: conducted a photoshoot for reference images, then edited the reference photos to higher details (HD) and levels of contrast to create a realistic portraiture drawing.

I used the processes of layering and outline to progressively build-up my composition through tonal rendering, scribbling and burnishing.

Graphite pencil: this portrait was drawn with various graphite pencils – of various tones – including lighter shades (such as 2B grey lead pencil; for the underdrawings and initial sketches) and darker tones (such as 6B and 7B; for the darker lowlights and shadows of the piece; to create depth). I used key techniques such as tonal rendering and burnishing to depict textures and materials such as fabric and skin.

Layering: the process of layering was key within the creation of this piece. I used initial layers with lightly drawn graphite pencil to sketch the rough proportions of the composition, then progressively layered with darker tones of graphite pencil to embed depth and value.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Challenges in drawing: ensuring that the proportions were correct and depicting different textures in a realistic manner to the best of my ability.

Interesting aspects: drawing on a large-scale medium; which was eye-opening; it allowed me to meditatively hyperfocus on the smallest of details, whilst still depicting a life-size piece.

When I was creating this piece, my biggest aim was to capture a realistic and authentic depiction of my younger sister, Tali. One of the largest challenges I faced was the facial section of the drawing.

I had to redraw the portrait’s face a few times, to illustrate the most realistic scaling and proportions possible. However, this process was quite frustrating, as I essentially had to redraw arguably the most key aspects of the portrait – the face –multiple times. I had to really distance myself from the piece sometimes to realistically draw this area and ultimately succeeded in depicting an authentic portrait.

Sources of inspiration…

The two natural environments I have grown up in, Broome and Ballarat.

artwork nature makes independently, like the inside of Poinciana seeds or the branch systems of Frangipani trees.

First Nations art practices like weaving and Boab nut carving.

Materials and processes…

Once harvesting many leaves of flax and stripping them into thin strands, I used the blanket weaving technique to create the basket. As I wove, I held the basket towards me to create a lean, making a more inviting shape, rather than rigidly upright. To enhance the lean, I created rope out of left over flax and attached four oyster shells, which also simultaneously symbolised my heritage as a saltwater woman. For the ‘boab nuts’ inside, I used the process of papier mâché with balloons, glueing the paper together with a dyed brown wheat paste, completing them with watercolor illustrations.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found that the most interesting element of creating Hold Me Gently was the cultural knowledge I gained through the physical practice of weaving. It would send me into a meditative state and make me reflect about how and what my ancestors created with the process of weaving. Despite the back pain caused by weaving the basket, I was mostly challenged by the pressure to express my identity and how vulnerable I felt when writing and painting on the boab nuts intimate thoughts or feelings.

Sources of inspiration…

I have been very inspired by Destiny Deacon and Gordon Bennett. First Nations artists who addressed identity in different ways. A lot of my inspiration comes from within; where I come from, who I am as a person and what I value influences my creative practice. The way Destiny Deacon addresses First Nations issues by using Kitsch objects with humour is a source of inspiration and the way both she and Bennett use text encouraged me to explore text as it pushes past the idea that it is only meant to be read.

Materials and processes…

For selecting the plants, I walked on country and chose them based on their cultural significance, the memory associated with them, the connection I felt towards them and their location. I drew the plants I selected to help me understand the intricate details and fragility of the flowers. This process also helped me manipulate the position and posture of the flowers. I hand-dyed the focal panels with native edible plants symbolising the ephemeral concept of flowers. I used muntries, Davidson Plum and kangaroo grass. I embroidered all the flowers before sewing the quilt and did the lettering last.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The biggest challenge I faced was the shape of the quilt, the realism in the embroidery and selecting the text. I overcame these by reflecting on the conceptual meaning and aesthetic look. The association with a quilt is comfort and the shape typically bodily as it covers and encapsulates a whole human figure. I wanted to reject this as I don’t find colonisation comforting so I chose a square. I found viewing art very helpful when I came across a challenge, for instance, I looked at Rachel Ruysch when I was struggling with the realism of plants. 

Sources of inspiration…

Arctic Monkey’s concept album Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. This band has formed the basis of my passion and appreciation for music, connection to my father and personal expression. The album itself indulges in Alex Turner’s critiques on society, media, and the technological apocalypse.

The NGV’s Triennial Exhibition of SPECULUM by SMACK, the use of technology and digital media to depict heaven, earth and hell. The idea of good vs evil, the 7 deadly sins- making us reinvestigate ourselves and the dichotomy between purity and sin.

Mainstream media and current social issues and trends I have consumed over the past few months, including the American election, development of AI, diet culture and political oppression in countries like North Korea.

Materials and processes…

Materials I used included; wooden board, gesso, brushes, palette knives, oil paint, lean medium (art spectrum, oil painting medium), resin, pigment powders, paper card, pencil and glue.

My art process included: researching imagery, using pencil to sketch the outlines, synthesized imagery in different compositions, critiqued their format, experimenting with application of text, message through music lyrics, building a connection between lyrics and images, trial painting technique, establishing my visual language, refined use of mediums and colour palette. Finally refining the presentation sequence.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found keeping a consistent colour palette quite challenging, as I worked on each panel individually and over the course of a few months, sometimes the overall tones and hues were not coherent, and required small refinement. As well as the actual brainstorming and development of the subject matter in each panel, ironically, my own social media is filled with a seemingly infinite amount of content and issues; thus, narrowing down on the key ideas, symbols and objects to represent them was difficult and sometimes overwhelming.

Sources of inspiration…

The Doctor Who episode “Vincent and the Doctor” (specifically when the art curator says that Van Gogh used his “passion and pain to portray the ecstasy and joy and magnificence of our world” – why can’t we transform the mindset on beauty to one about supporting and uplifting people).

My own childhood drawings which my dad had stored away in a filing cabinet, and I then told him to throw them away. Luckily, he saved a few and I was able to acknowledge that naïve part of me in my art by repurposing the illustrations. It also reminds me that when we are that young, we don’t expect excellence from ourselves because what we manage to make is beautiful enough. The act of expressing and creating was so much more natural because we didn’t need it to look a certain way.

The use of colour and illustrative effects in both Arcane and Spiderman across the Spider verse (and into the Spider verse) has reminded me that vivid, bold and striking colour palettes are so much more fun! And being able to connect it to Southeast Asian Art (as well Asian art) makes it easy to explore and emulate styles that I saw growing up.

Materials and processes…

Found objects – reappropriating discarded materials and rejected artworks added a collaborative aspect to (the unit 4) work, and I elevated things deemed worthless by others’ standards in hope to bring attention to their beautiful qualities.

Ceramics – I experimented with both wheel and hand building techniques but employed Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran’s mindset of ignoring the conventions and expectations of ceramics and almost inviting mistakes to happen. Which is why the ceramics made by me are warped or failed pieces. Instead of restarting or simply giving up the clay material, I ask the audience to reconsider what forms or qualities deserve to be valued.

Wood – reference to the traditional masks which I drew. Also, the material itself is significant to Asian art and culture. The process of creating the wood structure or simply cutting up the posts forced me to learn how to use new equipment to attach everything together.

Oil-sticks and Spray-painting – I like that the strokes are still clearly visible, as it adds to the childish quality of the drawing and the medium themselves were very forgiving, I could layer and blend, build opacity and get rich, vibrant colours.

Fabric – created textural diversity and the image of soft sculptures blooming from the rough, flawed ceramics evokes the idea of being vulnerable and allowing yourself to escape rigid pretenses.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

It was hard to let go of aesthetics and try to work messily and naively. I wasn’t allowed to care about how ‘pretty’ something looked but rather on the processes and meaning of the work. Which was freeing and a great experience to work confidently because I knew I could embrace my mistakes, but also the unknown of anti-aesthetic art made me doubt my choices. I was always trying to make something appear better before reflecting on that propensity and embracing the flaws. It was like my art was a way to engage my own preconceptions of beauty – even if it was in the context of art. When I look at it through that lens it makes it clear to me that we need to be encouraging appreciation of unorthodox styles no matter the context, for us to dismantle our expectations and inspire change.

Sources of inspiration…

Phil Tippett’s ‘Mad God’

Giovanni Piranesi ‘Imaginary prisons’

Rembrandt’s religious etchings

Emily Dickinson’s ‘I felt a funeral in my brain.’

Galatians 2:20 “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me.”

Haruki Murakami ‘A wild sheep chase’

Jean Delville ‘The forgetting of passions”

Kazu Sano ‘The Relic’

A short film on YouTube called ‘Somnium’ by a channel called ‘Miro’.

Materials and processes…

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum.

I applied a technique involving horizontal carved lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of light, translating an image. Carving completed, I located a printing facility and purchased six sheets of paper, four thin Hahnemuhle sheets and two thicker sheets.

At the facility I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors.

Once inked, I printed the thinner sheets of paper, adjusting the pressure and subtracting blankets to achieve clearer registration, until a perfect registration was achieved.

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum. I applied a technique that involves carving horizontal lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of lighter and darker zones, translating an image. When printing I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors. Once inked, I printed with thin sheets of Hahnemuhle paper, adjusting the pressure. For this work in particular my printing was finer than previous works, and my printing was done with a denser flatter pressing blanket, to register detail.

I used oil paint on canvas, and I began by sketching in charcoal on the primed canvas, before washing the canvas in a diluted layer of paint and then beginning in warm tones. After establishing values in warm tones, I dried the painting and then went in with the intended cool tones of the work.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the physical intensity of the carving enthralling; it was engrossing and mindful.

Once I was in the process, I began seeing the world as made up of carved lines, creating tones of light and dark. The printing in contrast was highly technical and demanded conscientious repetition and careful precision. It made me alert and challenged me in a different way to carve.

I found the size of the work a double-edged sword, it was challenging to complete in short bursts of school periods due to its immensity.

Sources of inspiration…

Music is a big inspiration for me, and I have consistently used music as a tool to fuel my creativity and spark my ideas. Music inspires and assists me in developing and discovering a desired tone or feeling for a piece. Another inspiration for me is drawing from my life and the events and emotions that I am currently experiencing. My artwork is always a reflection of myself or a moment of me. Film is also a big inspiration for me. In a similar vein as music, film can also inspire tone and feeling along with narrative and ideas.

Materials and processes…

I Initially intended to use a standard process; a photoshoot followed by some minor edits using Lightroom. However, this quickly changed, and I ended up spending a lot more time in Photoshop. Once I had reviewed and selected the 3 images I wanted to use from the shoot, I created a mask of the subjects in Photoshop and then created multiple layers of each subject. Then through an extensive use of various effects, adjustment layers and blending modes, I was able to achieve my desired look.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

This piece came at a very transitional and challenging period of my life. It was the start of the year, and I was feeling creatively sealed and like I hadn’t fully expressed myself for a while. As a result, this piece was challenging to conceive but also interesting, acting as a resurgence and triumphant return for me. Another interesting aspect relating to the structural lens was the process in Photoshop. Many different layers and blending modes were used, creating hundreds of different variables. As a result, changing a small value or effect would have a large ripple impact on the overall image.

Sources of inspiration…

I am inspired by the work of Sliman Mansour, whose art powerfully reflects Palestinian culture and resilience. His use of traditional symbols and exploration of the bond between people and the land deeply influence my practice. Traditional Palestinian Tatreez also inspires me, with its intricate patterns and rich cultural significance. Each stitch tells a story connected to a specific region, sparking my creativity and grounding my work in heritage. Additionally, visiting galleries and museums like the National Gallery of Victoria motivates me by exposing me to diverse artistic styles, thought-provoking themes, and innovative curatorial approaches that shape my creative perspective.

Materials and processes…

For this artwork, I used stones as my primary material, symbolising the permanence and resilience of Palestinian culture. The stones were carefully selected to represent the geographical map of Palestine. I painted each stone using acrylic paints, which allowed me to create vibrant and detailed Tatreez patterns specific to different regions of Palestine. To ensure the designs were authentic, I researched traditional Palestinian embroidery motifs, focusing on the unique styles of each area. The process involved sketching the patterns onto the stones, followed by layering colors to capture the intricate details. The final step was arranging the painted stones to form the map, creating a cohesive and meaningful visual narrative.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The most interesting aspect of creating my work was exploring the rich diversity of Tatreez patterns and their deep connection to Palestinian identity. Each motif tells a unique story tied to a specific region, and researching these designs allowed me to deepen my understanding of my heritage. The most challenging part was translating the intricate embroidery patterns onto uneven stone surfaces while maintaining their detail and authenticity. Balancing the symbolic meaning of each pattern with the practical aspects of painting on rocks required patience and precision, but it ultimately enhanced my appreciation for the craft and its cultural significance.

Sources of inspiration…

Sculptural/3D works: I was greatly inspired by the raw, bold, and natural yet unnatural works of Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Alina Szapocznikow and Patricia Piccinini, and I found that they gave me the confidence to explore with materials and concepts that are uncomfortable/confronting to an audience. In addition to drawing inspiration from gum trees on my street.

Materials and processes…

Becoming and Bearing: both works started by hand building with earthenware clay. For “Bearing”, I built the body around a ball of newspaper, and added the limbs and head on from that base. After bisque firing them I glazed the works in blues, greys and cream colours, and glued on any broken parts in addition to rebuilding shattered parts with air dry clay, and then. The final stages included airbrushing and painting the sculptures, in a way that mirrored the patterning on gum trees. I then rubbed the sculptures with charcoal to ground them, and make the creatures feel more real/alive.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Interesting and challenging aspects – With each work, I was experimenting with mediums that I was not overly familiar with, making way for mistakes which meant that I had to pivot a lot. I found that making these mistakes made my works even better, as it challenged me to strip back, or add on layers to the works which in turn made me bring attention to what parts of the works were truly meaningful (revealing the works true nature). I find that when you remove a strict element of control in your art, you allow space for magic that is beyond the self to occur, as with each external element, it evolves into something beyond the confines of your initial conception of it.

Sources of inspiration…

My biggest inspiration was the horror fiction podcast ‘The Magnus Archives’. Analysing how real-world issues translated into the fictional horrors in this series helped me develop ways to condense my larger conceptual themes into a visual form

My creative practice was heavily influenced by amateur cosplay and crafting Youtubers I watch, who often stressed the importance in creatively manipulating any materials you have at hand to create an intended effect

My ability to comfortably employ weird or unsettling imagery in my art was also influenced by other shows I’ve enjoyed such as ‘Gravity Falls’ and ‘The Amazing Digital Circus’

Materials and processes…

I knew I wanted to work in a 3D medium for my final piece, but I was opposed to using materials such as latex which I found were often used by others creating faux flesh

As my artwork addresses themes of overconsumption, I felt it was important to minimise purchasing new materials for this work, choosing to instead find ways to use materials I had at hand, such as polymer clay

My creative practice often involved me searching through cabinets and storerooms for a material that would inspire me when I felt I’d hit a roadblock in my art-making

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I often found myself getting restless or anxious focusing on certain sculptures for too long, so I would frequently swap between working on the three different sculptures to maintain enthusiasm

I also sometimes felt pressured to establish a single, straightforward idea behind my body of work, which made me feel creatively stifled and unmotivated. Deciding to let myself act freely and work within a much broader theme as opposed to a single message really helped me stay inspired and invested in my work

Finding ways to use unconventional materials was also an interesting aspect of creating this particular series

Sources of inspiration…

I am inspired by the Archibald prize, which I have attended annually since being a child, inspired by the emotional depth and realism captured in the portraits.

I also drew inspiration from the work of Chuck Close, who, despite his physical limitations, created extraordinary large-scale portraits with incredible realism.

Additionally, my Nana, Jill, was a key inspiration, as I wanted to celebrate her resilience and ability to maximize her life despite life’s challenges.

Materials and processes…

I began with 2 large MDF wood pieces and double primed each side of the wood with GAC primer and gesso, this sealed the wood and allowed for painting. Using linseed oil to thin my paints I created thin pigmented underpaintings across each side ranging from ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow, green, and magenta. Using a projector, I projected my 4 images of Jill onto my large-scale wood and used imprimatur technique to create realistic underpainting. I then used large brushstrokes and gestural marks layering up my paints to form my dynamic compositions.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

What I found most interesting was the noticeable improvement in my skills as I progressed through the process. Initially, I didn’t see the changes, but looking back at my earlier works compared to the final pieces, I could clearly observe how much I had developed as an artist. Balancing expressive marks with realism was a challenge, but it became one of the most rewarding aspects of creating the series.

Sources of inspiration…

Mass urban development is something that I am immensely interested in and its impact on our environment. I have researched into Melbourne’s mass urbanization and how the iconic grid implemented can reflect society’s ever potent structured lifestyle. Brutalist architecture is a second source of inspiration that I have attempted to implement into my pieces through the materials and harsh Jaggard forms. The topographic styled maps that detail gradients through thin lines on a 2-dimmensional scale is something I wanted to develop into my own pieces in a 3-dimmensional scale.

Materials and processes…

I implemented contemporary and traditional practices to create my series Encroaching. Through a multi-stage process consisting of laser cutting technology and adobe software to create the mold for the works made from thin plywood and pottery clay. I personalized my works through the hand-made touches when pouring the plaster alongside breaking away the wooden cast. This left minor impurities in the work that ground the ideas within my work whilst also creating completely unique pieces. To finish the works I employed a acrylic spraying techniques that layered colours developing a high saturated a vivid triadic colour scheme

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

An element which was both interesting and challenging at the same time was taking off the mold. I found that the pottery clay that I used for the walls left minor bumps imprinted into the work that wasn’t a desired aesthetic. I overcame this by shaving minor amount of the plaster off creating a completely refined and smooth surface. When breaking off the plywood segments it left minor chipping and cracks that I found added to the value of the works appearance and highlight the ideas of urban decay.

Sources of inspiration…

The way Berlinde De Bruyckere makes her subjects headless, which she stated that “the body itself expresses emotions and feelings”, therefore the existence of head is useless, inspired me to make my figures also headless, emphasizing their body postures, twisting them as if they are in pain, blurring the edge of monstrous and human.

Louise Bourgeois also inspired me, which her deceptively simple yet emotionally complex mark-making drew me in. her work ‘Maman’ deepened my understanding of the power of women and made me view my mother as vulnerable yet strong, allowing me to explore the complex connections in my work.

Materials and processes…

I used porcelain clay to construct my figures, then fired them and glazed them.

Using the mixture of clay and oil pastels to fill in the wounds on the figures.

To maximize the time I was given, I created 10 figures and while it’s firing, I created another 10 and chose the best 15.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I think my work will be quite confusing for people who want to ‘decode’ an artwork as it’s conflicting, the pink mesh looks beautiful, but the torsos are in pain. In Susan Sontag’s Against interpretation, she argues that in a world of “hermeneutics,” we need an erotic of art.” I think the act of trying to decode an artwork’s definitive meaning diminishes its emotional and sensory impact. I believe we need to be open to how artworks make us feel and react. It can be raw, impulsive, liberating and even conflicting. It’s about finding that peace through contradiction.

Sources of inspiration…

Sculptural/3D works: I was greatly inspired by the raw, bold, and natural yet unnatural works of Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Alina Szapocznikow and Patricia Piccinini, and I found that they gave me the confidence to explore with materials and concepts that are uncomfortable/confronting to an audience. In addition to drawing inspiration from gum trees on my street.

Materials and processes…

Becoming and Bearing: both works started by hand building with earthenware clay. For “Bearing”, I built the body around a ball of newspaper, and added the limbs and head on from that base. After bisque firing them I glazed the works in blues, greys and cream colours, and glued on any broken parts in addition to rebuilding shattered parts with air dry clay, and then. The final stages included airbrushing and painting the sculptures, in a way that mirrored the patterning on gum trees. I then rubbed the sculptures with charcoal to ground them, and make the creatures feel more real/alive.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Interesting and challenging aspects – With each work, I was experimenting with mediums that I was not overly familiar with, making way for mistakes which meant that I had to pivot a lot. I found that making these mistakes made my works even better, as it challenged me to strip back, or add on layers to the works which in turn made me bring attention to what parts of the works were truly meaningful (revealing the works true nature). I find that when you remove a strict element of control in your art, you allow space for magic that is beyond the self to occur, as with each external element, it evolves into something beyond the confines of your initial conception of it.

Sources of inspiration…

Modigliani believed that eyes are a window to the soul. This started my journey on experimenting with human form to create different moods/messages.

Francis Bacon was a big insolation for my self-portrait and my work that warps and morphs the human figure

The band Radio Head was a big inspiration, they were constantly accompanying me through my headphones!!

Materials and processes…

I used charcoal, oil paints, acrylic paints, and pastel and a black ink, at first i worked only in charcoal, making out areas then creating a big charcoal version of my painting. then i used a white oil painting with lots of medium and worked in to areas the charcoal dust mixing with the medium to become a more paint like quality.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Probably working on one piece for so long, I usually work very quickly and don’t spend more than a week or so on a painting.

Sources of inspiration…

Lucian Freud – I was very moved and inspired by Freud’s ability to portray psychological depictions of intimate environments. This helped to develop the subject matter of the bed in my final work. His distinct thick painterly impasto strokes also helped me to develop my own painterly style. Edward Hopper – I absolutely love his cinematic paintings so much. His dynamic use of lighting and portrayal of urban isolation leaves me in awe. Specifically, House by the Railroad and New York Movie enriched me with inspiration and motivation to paint something of my own. Kenneth Slessor – (An Australian poet) specifically his more modern poems Country Towns and The Night Ride create these vivid sensory environments for the listener that capture the very texture and atmosphere of his poem, which inspired me to create a tactile depiction of an environment in a visual medium to create a similar atmosphere.

Materials and processes…

I used oil paint and a very small amount of linseed oil for detailed areas. I stretched, sized and primed the canvas myself, allowing me to be able to create a custom amount of tension on the canvas. I projected the image onto the canvas and did a rough sketch, before working sectionally to paint the artwork. The high impasto strokes inspired by Lucian Freud’s painterly technique maneuver between abstraction and hyperrealism, to create a unique style allowing me to create the illusion of thick layers in single strokes.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I had never attempted a painting on such a large scale! This presented new challenges such as running out of paint very fast and helped me to increase my new skill of mixing colours directly on the canvas, which was a skill I never guessed I would need prior to starting the painting. Also, the challenge of moving away from my reference, and letting the painting be a painting rather than a picture, conflicted my habit of painting directly from the image. This allowed the artwork to be far freer, enhancing the movement and texture of the artwork.

Sources of inspiration…

An inspiration for me is the band “Air”. The flowing instrumentals and melodies remind me of the cyclical nature of ceramics, I listen when doing ceramics, allowing me to lose track of time and be one with ceramics.

I am inspired by the film “Thirteen”. While a dark film, the gradual fade in color representing the main characters decent inspired my gradient in my work and is an emotive film which I love.

I am inspired by Sylvia Plath’s The bell jar, as the epitome of womanhood. And the fig tree analogy has stuck with me, as featured in my folio.

Materials and processes…

I used white earthenware clay and threw my forms on the pottery wheel for my cut in half vessels. I then allowed them to get leather hard before turning off the excess clay and cut them in half. They were then bisque fired and under glazed with a hand mixed grey and dip glazed with black metallics on the outside; brushed with clear gloss on the inside. The connected vessel was thrown with a dark earthenware clay in two halves that were connected and glazed with the same black metallics.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found cutting my pieces in half the most challenging. As someone who is so worried about small details and gets very easily attached to my work, the violent act of cutting my pieces in half was something that a year ago I could never have done. Putting the trust in myself to slice the work that I had put so much time into was very scary but in the end, it was extremely worth it.

Sources of inspiration…

Nature has always been a huge inspiration for me. I spend a lot of time outdoors with my dad. He taught me one important lesson: to never be afraid of anything. I think this lesson has allowed me to see beauty in all things. Growing up, exploring the outdoors and appreciating nature has really impacted the way I see the world and has been a huge influence on my artworks this year. When I finish year 12, I want to study Bio-Medicine, as I have always had a deep fascination with science and the human body. In a lot of ways, my passion for science has really influenced my final artwork – without me really noticing. In a lot of ways, studying Art this year has made me realise that there is such a strong connection between the two – and I never realised this before. In a lot of ways, the incorporation of my two favourite subjects into one artwork has been one of the things I am most proud of. Lastly, I have to say another major source of inspiration is my cats. I’m obsessed with them. They do make an appearance in my folio, and I really wanted to devote a whole artwork to them. Their unconditional love, their quirky personalities, they are a huge part of my life. They have been with me throughout this process, so in a small way they did influence my final!

Materials and processes…

I love the work of the Dutch Golden Age, so I really wanted to create a photograph that emulated that visual style. I initially created some small still life arrangements, just with fruit. I used my iPhone to take the photos, thinking that I would eventually use the photos for a drawing or painting. The first photos were so exciting that I knew I had to keep experimenting with this idea.

For the final photo I used both a digital SLR and my iPhone to take about 100 photos using various light sources – including lamps and torches. I bought a large amount of tropical fruit – all with their own unique colours and textures. These included pawpaw, dragon fruit, strawberries and grapes.

Each fruit was selected because of their similarity to human organs. The animal organs were a lot trickier to source, but I managed to find a butcher to help. The organs were selected because of their glistening textures and shapes. At one stage I even poured honey all over the arrangement, just to enhance the textures and light. The final photoshoot took around two to three hours – as I had to experiment with the arrangement, the lighting and shadows. I also had to play with a variety of compositions, close ups and angles. The final photographs were then edited slightly to enhance contrast and colour.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The most challenging part about creating this artwork was capturing the organs and fruit together in a visually ‘equal’ way. The fruit was immediately beautiful because of their colours and textures. The organs were a lot harder to make ‘beautiful’ so I found that integrating the organs amongst the fruit seemed to work best. Doing this allowed the organs to be almost camouflaged amongst the fruit. I also found the overall arrangement tricky, as I needed to balance both themes together, as well as ensure that I had enough shadows and light.

Sources of inspiration…

I’m always drawn to stories within stories, it’s exciting to discover unexpected hidden ideas and images. I am inspired by hidden object puzzles like Where’s Waldo? The illustrations are full of little details and it’s fun to discover the many little side stories while searching for Waldo.

hidden “easter eggs” in movies and musicals that lead you to look and think more deeply about the stories.

Paper artists like Kyoko Imazu and Emma Van Leest. The detail and stories the artists create is inspiring.

Materials and processes…

Cannon camera 5DS, tripod, lights, paper, pens, pencils, cutting knife, projector, printer, Adobe Illustrator software, foam board Processes used: Photography, drawing, digital printing, projection, paper cutting.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found exploring my Chinese culture to be the most interesting part of creating my work.

Making decisions on how to layer the images for the best outcome, learning how to use the software and

Constructing the layers so they aligned were the most challenging part of creating the work

Sources of inspiration…

Phil Tippett’s ‘Mad God’

Giovanni Piranesi ‘Imaginary prisons’

Rembrandt’s religious etchings

Emily Dickinson’s ‘I felt a funeral in my brain.’

Galatians 2:20 “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me.”

Haruki Murakami ‘A wild sheep chase’

Jean Delville ‘The forgetting of passions”

Kazu Sano ‘The Relic’

A short film on YouTube called ‘Somnium’ by a channel called ‘Miro’.

Materials and processes…

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum.

I applied a technique involving horizontal carved lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of light, translating an image. Carving completed, I located a printing facility and purchased six sheets of paper, four thin Hahnemuhle sheets and two thicker sheets.

At the facility I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors.

Once inked, I printed the thinner sheets of paper, adjusting the pressure and subtracting blankets to achieve clearer registration, until a perfect registration was achieved.

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum. I applied a technique that involves carving horizontal lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of lighter and darker zones, translating an image. When printing I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors. Once inked, I printed with thin sheets of Hahnemuhle paper, adjusting the pressure. For this work in particular my printing was finer than previous works, and my printing was done with a denser flatter pressing blanket, to register detail.

I used oil paint on canvas, and I began by sketching in charcoal on the primed canvas, before washing the canvas in a diluted layer of paint and then beginning in warm tones. After establishing values in warm tones, I dried the painting and then went in with the intended cool tones of the work.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the physical intensity of the carving enthralling; it was engrossing and mindful.

Once I was in the process, I began seeing the world as made up of carved lines, creating tones of light and dark. The printing in contrast was highly technical and demanded conscientious repetition and careful precision. It made me alert and challenged me in a different way to carve.

I found the size of the work a double-edged sword, it was challenging to complete in short bursts of school periods due to its immensity.

Sources of inspiration…

Marina Abramovic was an inspiration as I unraveled the idea of patriarchal power and unjust treatment of women. Her artworks Rhythm 0 and Rest Energy, were ones which I continuously came back to for the symbolism that evoked strong emotion and protest to female empowerment/social change. She put herself on the line to depict the true nature of man, something I became intrigued with.

Sylvia Plath. Her melancholic tone and deeply felt anger expressed in relation to what it means to be a woman, was an effect I wanted to create in my artwork. The way her words express an inner self-sabotage and turmoil exposed through a focus on symbolism influenced the motifs throughout, as well as my own poetry that was created.

Feminism. Recently there has been an uproar of women demanding the fight for rights to come to an end as we have delt with the oppression and control long enough. The growing number of murders of women across Australia, many even occurring in my hometown of Ballarat, the loss of female rights in countries such as America with their abolishment of abortion and the disgusting treatment of women in Afghanistan has affected me greatly. It’s challenging to feel completely voiceless and helpless when women globally are being discriminated against. I sometimes feel like no matter what I do it will never be enough. This battle that women have had to face has grown tiring. A so-called progressive society that is filled with just as much oppression as any other generation. My relationship with dealing with this has been the biggest influence on the choices I made relating to my artwork.

Materials and processes…

During development I focused on trialing different ways to explore my emotions in a reflective manner of how I truly feel. From watercolor, posca markers, a video piece and later my favorite medium, photography. I wanted to implement the same flexibility surrounding creative imagery within the photography that I had been able to do through drawing, so I created props that would support the layered symbolism. I used Adobe photoshop to create altering colors (a lengthy process as I outlined each nail with striking yellow). Photo montage allowed me to blur the lines between reality (photography) and fantasy (abstract colors that outlined individual symbols).

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The most challenging aspect of the work was attempting to express the female experience. Whether the aspects that I saw as symbolism would come through when others viewed my work was another aspect that affected the piece. The creation of this piece is very sentimental, and the messages are linked very closely to my beliefs and my own experiences. Using myself as the subject matter, alongside working in a style that I don’t often do was both confronting and freeing. I felt as though I had begun a new chapter in my creative career with these works, something I hadn’t yet experienced with the medium of photography.

Sources of inspiration…

The three artists that inspired this work include: Ana Mendieta, whose work often explores a surrender into her spirituality and environment, Hoda Afshar, whose installation work Speak the Wind captures a spiritually possessed landscape through its wind using a camera and Anselm Keifer, whose installations often manipulate the viewers perception of reality by surrounding them in his visceral scenes.

Materials and processes…

To make this work, I set up a Canon R5 camera on a tripod in the forest, and lined up the composition with a stand in, before sitting in the frame with my sister, and getting a friend to push the photo button. The photos were then morphed using Blender.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Interesting and challenging aspects – With each work, I was experimenting with mediums that I was not overly familiar with, making way for mistakes which meant that I had to pivot a lot. I found that making these mistakes made my works even better, as it challenged me to strip back, or add on layers to the works which in turn made me bring attention to what parts of the works were truly meaningful (revealing the works true nature). I find that when you remove a strict element of control in your art, you allow space for magic that is beyond the self to occur, as with each external element, it evolves into something beyond the confines of your initial conception of it.

Sources of inspiration…

Peggy Guggenheim Collection – inclusion of tools for blind accessibility, and the range of art there.

Marcel Duchamp – highly conceptual art, post-modernism

Barbara Kruger – Text art, focus on political/societal issues, the motif through her work of something “attacking the eye.”

Materials and processes…

Copper sheet

Punch for Braille indents – laser-cutter and laser cut wood sheets glued together. Used Adobe Illustrator to set up laser-cutter.

Hammer, various pointy tools to create outlines in copper to guide where the punch should go.

Hammering in the punch and using the rounded end of the hammer to further pronounce the bumps.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Getting the metaphor to make total sense and have all the parts of it align to their real-world counterparts accurately was the most time-consuming step. It led to interesting research into philosophy and sociological concepts I hadn’t encountered before. It also led to the history of Braille and getting in contact with Vision Australia, who helped me navigate sensitivity.

Sources of inspiration…

I was heavily inspired by the lyrical poetry of the harpist Joanna Newsom.

Stylistically I was influenced by the work of the contemporary oil painter, Odd Nerdrum. as well as the cinematography of the 1969 film ‘The Color of Pomegranates’ by Sergei Parajanov.

Materials and processes…

I used oil paints on canvas, painting from both imagination and reference photos. used a large wooden frame to attach a pink spray-painted wooden hand that holds a ball of human hair. The entire artwork is veiled by a black curtain that is draped over the silhouette of a dead body.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found it challenging working on such a large scale, as well as building onto wood with a hammer and nail.

Sources of inspiration…

I was inspired by artist Fitri Dwi Kurnisasih who makes artwork on local issues in Indonesia whose work I saw during the NGV Triennial exhibition, it influenced me to connect with Indonesian issues.

Music is another inspiration. I listen to a lot of punk music which talks about the corruption of governments and their acts of self-preservation.

Seeing exhibitions, even media ones at ACMI helped inspire ideas of how to make artwork interact with the viewer and the space.

Materials and processes…

I used rice paper for the rupia notes. I wanted it to feel like real paper rupia, so I landed on rice paper.

Originally, I was only going to change the icon of the rupia to Suharto but decided to use photoshop to distort the money to symbolize its devaluation.

There are no Indonesian rice bags sold in Australia, so I had to make my own by buying a hessian compost bag and individually colour in strands to mimic a rice bag.

I used a special printer that can print images on various delicate papers.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

The most interesting was the research that inspired my artwork, I got to learn more about Indonesia’s history.

I was also in awe of technology, bringing digital images to physical objects and how well I could mimic things like money fairly easily.

The challenge was definitely the rice bag, it was incredibly tedious and time consuming to shade each strand with a simple fine liner and map out an imagined logo through a grid system.

Sources of inspiration…

I primarily drew inspiration from a range of artists, including Australian artists, Brook Andrew, Peter Booth, Heather B Swann, Janet Laurence, Danie Mellor, Vernon Ah Kee, and Reko Rennie, and international artists Richard Long and Andy Goldsworthy. These artists informed my curation, theory, techniques and processes, and my approach to dismantling colonial symbols and spaces. The conceptual works were a result of theoretical ideas about collective identity, genocide, ecocide and other forms of colonial violence. Additionally, conversations with Uncle Robbie Thorpe and other research were significant points of inspiration. I was also inspired by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, Grimes and Kings of Leon as I worked to their music throughout the entire process, as well as Hannah Kent’s ‘Devotion.’

Materials and processes…

The painted pattern is composed of white triangles on a black background, layered in vertical lines. I painted this negative-positive pattern using textured paste to create the illusion of fabric. The structure was achieved using layered paper mâché, bubble wrap and two backing boards built around shelving. The two shelves hold branches painted with white acrylic paint that starkly contrast (Small components/conceptual experiments) – I decided to explore a variety of mediums to consolidate and resolve my theory, taking inspiration from artists I had researched, my travels, and a creative story I wrote for literature. My conceptual experiments incorporate elements of oil painting, collage, ink drawing, clay, cardboard and natural materials including a kangaroo skull and rocks. I set the works in box framed glass frames and used silicone to join them together in reference to a traditional cabinet display.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the research process to be the most engaging and intriguing part of creating my work as it greatly expanded my understanding and perspective of Australian history and, subsequently, modern Australia.

Working to a deadline was both rewarding and challenging as it encouraged a working framework that was simultaneously structured and stressful.

Sources of inspiration…

The manga comic Blue period by Tsubasa Yamaguchi about a teenage boy following his passion for art

Music has been a big inspiration for me as it often encapsulates a specific moment in time, experience or emotion which I enjoy

Mirrors, I have a very large wardrobe in my room with mirrors for doors, I have always enjoyed looking at things and seeing the beauty or meaning in the world and looking into this mirror has always sparked inspiration

Materials and processes…

I used a DSLR Nikon d3500 camera which I received as a birthday gift, it takes wonderful photos, in terms of process I used the camera’s 10 second timer a lot in order to help me take my photos in each position. I also used photoshop in order to edit my photos together into one united piece.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found I tended to over plan my photos until it was too much pressure to take them, so eventually I decided to just have fun with it and set my camera up and act natural. This really helped me get my idea out of my brain and into my photography accurately.

Sources of inspiration…

Norse & Celtic mythology

Evolution of femininity, from medieval to modern

Greek & Roman mythology/philosophy

Vikings & paganism

Materials and processes…

The drawing is comprised of 7 different Prismacolor pencils. I used these varying tones to gradually layer and transfer between colour before applying heavy rendering to achieve a realistic effect. This spectrum of colours were imperative in bringing intricate details to the surface and sculpting the shape of her figure. I also used two perspectives when viewing the artwork to judge the depth, lightness and transitions between tone and assert decisions. Close up inspections allowed me to follow through with minute details and define her features, while further distanced viewings allowed me to gauge the immediate focal points that viewers would see.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the process of drawing to develop as a form of meditation. Over the 3 months and 220 hours, the piece required complete attention and dedication against time constraints. Investing all my time into the project enabled me to expand my mind. I was able to take my mind to a space of tranquility and block out all thoughts and distractions. I have found this to be a place that I can return to for separation from everyday routines and connect with the present.

Sources of inspiration…

As explored as my influences, classical paintings inspire my work on a technical level, with my own development into realism and composition directly inspired by works like Rembrandt and Caravaggio on a technical level.

My own experiences and emotions about my art and hence my creative process, this artwork was a way for me to convey and express my own emotions and feelings about my artmaking and my art.

Viewing several artists’ own creative process through social media has influenced and inspired this piece, being able to share and convey my experiences in a similarly vulnerable and open way.

The music I listen to impacts my own creative process, by not only costuming the music but also viewing the posters, album art and other pop culture art that represents this art-form, all which can be seen in aspects of my artworks.

On a technical level I was influenced by classical painters, and the techniques and detail associated with them, using similar techniques and processes used by these artists to create my own artwork.

Consuming social media has impacted my own views on my art and creative process, by sharing not only my own processes, but with sharing others as well.

Materials and processes…

I used pre-stretched canvas, these were pre-gessoed as well. The sizes of the canvas used are 45cm x 60cm and 30cm x 40cm and 50cm x 50cm.

Acrylic paint and water were used for the underpainting, while oil paint and linseed oil were used for most of the piece.

This piece utilised several glazes and the techniques associated with that which were used to achieve the desired effect and colours on the piece.

Similarly on the larger canvas underpainting was used to unify the colour and match the tone throughout the piece. While layering was utilised on both canvases as well.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Due to the size and the desired amount of detail within the piece, it was challenging to tackle each area of the painting, as each of them required a slightly different skill and technique, using layers and angles to effectively communicate the light and the objects, whereas other areas called for more deliberate blending and colour mixing.

Given the timing of this piece, during unit 4 and the last term of year 12, it was interesting to see how the pressures of a time restraint impacted the final product, enhancing the viewers experience and understanding of this piece.

Sources of inspiration…

Sculptural/3D works: I was greatly inspired by the raw, bold, and natural yet unnatural works of Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, Alina Szapocznikow and Patricia Piccinini, and I found that they gave me the confidence to explore with materials and concepts that are uncomfortable/confronting to an audience. In addition to drawing inspiration from gum trees on my street.

Materials and processes…

Using pinkysil putty, I made a mold of the front of the log, then painted 3-5 thin layers of pigmented liquid latex into the mould and repeated this for each skin. I then made thin wire domes to prop the skin up when installing to personify them and build a sense of dimension and shape.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Interesting and challenging aspects – With each work, I was experimenting with mediums that I was not overly familiar with, making way for mistakes which meant that I had to pivot a lot. I found that making these mistakes made my works even better, as it challenged me to strip back, or add on layers to the works which in turn made me bring attention to what parts of the works were truly meaningful (revealing the works true nature). I find that when you remove a strict element of control in your art, you allow space for magic that is beyond the self to occur, as with each external element, it evolves into something beyond the confines of your initial conception of it.

Sources of inspiration…

I really love the works of Satoshi Kon, namely Perfect Blue and Paprika. His films are all surrealistic and utilise colour in such a beautiful and symbolic way. My artistic inspirations this year were Aya Takano, Amano Yoshitaka and Kay Nielson. Their works emphasise the use of line and while my final artwork does not emulate the elegant and thin linework of their styles, I explored different uses of line a lot throughout this year.

Materials and processes…

I used Flipaclip to animate this work. The main reason is because it’s free and I’ve gotten comfortable using it. My style is quite simplistic which makes this a perfect software to animate on, in my opinion. For some animations, namely the one of two figures merging and the hand digging into another hand, were first animated traditionally with pencil sketches then traced over and digitalised. I did this because I was experimenting with traditional animation, but ultimately chose to do everything digitally due to time constraints. I edited the video on CapCut, altering the colours and sharpening the linework.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

It’s hard to commit to something, especially because I decided to go for animation which requires a lot of dedication and time. It’s one thing to visualise an artwork, and another thing to execute it, and execute it well. I’m still not satisfied with how my work has come out, and I can think of many ways I could change it, and I can’t count how many times my dissatisfaction for the way my work is turning out has discouraged me to continue finishing it.

Sources of inspiration…

As explored as my influences, classical paintings inspire my work on a technical level, with my own development into realism and composition directly inspired by works like Rembrandt and Caravaggio on a technical level.

My own experiences and emotions about my art and hence my creative process, this artwork was a way for me to convey and express my own emotions and feelings about my artmaking and my art.

Viewing several artists’ own creative process through social media has influenced and inspired this piece, being able to share and convey my experiences in a similarly vulnerable and open way.

The music I listen to impacts my own creative process, by not only costuming the music but also viewing the posters, album art and other pop culture art that represents this art-form, all which can be seen in aspects of my artworks.

On a technical level I was influenced by classical painters, and the techniques and detail associated with them, using similar techniques and processes used by these artists to create my own artwork.

Consuming social media has impacted my own views on my art and creative process, by sharing not only my own processes, but with sharing others as well.

Materials and processes…

I used pre-stretched canvas, these were pre-gessoed as well. The sizes of the canvas used are 45cm x 60cm and 30cm x 40cm and 50cm x 50cm.

Acrylic paint and water were used for the underpainting, while oil paint and linseed oil were used for most of the piece.

This piece utilised several glazes and the techniques associated with that which were used to achieve the desired effect and colours on the piece.

Similarly on the larger canvas underpainting was used to unify the colour and match the tone throughout the piece. While layering was utilised on both canvases as well.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Due to the size and the desired amount of detail within the piece, it was challenging to tackle each area of the painting, as each of them required a slightly different skill and technique, using layers and angles to effectively communicate the light and the objects, whereas other areas called for more deliberate blending and colour mixing.

Given the timing of this piece, during unit 4 and the last term of year 12, it was interesting to see how the pressures of a time restraint impacted the final product, enhancing the viewers experience and understanding of this piece.

Sources of inspiration…

Max Dupain

Design and architecture

Formalism and Minimalism

Materials and processes…

Mirrorless DSLR

Adobe Photoshop: editing postproduction techniques involved editing my photos to achieve the playful feeling by manipulating the images to unconventional colours evoking a sense of whimsy

Epson pigment inkjet printer

Canson Edition Etching rag

Mounting photographs to layers of foam core

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I was determined to create a large-scale work, but this presented some challenges these included:

Needing a large volume of photographs to select from as I am very particular. This meant I had to keep going back into the city to complete more photoshoots to ensure I had enough variety of shots.

The weather also posed a problem as often it was overcast or raining which made it difficult to capture the shadows and clean images I wanted.

The volume of images that needed to be edited (more than 120 to be curated down to 99 for the artwork).

Sources of inspiration…

Dance inspires me, from classical ballet and ballroom to aerial silks, particularly in terms of composition, movement, and emotion. I admire the human body and its structure. Controversy is also a significant inspiration. Amid the multifaceted flames of wrath and passion, I find myself drawn to destruction and tragedy. The Just Stop Oil campaigns are a clear example, but thematically, I was especially interested in the dynamic between Western and cultural powers in art. Kehinde Wiley’s reinterpretation of Judith Beheading Holofernes influenced this perspective. Later, I wrote an essay reflecting on my interpretations and further understanding of Pinocchio, Pygmalion and Galatea, and Frankenstein. I’m inspired by the tension in these stories, particularly their depiction of the relationship between creator and creation—a meta-understanding that shapes my views as an artist.

Materials and processes…

I used oil paint for the majority of the work, drawing inspiration from dance forms like ballroom, ballet, and freestyle. Extensive research involved watching performances, attending ballet rehearsals, and sketching from life to capture natural, emotive poses. I experimented with gestural strokes using materials such as watercolor, charcoal, and pens, refining a loose, expressive style. Each pose was configured to mirror the silhouette of sunflowers, blending connotation and mimicry. The artwork thrives on this interplay, combining Van Gogh’s impasto impressionist strokes with my finer detailing. Renaissance and Mannerist compositions guided the structure, while Van Gogh’s style inspired sweeping, dynamic movements. After individually developing each character, I mapped the final composition using a charcoal transfer technique, creating a cohesive narrative.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

Choosing whether or not to display the work was a difficult decision. I spoke with environmentalists, recognizing the irony of exhibiting it in a gallery—a space that, from a Just Stop Oil perspective, symbolizes consumerism. Ultimately, I decided that the accessibility of the work outweighed its protest value. Initially, I envisioned it as a performance piece, recreating the protest to shock the audience into grasping its complexity. However, the vision proved too intricate to realize. I was reminded, “Art informs life; without life, there is no art.” This insight reinforced my choice to exhibit the artwork traditionally, focusing on engaging viewers with its layered message rather than staging a live performance.

Sources of inspiration…

Otto Dix’s In Memory of the Glorious Time (1923), specifically his illustrative style and grotesque subject matter inspired me to push boundaries within my own artwork.

Disturbing imagery from my favorite films, such as the character Chop Top from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. The grotesquery of such characters encouraged me to be daring, imaginative and unrelenting with the figures within my artwork.

Real people and typical characters from my own personal life, particularly those at my school.

The Door’s ‘People Are Strange’ further inspired me in creating the symbolic figures in the composition.

Materials and processes…

The materials used within this artwork consisted of calligraphy inks, in the colors black, sepia and gold. Using a calligraphy pen, with a fine nib, I was able to illustrate the various figures of the composition. Using calligraphy brushes and water, I was able to dilute the pigment of the inks and apply them to the artwork creating tone. Diluting ink with water and applying it with brushes enabled me to layer pigment, aiding in the creation of depth and shadows.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

What I found most interesting, but also rather challenging about creating my artwork included depicting characters from my daily life in a symbolic way. The creation of all the surrounding figures pushed me to think outside the box, stripping individuals to their bare qualities. For example, illustrating members of school cliques as monkeys, as they are primates, who similarly stick to their own groups.

Sources of inspiration…

This year we studied Picnic at Hanging Rock, which I think can have a critical narrative that’s relevant to Wood Song. In both cases, we bear witness to an imposition of Western structure upon a colonial subject: The scoresheet to the plywood, for example, can be considered a system of scale, tempo, and sequence, imposed onto that which has its own rhythm.

Materials and processes…

To begin the production of Wood Song, I stuck an adhesive textile onto each piece of plywood. Then, a laser cutter was used to print the scoresheet and text atop the adhesive textile. The graphic was engraved in a way that exposed the plywood by piercing the adhesive textile, which then allowed me to paint the text and scoresheet by stencil. After peeling the adhesive textile off, I used an axe to mark over the printed graphic. 

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I’m interested in the logic of a compressor. A machine that affects an audio signal by attenuating its peaks, and boosting its troughs; with this, dramatically reducing the dynamic range of a waveform. In effect, the elements of the source signal, that before had respective presences, at once become compacted into a single mass. What is interesting about this to me, is how this logic can be applied visually to achieve elusively. Between the two panels of Wood Song for example, there is a contrast between what can be considered an extremely compressed waveform and a dynamic waveform.

Sources of inspiration…

Phil Tippett’s ‘Mad God’

Giovanni Piranesi ‘Imaginary prisons’

Rembrandt’s religious etchings

Emily Dickinson’s ‘I felt a funeral in my brain.’

Galatians 2:20 “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me.”

Haruki Murakami ‘A wild sheep chase’

Jean Delville ‘The forgetting of passions”

Kazu Sano ‘The Relic’

A short film on YouTube called ‘Somnium’ by a channel called ‘Miro’.

Materials and processes…

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum.

I applied a technique involving horizontal carved lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of light, translating an image. Carving completed, I located a printing facility and purchased six sheets of paper, four thin Hahnemuhle sheets and two thicker sheets.

At the facility I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors.

Once inked, I printed the thinner sheets of paper, adjusting the pressure and subtracting blankets to achieve clearer registration, until a perfect registration was achieved.

I used a set of carving tools on a block of linoleum. I applied a technique that involves carving horizontal lines of varying thicknesses to generate concentrated areas of lighter and darker zones, translating an image. When printing I applied oil-based printing ink evenly onto the linoleum with a wide roller rolled in diagonal vectors. Once inked, I printed with thin sheets of Hahnemuhle paper, adjusting the pressure. For this work in particular my printing was finer than previous works, and my printing was done with a denser flatter pressing blanket, to register detail.

I used oil paint on canvas, and I began by sketching in charcoal on the primed canvas, before washing the canvas in a diluted layer of paint and then beginning in warm tones. After establishing values in warm tones, I dried the painting and then went in with the intended cool tones of the work.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work…

I found the physical intensity of the carving enthralling; it was engrossing and mindful.

Once I was in the process, I began seeing the world as made up of carved lines, creating tones of light and dark. The printing in contrast was highly technical and demanded conscientious repetition and careful precision. It made me alert and challenged me in a different way to carve.

I found the size of the work a double-edged sword, it was challenging to complete in short bursts of school periods due to its immensity.