��������

Two �������� students, Daisy Hughes and Hannah Stanley have been selected to have their artwork exhibited at leading galleries in NSW.

Year 12 Visual Arts students are required to submit a Body of Work (BOW) as a component of the HSC examination. In this BOW they must demonstrate an understanding of artmaking as a practice and represent ideas and interests through the interpretation of subject matter across single or multiple expressive forms.

'What’s For Dinner?', created by Daisy, was selected as part of the exhibition at Bank Art Museum in Moree from 14 April - 25 June 2022. ARTEXPRESS is an annual exhibition celebrating student achievement as well as a high-quality teaching and learning resource representing best practice in visual arts education.

Hannah's piece, 'Bleached Relics (devolving)' was chosen to be a part of , an exhibition by The Museum of Art and Culture yapang, on display from 26 February to 8 May in Lake Macquarie. First Class 21 is a curated selection of the high calibre artworks produced at a wide range of schools stretching from the Hunter, Upper Hunter, and Central Coast regions. It gives young artists the chance to present their artwork in a gallery environment and to a wide audience.

We spoke with Daisy and Hannah who shared the story behind their two incredible works of art.

The inspiration behind the pieces

What’s For Dinner? - Daisy Hughes

“For my piece I wanted to paint my family. One of my first ideas was to do a portrait of every family member as the people they wanted to be when they were younger or their dream jobs. For example, my little sister wanted to be a professional horse rider, so I had the idea of painting a portrait of her in an equestrian uniform with ribbons, medals and awards."

"This idea then gave me another idea - painting portraits of my family as 18th century royalty. Finally, I landed on the idea to create one massive painting of my family set in the 18th century having dinner. The title 'What’s For Dinner?' reflects not only that there isn’t any food on the table, but also that my family isn’t very organised when it comes to dinner. Someone is always asking the question 'what’s for dinner?'"

Bleached Relics (devolving) - Hannah Stanley

“In the initial stages of planning and design, I considered themes of self and identity, brainstorming ways that I could explore my beliefs, challenges, desires and personality on a deep and more meaningful level. Other ideas around place, travel, social media, and relationships were all considered. But my focus always drifted back to concepts surrounding the environment and climate change."

"This topic might be considered cliché, but it had always been a passion of mine, a problem desperately in need of solving. This formed the basis of my piece. I was determined to explore it in a way that was both emotionally and intellectually stimulating, veering away from stereotypes and cliches to produce a work that was powerful and unique."

"In the end, my art explores the delicate balance between humans and nature. It reveals the devastating effects of human greed and ignorance on the natural world. The clay pieces represent a world bleached of colour, crumbling and fracturing due to anthropogenic activities such as burning fossil fuels that are destroying our world. The photographs then depict how our natural world responds in response to our mindless acts; floods, drought, fires.” 

Challenges along the way

“The painting took around 6 months to complete, and my biggest challenge was finding enough time. I also had two other major works I was doing which were also quite time consuming. I’m also a perfectionist, so even when I look at the finished piece I still think I could have done things a bit better if I wasn’t so rushed, however I’m still very happy and impressed that I was able to complete what I did in that small amount of time," explains Daisy.

“As with all HSC major works, there were a few challenges along the way. From ideas being changed halfway through the process, to broken clay, the process was far from easy. Like my fellow peers, these challenges presented us with situations which we were forced to overcome, preparing us for future trials and tribulations,” added Hannah.

Being selected for exhibition

“I’m still trying to process the fact that my artwork was one of just fifty pieces chosen from across NSW. I was told by my art teacher at my formal that my piece had been accepted and I didn’t know what to think! I’m incredibly proud that I was selected. This has to be one of my best achievements. I worked hard on my piece and feel I portrayed my family’s personality the best way I could. My family is my whole world, and they mean so much to me, so what better way to show my love for them than by painting us all as 18th century royals,” shared Daisy.

“Being chosen as part of the First Class Exhibition is a huge honour. I didn’t believe my work was of quality or standard to be considered, so receiving that email came as a huge surprise and shock. I am so grateful that the coordinators of the First Class Exhibition saw potential in my work. I am honoured to be able to spread my unique take on climate change alongside a multitude of talented artists from across the state,” said Hannah.

“To have two students’ HSC bodies of work chosen for exhibition is incredible. Producing a HSC body of work is a long and arduous process, often filled with moments of inspiration, exhilaration, frustration and disappointment. It’s a tremendous accolade for students to be chosen for inclusion in exhibitions such as ArtExpress and First Class 21. Exhibiting not only honours their talent and hard work during the HSC, but also provides students with the opportunity to experience first hand what many artists don’t have the chance to until well into their careers. We are so proud of Daisy and Hannah” said Linda Tebbs, Head of Visual Arts.