By Jesse Graham
The work of talented Yarra Ranges teenagers is being presented throughout February and March, with the council’s VCE Creative Showcase exhibition opening in coming weeks.
The showcase will feature the work from 2016 students’ VCE art and studio art classes in two exhibitions, at Mooroolbark Community Centre’s Red Earth Gallery and Upwey’s Burrinja Cultural Centre.
The Mooroolbark exhibition, which runs from 14 February until 27 March, will have work from Billanook College, Healesville High School, Lilydale Heights College, Lilydale High School, Little Yarra Steiner School, Mount Evelyn Christian School and Yarra Hills Secondary College students.
The Upwey exhibition, which will run from 18 February to 19 March, will have work from Belgrave Heights Christian School, Emergald Secondary College, Mater Christi College, Monbulk College, Mountain District Christian School, Sherbrooke Community School, St Joseph’s College and Upwey High School.
The Mail received a preview of the show from five exhibiting students on Tuesday, 31 January – film photographer and former-Monbulk College student, Josh Starick, will display his film photography work.
“The theme was lost,” he said.
“Silver gelatin (printing) is a medium that’s sort of been lost over time, I guess.
“Not so much now,” he added.
Mr Starick, who hopes to do a Bachelor of Fine Arts at university, said his work was “experimental”, and used an enlarger in a darkroom to layer his photos.
MECS student, Rachel Wilson, will also display photography work, though hers was shot digitally and uses a woman in a wedding dress in dark environments to explore the idea of reality.
“It’s kind of like, within the ugly world, people create a beautiful situation,” she said.
Little Yarra student, Rebecca Andre, meanwhile, used resin, acrylic paint and spray paint to create pieces to resemble water in its different forms, and display its importance.”
“I was looking for something that was really universal … and I thought water really fitted that, because we all use it every day for heaps of things, and it’s so important for life and the economy, and religion and culture,” she said.
“In the first world, we don’t really think about it – we turn on the tap and it comes out.
“You’re not really conscious of it, so I really just tried to impart its importance and its beauty.”
MDCS’ Belinda Schroder will exhibit her fine art pieces, created using watercolour, pen and paper – her intricate works, often depicting faces, discuss the idea of hidden thoughts.
“Basically, how you keep your deepest thoughts, and things like that, to yourself,” she said.
“I especially … value that privacy and the actual action of revealing, concealing the on-goings of your mind.”
Upwey student Sam Sharam, will display light boxes made using coloured resin, which will project light into the exhibition space.
She added a personal side to the works, drawing inspiration, composition or colours from photos she had taken at the beach to create the boxes.
“Whether it was from the colour palette or the composition of the photos … they’re all drawn from specific photos,” she said.
“It’s more about immersive environments – so an audience within a work – rather than just viewing it.”
The Mooroolbark exhibition officially opens at 6pm on Thursday, 16 February at the Mooroolbark Community Centre in Brice Avenue. The Upwey exhibition opens on Friday, 17 February at 6pm.
Visit www.yarrarangesvic.gov.au/vceshowcase for more information.
