Welcome to the Ascham 2020 HSC Bodies of Work catalogue where our girls have certainly proven their artistic and innovative talents.

This year’s exhibition displays the work of 41 Visual Arts students whose variety of practice encompasses the media areas of drawing, painting, printmaking, photomedia, textiles and film. Each student has selected three artworks from their entire body of work.

The work the girls have produced exemplifies a close working relationship between themselves and their teachers and is the consequence of many months of refinement, persistence and sheer hard work.

Edwina Anderson

Biological Connections

My body of work explores the biological diversity of various cells, captivating the similarities of cellular components. These biomorphic forms allow me to play with relationships between colour, shape and line. Each print encompasses a different microscopic cell, detailing the complexities of distinctive microorganisms and rhythm of life.

Chessie Aron

Eutierria

If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere. – Vincent van Gogh

My body of work explores the personal and spiritual connections I have with my natural environment. Through actively and mindfully photographing my local surroundings, I found myself discovering the magnificence that nature radiates. The ambiguous depiction of textures throughout my artwork enhances the true emotional power that even the most minute details in nature embody.

Julia Aslan

The Rupture of Self

My body of work explores individuals’ exterior and interior worlds. People often hide their inner thoughts and feelings as a defence mechanism to shield vulnerabilities. My photographs depict the subjects in their intimate thoughts of subliminal self, symbolically tearing away their epidermis to expose their raw and unprotected souls.

Isabella Ayres-Munro

One Moment in Movement

‘All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living.’ – Martha Graham

My body of work celebrates the female form in motion. The imagery used in my collages has been sourced from library archives and personal collections to explore the passion and physical expression of Australian women. Through whimsical compositions, my artwork reveals moments of women making every movement count.

Sally Barton

Illuminated Vignettes

My body of work is a series of family portraits exploring identity, set in our home at Baragonumbel. By using projections of photographs from my family’s lives, their portraits delve into moments of time and places that have impacted them. These projected images display how identities are constructed through experiences that affect us, as well as the places we grow up in.

Olivia Beaumont

Under the Scope

My grandfather worked on the Great Barrier Reef researching the effects of global warming on the coral colonies. The impact has been devastating, with once vibrant, colourful organisms transformed into bleached, skeletal remains. The ocean is heating up and the ice caps are melting and we are feeling the effects in Australia. My body of work highlights the beautiful forms, colours and textures of the coral and contrasts this with their evolution into dry, brittle, bleached shells.

Pippa Bell

Memories of Life in North Queensland

My body of work explores the nostalgic connection between physical objects and an emotional response. The everyday tools of my grandmother’s childhood have remained timeless, while her human form has aged. These cherished objects have transformed into memorials of her youth, creating a powerful sense of connection and knowledge, that, in turn, is passed down to the next generation.

Carson Biddle

Ephemory

My body of work seeks to transport the audience to a distant memory, partly erased, hazy, in the back of their mind. This series of windows explores the notion of trace—moments and objects that hold emotion and significance yet are simultaneously disregarded and forgotten. A fragmented vanitas of life’s debris seeks to question our sense of permanence and mortality.

Alexandra Brand

A Dying Art

With the current extinction rate approximately five thousand times higher than what would occur naturally, the degree of biodiversity being lost on earth has never been greater. Colourful, whimsical and graceful creatures are disappearing before our eyes as cities rise up in their place, undoing nature’s meticulous threads of evolution and reducing our wildlife to nothing more than museum specimens.

Zara Broinowski

Compositions 1, 2 and 3

Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot see physically with his eyes. – Arshile Gorky

Inspired by Abstract Expressionism, my body of work seeks to capture the vastness of the Australian landscape, creating an immersive environment abundant in sentiment. Each collection captures the importance of water for those who live close to the land. These images seek to transport the viewer to an unknown yet familiar terrain, where they are bestowed a view of the earth’s beauty and pain.

Heidi Collett

Westray

My body of work explores my family’s personal connection to the landscapes of the region of Peak Hill, located in the Central West. My subject matter is found in the natural world and heavily focuses on the everyday circumstances of people living in rural communities. Watercolour allows me to capture a sense of atmosphere and to symbolically communicate ideas about the struggle of Australians during a time of extreme drought.

Alexandra Cooke

O.M.G. (Organisms Modified Genetically)

My body of work is a symbolic representation regarding the innocent manipulation of an organism’s genetics and the exploitation of species for human benefits and economic gain. A modern meat chicken is double the size of a chicken from 60 years ago, and pigs’ genetics are manipulated and tampered with to breed organs for human transplants. O.M.G.—is this where our future is going, and will humans be next?

Madison Cooney

Corpus Terrae

My body of work explores the symbolism of dreams that fascinated the Surrealists and their artistic descendants. The composite images, like the morphing nature of dreams, explore connections between us in our physical bodies, the natural and built world around us and the universe that we are intrinsically part of. Through the juxtaposition of uncanny images that both confront and intrigue the audience, this series is both human yet alien, uncomfortable yet familiar.

Xanthe Fenwicke

Old Nubrygyn

My body of work explores my connection with my grandparents and the experiences I have had staying at their property. My grandparents are important to me and I have enjoyed visiting their property throughout my childhood. One of my key memories is spending time with the animals and my body of work reflects the sometimes-humorous antics and mischievous playfulness of their individual personalities.

Cara Hersov

Volatile Symbiosis

My body of work aims to portray the beautiful yet destructive relationship between the man-made environment and the natural environment. The paradox of this volatile symbiosis indicates that they both have the capacity to destroy each other. This is manifested in natural disasters that destroy man-made constructions and humanity that is causing devastation through ignorance and greed.

Kemana Karpati

Connecting to Culture

The visual manifestations of culture are celebrated in my body of work as a series of four storyboards. Each collection makes visible a young woman’s story—their family, history, customs and the cultural fabric of their identity. Drawing from the practice of contemporary photographer Camila Falquez, the work blends digital and analogue techniques, blurring the lines between high art and editorial photography in order to illuminate culture in a contemporary context.

Nina Lane

Revered

My body of work is a realisation of the extremely remarkable culture of Italy, steeped in the arts, architecture, food, and music of centuries of preservation. As the epicentre for the Renaissance and as the homeland of the ancient Roman Empire, modern-day Italy presents an extraordinary relationship between the old and the new. For this reason, is it one of the most culturally rich places and revered by the world as one of our wondrous treasures.

Kate Ledger

Wear Your Feelings

My work explores psychological emotions of the human mind displayed in a physical form. The most challenging part of mental illness is the intangible nature feelings have, and more importantly, the way in which society fails to understand things they cannot see. I have attempted to embody the emotions that I have endured myself throughout my own mental health journey, in wearable forms, in an effort to show the grasp that emotions have on the body and the chaos of one individual’s mind.

Natalie Leroy

Mind of My Own / Journey

In my body of work, I take the viewer on a journey through my world. I use animation to distort the everyday and challenge the audience’s conceptualisation of their surroundings. By juxtaposing realistic aspects with the imaginative, I show the interaction of objects and ideas that are beyond the ordinary – watch the video.

Eleanor Lonergan

Stories for Girls

The stories we hear as children help shape us as adults. They hold power in their ability to shape ideas and therefore have great responsibility. Too often they reduce women to idiocy or the source of all evil, thus forming the origins of misogyny and sexism. Kitsch objects in bright, commercial, Pop Art colours illustrate these bedtime stories, exposing these portrayals of women through the lens of a child.

Francesca Markham

Touched

This body of work seeks to illuminate the intricacies of the coastal environment, which is alive with visual reminders of the impact of the elements and of time. The series develops from natural erosion to digital manipulation, highlighting the ever-increasing fingerprint of humanity and asking the audience to consider, what is their own imprint? Is nature perfect as is? Where on the spectrum do they lie? And ultimately, can we have a positive impact?

Jemma Maskin

Dissolving Oceans

My body of work explores the destruction of our oceans as a direct result of human intervention. By presenting the audience with imagery symbolising the deterioration of our marine environments, I explore the detrimental effects of human presence which has led to this devastation. Can humanity find a path away from our current course of destruction?

Ava McClure

Without my Armour

Clothing is more than items we wear to keep warm or to cover up. Clothing creates an image and therefore a story to project to the rest of the world. Religion, occupation, age, social norms and personality all influence the way people choose to represent themselves. Clothing is a way of transforming the uniformity of nakedness into a personal statement. My body of work explores how people choose to portray themselves.

Manon McDermott

The Great Escape

Nothing thicker than a knife’s blade separates happiness from melancholy. – Virginia Woolf

My body of work explores the archetype of female entrapment found throughout history, embodied by the fictional character Deloris Lockhart. Trapped in an unwanted life, Deloris plans her escape and embarks on a journey to discover her dream self and eventually, fulfilment. The photographs are an exploration of the trials and tribulations of reaching for your dream identity.

Bella McGrath

Embodied

The human condition—creativity, courage, passion, fragility—is often metaphorically embodied. This series of works gives flesh to our humanity and illuminates how we physically and spiritually hold our humanity. Encouraged to connect the dots in my body of work, the viewer will explore the light and dark within us all.

Claire McLachlan

Bloodline

My body of work is a surreal portrait of my family and the environments that have shaped their identity. My family home at Hillview is used as a site to explore our history and connection. By visually responding to the notion of family being an essential cell of human society, my artwork focuses on the importance of our bloodline.

Alexandra McLaughlin

Renegade Rodeo

The animals used in rodeos are captive performers. Most are relatively tame, but understandably distrustful of humans because of the harsh treatment that they have received, removing them from their natural habitats and social structures. They have been confined to restrictive environments that deprive them of mental and physical stimulation. Centuries of humans facilitating this abusive dependence is reflected in rodeo culture. In my body of work, renegade animals have deserted their cause and defied convention.

Nina Mehigan

“Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability”

Drawing inspiration from the artist Helen Chadwick’s work, Viral Landscapes, my body of work attempts to reconcile science with personal experiences of healing. My artworks make use of juxtaposition of images to explore identity and cultural heritage. I am deeply interested in how medicine can heal a broken identity and sense of self, which can be impacted by the debilitating nature of disease.

Lucy Murray

Portrait of Woman, I-IV

My body of work is a portrait of multigenerational women in my family. My photographs explore the shifting societal values that have shaped these women’s lives. My artwork explores moments of connection and difference with lived experience and how identities are never fixed and constantly changing.

Ellen Regan

Alone Together

To be by yourself is not to be alone. This series documents people at ease, in their element, alone. I started capturing people in this state before the COVID-19 pandemic saw the enforcement of isolation and social distancing, and strangely was able to continue and even develop under the new restrictions. The contrast of black and white echoes the contemplative state of individuals as they return to the simple things in life.

Alexandra Renwood

Disquietude

We are most often frightened than hurt, and we suffer more from imagination than reality. – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

My body of work reveals how anxiety can manifest in the everyday lives of myself and others. Through exploring surreal scenarios that represent the lived experiences of having anxiety, these photographs reveal the emotional and physical turmoil that stems from this condition.

Katie Salerno

It leaves a mark…

Through intimate portraiture, my body of work seeks to reveal the shared human experience of pain and suffering through the action of mark-making. Each portrait explores how different people embody this anguish and, through the superimposed painting, how this feeling might be expressed. Through a series of unique images that highlight raw emotion through pose, expression and mark, my work aims to create a deep response within the viewer.

Phoebe Silverton

Home

To many, the space of a home provides comfort and belonging—a sanctuary within the current of our everyday lives. So, where do we seek refuge when our home is of continual uncertainty? My body of work alludes to the ephemeral sense of ‘home’ experienced by those residing on the streets. Employing the fragile canvas of cardboard boxes, I aim to challenge the abodes of safety which we as fortunate audiences are accustomed to, and evoke a renewed appreciation for the walls that innately protect and reassure us.

Lucinda Stening

Blurred Reminiscence

Like old photographs, memories fade in quality over time. My work explores the relationship between my mother’s vintage photographs and the altered, blurred memories created by them. In turn, my blurred painting technique explores ideas about adolescence. I am interested in the fleeting nature of memories. My paintings have a postcard quality to mark the significance of time and place.

Lili Tisch-Bostock

Cyclical Growth

My body of work explores the development that occurs in humans from infancy to adulthood, with a focus on the emotional and psychological growth that takes place. While humans progress through general stages of maturation, each individual acquires their own subjective beliefs and perspectives, informed by personal experiences over the course of their life.

Emilie Trevallion

To Dine in on Life

My body of work explores the deep-rooted nature of my family unit, by taking a journey down the path of my heritage. The plate symbolises a repository for memories, highlighting the importance of family gatherings as it establishes a collective time for unification.

Phoebe Turner

States of Flux

My body of work explores the multifaceted ways we experience reality. In our contemporary world we live alongside our fears and anxieties and these are subconsciously revealed in our everyday actions. Through the juxtaposition of mundane daily routines with hyperchromatic truthscapes, my artwork reveals the world around us in all its glory and gloom.

Izzy Vasudeva

Another Brick in the Wall

A character in my body of work leads the viewer through the colourful alleyways of the city, to meet a variety of creatures that emerge from graffiti. The series visually explores the culture and practice of street art, appropriating the work of its artists to celebrate the form. Through photographing, painting over and digitally editing East Coast graffiti, I have added to the transient and layered nature of this artform.

Adelaide Wennerbom

Depleting

My work explores the effects of coral bleaching through the depiction of coral in printmaking and painting. The colour, black, is symbolic of the loss of life as the coral is bleached. Growing up on the east coast of Australia, the ocean has been a major aspect of my young and current life, which is why protecting and preserving coral reefs is so important to me.

Lara Wolff

Tennō — Heavenly Sovereign

According to Japanese Shinto myth, the imperial family is descended from the gods themselves. In my body of work, I explore this association between the leaders of Japan and the goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu, and how it impacted and led to the committing of several war crimes in World War II. In particular, I explore the atrocities of the Massacre of Nanking and the denial of any wrongdoing by Japanese leaders that followed.

Sarah Woods

The People of Pipiriki

The Woods family is displayed through six unique portraits side by side in unity. The relaxed facial expressions portray each individual in a mysterious manner. The meaning of these drawings is fluid. This allows the audience to create their own narrative about personality and life experiences. My body of work explores the idea that we have separate identities, yet as a family we are still inevitably bonded.