Excellence in Carey Art and Design

Felicity McNamara

Production Design and Technology Teacher

Peter Schmidli

IB Visual Art Teacher

A range of exhibitions and events take place annually which showcase the incredible Year 12 creative work of the previous year. Carey is fortunate to be consistently represented in many of these by our talented students.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual Arts Exhibition showcases work from Victoria and Tasmania, and this year, Carey was once again well represented in this celebration of excellence. Five Carey students were selected for the exhibition: Jenny Zhao, Naimisha Talluri, Selina Zhang, Vivienne Cooney and Jas Knuppel.

Top Designs, held at the Melbourne Museum as part of the VCE Season of Excellence, exhibits outstanding work from Victorian students in VCE Product Design and Technology (PDT), Visual Communication Design (VCD), Media, Theatre and Systems Engineering.

This year, the works of four Carey students were selected to be exhibited, including Cordelia King’s work from VCD, and Hannah Gough’s, Eliza Cain’s and Max Shuttleworth’s work from PDT. Hannah, Eliza and Max made up a substatial three of only nine students in the Wood, Metal and Plastics category of PDT.

IB Visual Arts Exhibition

Among the selections was Jenny’s oil painting Old Gossip (pictured below), which also received the Principal’s Acquisition Prize last year. This beautifully executed piece reflects on Jenny’s childhood memories of her relatives in China reminiscing on old tales and gossiping as they drink tea and eat peanuts. The work shows an appreciation of such small mundane events in life which are manifestations of stability and happiness.

Old Gossip by Jenny Zhao.

Naimisha was represented by two of her oil paintings: Beyond Control and Threads of Time. These artworks explored her interest in the human condition, but, in particular, people’s collective experience of time. Her overall body of work explored the riddle of the unique human experience of time.

Selina’s No Standing (feature image) comprises original drawings and paintings that have been digitally layered, composed and refined. The artwork explores how our journeys are often influenced and restricted by predetermined pathways. The No Standing sign expresses how these journeys are typically conducted at breakneck speed, preventing us from slowing down and reflecting.

Vivienne’s Sunshine of My Life is a hopeful piece that explores the overcoming of mental illness. Incorporating cut paper and light, the piece draws on the symbolism of a repurposed sash window, observing freedom beyond the confinement of mental illness, the beauty of the outside world, light opposing dark and opening oneself to joy and happiness.

Jas explored the visual potential of reliefprinting techniques to great effect. Her artwork Disorder explored the nature of suburban life and the suburban sprawl’s impact on the natural environment.

Top Designs: VCE Visual Communication Design

VCD student Cordelia created an environmental design for a client who needed an affordable way of living in a small space. Her company, Multiform, looked at the tiny house movement and designed a double-storey home, showing technical drawings, floor plans and elevation views as well as a 3D model. Cordelia also presented the business branding and a logo for her company.

Screenshot of the Top Designs exhibition, including Max Shuttleworth’s The Shùttle desk (left) and Eliza Cain’s construction toy, BUILD Like a Girl! (back right).

Top Designs: VCE Product Design and Technology

Eliza’s work, BUILD Like a Girl!, looked at the issue of the low representation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) positions in Australia. Eliza investigated pre-school toys for children and developed a STEMrelated construction toy for three-yearold to five-year-old girls, with the aim of developing a love for STEM in early childhood (pictured above).

Max looked at the increase in highdensity housing in Melbourne. His design addressed the associated size limitations for furniture in small apartments. He created The Shùttle, a versatile modern foldable study desk for small spaces. He used new technologies such as a laser cutter, a 3D printer and a computer-controlled router to complete the piece (pictured above).

Hannah, inspired by her World Challenge trip to India, created The Lotus Bag, a multi-use bag made from recycled plastic bottles (pictured below). Based on the benefits of helping communities out of poverty with micro-businesses, Hannah’s project provides the tools and assembly instructions to people in developing countries, who could then make and sell their own.

Hannah Gough’s The Lotus Bag with assembly instructions.

The IB Visual Arts Exhibition took place between 13 February and 1 March. The Top Designs exhibition was set to open on 20 March, but it did not go ahead due to the COVID-19 restrictions. While the Melbourne Museum is temporarily closed, we are able to tour Top Designs from home and still celebrate the achievements of the amazing young artists and designers in our community.

These works can be viewed online at https://museumsvictoria.com.au/ melbournemuseum/learning/topdesigns-2020/