DCA Art Competition Catalogue 2023 - Heroes and Leaders

ART COMPETITION 2023

INTRODUCTION

Thank you to all the wonderfully creative people that took part in our art competition, it is now in its second year. This unique competition is dedicated to supporting, promoting and nurturing young deaf and hard of hearing people in their pursuit of creativity and self expression. We invited 8 to 23 year olds across Australia to submit art in a variety of formats to the theme 'Heroes and Leaders'.

THE JUDGING PANEL

We invite you to experience how each artist creatively executed the theme, 'Heroes and Leaders'.

We are delighted with the response to the competition, with a total of 15 taking part.

We would like to thank and acknowledge our wonderful judges:

Irene Holub

Angie Goto

Sue Jo Wright

Learn more about our judges on our website - Art Competition

Deaf Children Australia (DCA) is delighted to have such highly regarded names from the art world take the time to review and provide feedback on the work submitted. It is always difficult to make a decision about who wins. However, the judges and the team at DCA share the view that it takes courage to put your creativity out into the world.

Congratulations to all who did and may we all get to enjoy more of your creativity through this art competition.

JUDGING CRITERIA

1. Interpretation and the clarity of the theme.

2. Creativity, uniqueness, and originality of the depicted theme.

3. Quality of artistic composition and overall design based on the theme.

4. Does the artwork stand on its own as a complete work of art?

HEROES AND LEADERS ART EXHIBITION

We are excited to be able to showcase all the art submitted this year in the Heroes and Leaders Exhibition at Gasworks Arts Park from 4 April to 7 May: 21 Graham Street, Albert Park

At a special event on 15 April at Gasworks Arts Park we will announce the winners and runners up of this years competition. The judges, our MC, Deaf actor and influencer, David Grant will help us support and celebrate the creative people that took part. The event will be live streamed via our Facebook and website from 2 to 4pm.

2024 ART COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT

DCA and our esteemed judges were excited to see the array of inspiring work submitted. We invite young people to continue to explore their creativity.

NEXT ART COMPETITION

The age categories will be:

8 to 11 years 12 to 17 years; and 18 to 23 years

Details will be announced in the coming weeks. Stay in touch via our website and social media. You can also email us at communications@deafchildren.org.au.

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HEROES AND LEADERS THE ENTRIES

CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

TOM HOLLAND

Archie Gionfriddo, VIC MY HERO - MY MUM

Hasas Abeygunawardana, VIC MY HERO IS MESELF PORTRAIT

Jamila Zubair, NT STEVE IRWIN’S HABITAT

Matilda Knaggs, QLD HOW CUBONE OVERCOMES HIS FEAR

Oisin Murphy, NSW PENCIL BOY

A GRAPHIC NOVEL

Remi Savic, NSW

CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

ASTRONAUT IN SPACE

Jeongyeon Choi, VIC SELF PORTRAIT: FAVOURITE THINGS

Liyana Patel, VIC THAKUN WINARR (EARTH WOMAN)

Shanae Jones, NSW MY HEROES, THE ALPHABET CITY OF THE FUTURE

Sion Takahashi, NSW

QUEEN OF OUR HEARTS

Valarie Kwik Hoei Cheng, WA

CATEGORY 18 TO 23 YEARS

SHE’S A FLOWER

Caitlin Pickering, VIC LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

Hayley Edgar, VIC DAILY HEROES

Jaya Palmer, TAS

THE PARTS OF ME

Nicholas Layton, VIC

TOM HOLLAND

Archie Gionfriddo, VIC

CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. Spiderman.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. Webs and galaxies in the background.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why? Drawing with paint marker.

MY HEROMY MUM

Hasas Abeygunawardana, VIC CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. In my art work I am showing my mum as my hero and the leader in my world.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. I drew my mum putting her arms around me and my brother and looking forward. Mum is wearing a beautiful bright pink dress and wearing a crown like a princess as she is the hero and the leader to me and my brother. I selected bright colors to show that we are all happy and feeling loved. I am wearing bright red cochlear implants as my mum taught me to be proud of my Deaf identity.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

My art work is a drawing and painting. I think I can illustrate my heromy mum - better this way.

MY HERO IS MESELF PORTRAIT

Jamila Zubair, NT CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. My artwork reminds me of what I have been through. In August 2022 I had cochlear implant surgery. It had already been cancelled in February because of Covid19 and May because I had the flu. It was a DIFFICULT year.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. My idea is that I am my own hero because 2022 had been difficult, disrupted and draining. But now I am learning to hear.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why? Drawing.

STEVE IRWIN’S HABITAT

Matilda Knaggs, QLD CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. Steve Irwin is a great Australian wildlife hero.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. The theme is where Steve would feel most at home.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why? Painting, it is something I wanted to try.

Anything else you’d like to add? This is my first real attempt at oil painting. I have also added some animals if you look closely.

HOW CUBONE OVERCOMES HIS FEAR

Oisin Murphy, NSW

CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. When Cubone looks up at the moon it sees an image of it’s host mother but when it evolves it must overcome it’s fears.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why? Drawing.

PENCIL BOY A GRAPHIC NOVEL

Remi Savic, NSW

CATEGORY 8 TO 11 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. Pencil Boy is a hero who is not afraid to reveal his true identity. Pencil Boy is a hero because he helps people using his pencil and creativity. Anything he draws comes to life, which helps him save the day.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. This is Pencil Boy’s origin story. Ryan Dexternose is autistic like me and loves to draw. His pencil gets its powers after it is put in a Powerinator. When the Powerinator explodes, the pencil is blown into Ryan Dexternose’s head while he was imagining what things would be like if what he drew came to life. But Pencil Boy’s superhero powers don’t just come from his favourite pencil. His unique brain has powers of creativity and imagination.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

This is a 39 page graphic novel. It combines my interests in reading, drawing and storytelling.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I would like to have this book published because I have wanted to be an author for a very long time.

To view the complete artwork click here.

ASTRONAUT IN SPACE

Jeongyeon Choi, VIC CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. I addressed my artwork to this year’s theme Heroes and Leaders by drawing Neil Armstrong. He was the first person to walk on the moon. He is extremely brave, smart, resilient and confident. All of these are characteristics of being a hero.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. My idea of my art was to draw an astronaut suit and show space around it. I also drew the moon and drew Apollo 11. Neil Armstrong is a hero because he was fearless and went to space. It shows how much his journey inspired humans to continue space exploration with his famous quote, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

I submitted a digital artwork because digital art is far more accessible and anyone can use it with the right application. This means that anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I researched facts and images about the mission to the Moon to help me with my drawing. This helped improve my skills in digital art. Thousands of scientists, chemists, researchers, engineers and support from people helped Neil Armstrong get launched into space and be the first man to walk on the Moon. The artwork shows the success of Neil Armstrong and the spaceship, Apollo 11 in space.

SELF PORTRAIT: FAVOURITE THINGS

Liyana Patel, VIC CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. Please see the back of my artwork. I have used symbols, like artist Kate Beynon, to represent different parts of myself and people in my life I consider to be heroes and leaders. Kate Beynon is a Melbourne artist, who does workshops at the Geelong Art Gallery and uses a lot of symbols to represent her cultural heritage and tell the story of who she is in her art. I like her art work.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. I was not sure what this meant originally and had to do a lot of Auslan and English work to understand this idea. I had a PAH moment, and worked out how I could represent this and these people in my life through symbols.

The L is for my sign name. I like netball, with a symbol in it from my favourite anime character, it represents my power. The art brushes are for my teachers, I have learnt a lot about Australia and English language through art. The football is for my deaf friends who have no fear and get out and play hard. The CFA has been important since I moved to Australia - there have been bush fires and floods, they are real heroes in our community.

My hair is fire and water - for my family, they are hearing, I cannot communicate at home, it makes me feel mixed emotions, I want them to learn Auslan so I can talk with them and they understand me. There are many symbols in my artwork with personal meanings that tell you a bit about who I am.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

It is collage. It took me 5 weeks to make in the Deaf Facility.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I hope you like it. It is my favourite subject, I am shy to enter.

THAKUN WINARR (EARTH WOMAN)

Shanae Jones, NSW

CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. My artwork represents the Wailwan women in my town. These women are a great inspiration in supporting my artwork and my love of the environment.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. I wanted to explore how the environment relates to Wailwan women, to our country, and how they take care of the land and pass their knowledge on.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

I have submitted a painting as I am able to express my ideas more effectively.

Anything else you’d like to add? My artwork’s name is in Wailwan language.

MY HEROES, THE ALPHABET CITY OF THE FUTURE

Sion Takahashi, NSW

CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. Because the hero of my paintings is always the Alphabet.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. My hero, Alphabet, is living happily with other creatures and robots in a city in the future.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

Painting, I like both digital art and painting, but my base is hand drawn and hand painted.

Anything else you’d like to add?

In the city of the future, everyone works together to build the city, the streets, and they live there together in harmony, happily and peacefully.

QUEEN OF OUR HEARTS

Valarie Kwik Hoei Cheng, WA CATEGORY 12 TO 17 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. This artwork consists of a well known Leader and Hero who has sadly passed. Princess Diana was an amazing humanitarian who has helped and personally supported people in less fortunate countries through charity and spreading awareness. She was very ‘down to earth’ and a person many can look up to.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. The meaning of ‘Heroes’ is when you have a person you can look up to and respect. While a ‘Leader’ brings out the best in other people through their guidance. I wanted to choose someone who was a clear example of this theme and show people of her kindness and compassion for other people in the background of the painting.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

I have submitted a water colour painting as I felt like the texture of the water colour can give her a sense of gentleness and brilliance.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I have only found out about Princess Diana through friends who showed so much love and support for her.

SHE’S A FLOWER

Caitlin Pickering, VIC CATEGORY 18 TO 23 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. When I think about who my Heroes are, I think of my family and friends. They’ve guided me, taught me, helped me, cared for me, loved me etc. And just like flowers, when being looked after properly with love, you’ll grow beautiful. And because I’ve been surrounded by people I love and who loved me back, I’ve grown more wiser and more knowledgeable about the world today with yet a lot more things to learn from them.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. I was trying to work out how I could paint my perspective on this theme on a canvas. It took days of thinking, but when I visited a friend in Mildura, I saw all the fruits and veggies growing on the farm. I’ve thought about how growing plants like that must mean you have to nurture it like it’s a newborn baby. And so I’ve scrolled online for ideas until I’ve came across a bunch of pictures that almost matched with what I had in mind. I was picturing myself as a little flower, being protected and looked after by friends and family like a Hero would do.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

I’ve submitted a painting, as personally I feel it would be the easiest way I could bring my ideas to life. Painting is something I’m not very good at, but it’s a hobby of mine that I wish to improve on.

LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

Hayley Edgar, VIC CATEGORY 18 TO 23 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. My artwork addresses the theme of Heroes and Leaders as it explores those who I consider heroes and leaders, specifically in Australian media and creative arts. My art is of me looking into a mirror, admiring heroes and leaders in the hopes to follow in their footsteps.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. I wanted to explore those who I look up to and admire as that’s what I consider to be a hero to me. I decided to draw 5 people as this made the image look symmetrical. I chose these people as they inspire me and give me hope for achieving my dreams. Nathan Borg as he was the first Deaf Australian actor to be on Australian TV with a cochlear implant as I want to be an Australian actor too. Emma Watkins as she is a strong Deaf ally, bringing Auslan to children in a fun, engaging way, something I would have loved as a child and Auslan is really important to me, growing up oral. Olivia Beasley as she is an inspiring Deaf artist and actor and I aspire to be like her. Aspyxia as she is the author of Future Girl, which is being adapted into a tv show, creating and providing positions for Deaf artists within the film industry, changing the future of Australian media series. Chloe Hayden, the first Australian autistic female to play an autistic roll in Australian tv and a strong advocate as I too am autistic, I admire her role in changing the media’s representation of autism. To make this piece mine, I chose to use my favourite quote from my favourite character from Grey’s Anatomy, Amelia Shepherd as I view her as an incredible, strong leader and she is empowering, thus I included her quote and positioned myself in the super hero pose.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

Digital drawing - I used Procreate to create this artwork.

Anything else you’d like to add?

In my work I want to demonstrate Deaf Pride, showcasing hearing aids and cochlear implants in bright, fun colours to illustrate that they should not be hidden and made to blend in, hence I made sure my coclear implant was visible and used a bright teal colour, that matches the top.

DAILY HEROES

Jaya Palmer, TAS

CATEGORY 18 TO 23 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. My artwork addresses the theme Heroes and Leaders by making a collection of portraits of the Heroes and Leaders in my life. I wanted to include a number of significant people who have impacted my life in a positive way, although certainly not limited to this group. I used colour to represent the layers of colours these people have added to my life.

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. When thinking about the theme Heroes and Leaders, I had the idea that my life is full of heroes and leaders that have supported and helped me to grow into the person I am today. I am thankful for my hearing and deaf friends of all ages, some I have known my entire life and they have all made me feel loved, appreciated and included. The other heroes and leaders in my life are the exceptional Teachers of the Deaf and Speech Pathologists. These people helped me with language and learning and supported me through school.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

I have submitted a digital artwork because it has become a favourite medium for me for drawing. I love the versatility and the ability to be able to easily correct and adjust my work as I progress without having to start all over again. I also love the ease of being able to share my work quickly, immediately and over great distance.

THE PARTS OF ME

Nicholas Layton, VIC CATEGORY 18 TO 23 YEARS

Tell us how your artwork addresses this year’s theme: Heroes and Leaders. The Parts of Me depicts the theme Heroes and Leaders through self portraits of the people I consider to be my greatest influencers. The roles they each play has helped me grow as a person. To me, they’re not just family or friends, they are my heroes and leaders (written in the bottom left hand corner).

Tell us about the ideas your art explored with the theme: Heroes and Leaders. The themes explored in addition to ‘heroes and leaders’, include family. A majority of the self portraits are images of my close family members (sister, mother, father, grandmother and grandfather). The rest include my swimming coach, who I believe has made a huge positive impact not only in the pool, but in my life. At the bottom-middle of the page there are some students of Mentone Grammar (the school that I went to) carrying the Drinan house flag depicting the house mascot, a dragon.

The dragonfly (top left corner) represents those that have passed and indirectly would’ve had an impact on my character. The 3 butterflies (middle right) represents the Deaf community, since butterflies are deaf insects.

What type of artwork have you submitted and why?

White charcoal drawing on black paper.

I think it’s a unique type of artwork and the reason I did it is to create a symbolism out of it. The black paper represents emptiness and darkness, meanwhile the white charcoal is used to ‘brighten’ the display, conveying the idea of how much they’ve made an impact in my life, how they each helped me find my identity (thus there’s a portrait of myself) in the empty space.

4 APRIL TO 7 MAY | ART EXHIBITON

#deafchildrenaustralia_art | #dca_art

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