A ROOM OF HER OWN

ULIETTE COMES from Gerringong on the South Coast of NSW, and completed her HSC at Kiama High School in 2022. While most of her friends opted to attend the nearby University of Wollongong, Juliette felt that the fine arts teaching available at the University of Sydney would better suit her diverse interests. She is now in her first year of a combined Bachelor of Visual Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies, majoring in Ancient History. Juliette first heard about Women’s College from her mother, alumna Alison [CLISSOLD: 1989-92].

Juliette in her bedroom in Langley. The wall collage in the background has travelled with her as she has moved over the years.

This is a little succulent that I bought at the Glebe markets not long after I moved into College. I haven’t had much time to explore Sydney yet beyond the university, except for [adjacent suburbs] Glebe and Newtown. I love how everything is so accessible here! I can walk to get everything I need right near the uni.

My ‘to read’ pile is getting bigger. I like Sally Rooney and I love Japanese art and music like [the singer] Mitski, so I’m reading some new books by Japanese novelists. A Room of One’s Own is up there too. I’m finding College to be really good. Everyone here is lovely, and I’ve met a lot of people on the same wavelength. No one from my school is here, but it’s great to know that lots of us are in the same boat. I’ve made friends with people from Tasmania, from Bathurst, from overseas.

This is a portrait I made in Year 12 from a photo of my sister as a baby. I always liked painting, but in the Visual Arts program we get to rotate through a different medium every three months. The rose I took from the table setting for the Galentine’s picnic party we had on the front lawn to celebrate the end of Welcome Week and all the second and third years coming back to College.

My best friend from school did photography for the HSC and I was her model. This is part of the collage I’ve made for my wall. I’ve moved a few times in the last couple of years but I re-create this collage in my bedroom every time I move. The drawings are in oil pastels and willow charcoal – I did them at Women’s. There are also some posters from Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away. The stickers are from Fair Day in Victoria Park. I went with some of the other students from my Langley corridor.