Budding Artists 

Congratulations to Jett Leduc, current Year 12 student and Art Captain, who has been selected for the prestigious Top Arts 2024 exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.

This is a remarkable achievement, as Jett’s work was selected whilst completing Units 3 & 4 VCE Art Making & Exhibiting as a Year 11 student in 2023. Jett undertook this course with the guidance of Mr Haskins, who undoubtedly played a crucial role in mentoring her throughout her creative process.

Jett’s digital pigment prints, Dora (FLORA - above) and Skye (FAUNA - below) were both shortlisted and selected from a pool of 1100 entries. As described in her artist statement, Jett explores the relationship between identity and environments, photographing individuals with whom she has a connection with in some form. Stripping away emotional influences such as colour, Jett uses monochromatic tones, forcing viewers to focus on the subject matter within – the expression, the placement and the environment. Through this, meanings are formed. She invites the viewer to create their own story. 

Top Arts provides a platform for the budding artists of our state to showcase their talent, passion and ingenuity. It’s a testament to Jett’s dedication and hard work that she has earned this opportunity. 

Jett's work can be viewed at the National Gallery of Victoria from March 14th.

We also celebrate the achievements of Units 3&4 VCE Art Making & Exhibiting students, whose artworks have been selected as part of the Art Gallery of Ballarat NEXTGEN 2024 exhibition. 

Congratulations to Haylee Canfield Culley; The Dead, The Living and The In-between, Sean Cummings; An Abattoir, Jasmine Goon; Degeneration Nation, and Jett Leduc; Dora (FAUNA), for having their artworks selected from a pool of students across regional Victoria.

At the NEXTGEN awards ceremony, Audrey English received an Honourable Mention for her photorealist pencil drawing titled Consumption. Audrey’s work embodies ideas of consumerism, particularly in relation to the impacts of popular culture. In her work, she emphasises this through the repetition of objects, such as food packaging, through various stages of consumption. We congratulate Audrey on her remarkable achievement.

NEXTGEN 2024 is currently on show at the Art Gallery of Ballarat until April 24.

Please enjoy some photographs of the NEXTGEN opening evening: