Arts

VCE VET Creative Digital Media 

In 2025, St Patrick’s College is introducing VCE VET Creative Digital Media (CDM), a new subject focusing on animation, 3D modelling and game design, digital imaging, and web design. This week, VCE CDM students embraced the Christmas spirit while exploring three-point lighting photography in the new photographic studio. They used their skills to create unique imagery, which they enhanced with special effects in Adobe Photoshop to produce festive Christmas-themed visuals. 

Next Gen 2025 Exhibition

Jacob van Raaphorst, a talented 2024 Year 12 graduate has been recognised for his outstanding animation achievements by being selected to exhibit in Next Gen 2025. This prestigious annual showcase highlights the exceptional work of students from Government, Catholic, and Independent schools across Ballarat and the Southwestern Victoria region.

Hosted by the Art Gallery of Ballarat, the exhibition will run from 15 March to 15 June 2025, presenting works by students who have recently completed their VCE studies Arts, Technology and Media. Jacob has been chosen for his outstanding work in Media.

Jacob’s selection for Next Gen reflects his creativity and hard work in producing the animation, which carefully drawn frame by frame. 

VCE Media Teacher, Belinda Lees, reflected on Jacob’s passion for animation:

“For Jacob, the illustration and animation were more than just a media project. I remember Jacob showing me his notebook of illustrations in Year 11. He would carry it with all day and work on it in spare moments. In those incredible illustrations, I saw the germination of Ariception. Jacob's work contains an interesting juxtaposition in which his characters have an innocent quality and yet the subject matter is dark and complex.”

Be sure to visit the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 2025 to see Jacob’s work and celebrate the achievements of the next generation of creatives.

The case of the missing donuts

Media Club students ended the term on a delicious note with a stop-motion animation titled 'The Case of the Missing Donuts'. Graciously, they volunteered to assist with the “disappearing” donuts for the camera—though the treats also magically vanished in real life! The animation will be edited and ready for viewing in the first week of 2025.

Media Club - Social media documentary

Junior Media Club students recently created a short documentary on the new laws restricting social media access for adolescents under 16. Our roving reporters interviewed a range of people to gather diverse opinions on the topic. The documentary is available for students to watch on ClickView, with the link provided in this week’s daily newsletter.

Art Club - Stars of Hope

The Art Club have busily been creating ceramic stars these past few weeks, as part of the Stars of Hope SPC Christmas Charity Fundraiser. Pictured here are students during production, rolling the clay, cutting the shapes and pressing in the woven textures.  

Stars of Hope raised over $2000 for St Vincent de Paul to be used for families who struggle during Christmas. With over 90 orders to fill, it meant that our Arts Club students (and extra helpers!) made over 500 stars! 

Art Making and Exhibiting gallery visit

This week, our 2025 Art Making and Exhibiting students attended their first exhibitions, Medieval to Metal and JXSH MVIR: Forever I Live, at the Ballarat Gallery. As part of the curriculum, students are required to view multiple exhibitions, observe how curators engage audiences and ensure the safe display and storage of artworks.

The Medieval to Metal exhibition showcases 40 iconic guitars on loan from the National Guitar Museum (USA), alongside a remarkable collection of photographs, paintings, drawings, designs, and objects. This diverse display traces the history of the guitar—from its medieval origins to its role in shaping blues, country, and rock ‘n’ roll.

JXSH MVIR: Forever I Live is the first and largest retrospective of works by the late Josh Muir (1991–2022), a Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, and Barkindji artist born in Ballarat. Josh, an SPC Old Collegian, passed away at the young age of 30 in 2022. Over a 12-year career, he became a prolific artist, celebrated for his contributions to First Peoples art and culture in Southeast Australia, as well as to contemporary art nationally and internationally. This retrospective honours the strength of his artistic practice and his lasting impact on the art world.

Year 8 Monsters

Year 8 Art students have drawn inspiration from Australian street artist Mulga and designer Michael Langenegger to create their own Monsters series of lino prints.