Art Design and Tech 

Top Arts 2024 - Jasper Cali

Ideas behind the work…

My artwork ‘Throw Me A Rope’ delves into the theme of connection in various aspects of life, symbolised through intertwining ropes that link each character within the piece. I aim to explore the dichotomy between our inherent connections with all living things and the prevalent disconnections observed in contemporary society. While every character in the artwork shares some connection, many appear detached within their peculiar environment. This, to me, serves as a subconscious reflection of our reality, where individuals often forget their connection to the broader picture.

Starting points and influences…

Drawing, a natural inclination for me, led me to challenge myself this year by understanding light and tone through fine liner techniques. Katarzyna Gagol’s approach to crosshatching prompted my exploration. Influences from surrealist artists like Salvador Dali and guidance from Stephen Gibbs shaped my characters and their interactions. Martin Liepziger initially inspired my use of coffee stains to form foundational shapes in my artwork.

Sources of inspiration…

• Martin Bells’ ‘Worthless, Priceless’ motivated me to undertake a large-scale drawing.
• Mac Demarco’s dreamy instrumental songs from the ‘One Wayne G’ Album provided inspiration from a calm and subconscious place.
• The cartoon TV show ‘Adventure Time’ has influenced my art style and thinking since a young age.

Materials and processes…

Six vertically hung paper panels served as the canvas, onto which coffee was randomly thrown using the automatic chance technique. Ink, applied with 0.8mm and 0.4mm water-based fine liners, was used to develop characters and tonal value. Surrealism inspired the work, allowing the subconscious mind to guide the process and play with ideas emerging from almost accidental coffee stains.

Interesting/challenging aspects of creating the work …

Creating the artwork was therapeutic yet challenging, consistently drawing from my subconscious mind to craft new characters and scenes within a substantial workload. The process was gratifying, setting a challenge to produce a large-scale drawing and witnessing numerous characters come to life on paper.

Advice for VCE Art Making and Exhibiting and VCE Art Creative Practice students…

My advice to future VCE students is not to stress about choosing a specific art form or style early in the year. Consistently experiment with new ideas, materials, and techniques, and you will eventually discover something resonant to pursue. Throughout my art-making process, gathering and studying personal inspirations while reflecting on the ideas I wished to convey significantly guided my creative journey.

Kylie Maltarollo – VCE Art Exhibiting and Making Teacher

Art Academy Report: A Thrilling Start to 2024

What an amazing start to the year it has been at Art Academy! Our students have been engaged, inspired, and busy exploring a range of artistic mediums and techniques.

Term One Highlights

In Term One, we delved into the captivating world of colour theory and acrylic painting. Our talented students also studied the works of renowned Australian Impressionists like Tom Roberts, Frederick McCubbin, and Louis Abrahams. Drawing inspiration from the iconic '9 by 5 Impression Exhibition', our students created their own stunning small-scale landscape paintings on plywood, applying their newfound knowledge of colour theory. It's truly rewarding to witness their artistic growth and enthusiasm for learning.

Term Two Excitement

As we transitioned into Term Two, the excitement continued with a special visiting artist workshop led by Lisa, the founder of 'Mayde Custom'. Lisa captivated our students with her expertise in customizable vinyl toys, opening their eyes to the diverse world of vinyl collectibles and artists like KAWS, Jason Freeny, and Ron English, among others. This workshop sparked an immediate burst of creativity, with students eagerly brainstorming and sketching their unique ideas.

Under the guidance of myself, Penny Fernandez, and Joanna Pham, our art academy teachers, our students embarked on a thrilling journey to bring their concepts to life. Students have been deeply engaged in creating their vinyl toy sculptures, and we are excited to see their progress. As some students still need more time to complete their projects, we have shared some photos of work in progress.

Students were lucky to also have a second artist workshop this term, which will run for the remainder of Term Two. This workshop is facilitated by the artist Sentosa Mam, also known as TWELVEBYTWELVE. Sentosa Mam is a Khmer artist who works across textiles, painting, collage, and found materials. Her work explores her synergetic "third-culture" identity, navigating life between Cambodia and Australia. Themes in her work include identity, ideals in representations of beauty, traditional expectations, and subverting paradigmatic "norms" and conditioned notions.

You can learn more about Sentosa Mam and her work at sentosamam.com and follow her on Instagram at twelveby.twelve.

Looking Ahead

As we progress further into 2024, Art Academy remains committed to nurturing creativity, skill development, and artistic expression among our talented students. This term promises to be filled with innovation and artistic exploration, and I am personally thrilled to witness the growth and imagination of each student in our program.

Stay tuned for upcoming events, workshops, and exhibitions that showcase the incredible talent within our Art Academy community.

Warm regards, Penny Fernandez – Art Academy Co-ordinator