Curricular Arts News

Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art

The Creative Generation Excellence Awards in Visual Art recognise and promote excellence in senior visual art education throughout Queensland’s state and non-state schools. Since 1990, the program has helped raise community awareness of the degree of sophistication in concepts, diversity of technical competence, and the high standard of visual art education in Queensland secondary schools. Each year schools from around the state are invited to submit up to 4 entries of senior student artworks. This year, we entered artwork created by Andy Surtees, Van Sanders, Harrison Marshall and Cooper Seeto, all Year 12 students. We are very proud to announce that Cooper Seeto was one of 40 Excellence Award winners, selected from more than 500 entries. His work will be on display at the Gallery of Modern Art from May – Aug 2026.

Artist Statement – “Spirits of Kokopo”

Papua New Guinea is my home. It has a deep history and is known for its richness in culture and traditions. My artworks aim to share the events and customs that have shaped me. I am constantly inspired by my culture and I have an ongoing interest to learn more about my family’s customs and traditions. The Tubuan, which features in my work, is an iconic masked figure that has always caught my interest. It represents a female spirit involved in rituals and dances and serves as a symbol for the Tubuans that took part in the Kututabu ceremony at a family funeral. The inclusion of the single mask brings knowledge of the many mask festivals and fire dances taking place throughout the year. It provides a sense of patriotism through the use of colour, which combines the colours of the East New Britain Province and Papua New Guinean flags.

Year 11 Visual Art Excursion

 Last week, Year 11 Visual Art students participated in a full-day excursion which will inform their responses for their first and second internal assessments. Students journeyed to Shorncliffe foreshore; Boondall Wetlands and Billai Dhagun Walking Track to view the Nurri Millen Totems; Nudgee Cemetery; Pinkenba and the Port of Brisbane, Queensland Telecommunications Museum; South Brisbane and concluded at the City Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha and the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. We look forward to seeing how the students take ideas from this excursion to create their future bodies of work.