VISUAL ARTS Excursion 

Our recent Visual Arts excursion began with a visit to Melbourne’s iconic Hosier Lane, where students were immediately immersed in a vibrant explosion of colour, creativity, and commentary. The walls were alive with layers of street art and graffiti, ranging from bold tags to intricate murals. At the entrance of the laneway, students paused to reflect on a powerful and moving mural dedicated to the 116 women who have lost their lives to gendered violence since January 1, 2024. This poignant artwork is part of the ongoing ‘She Matters’ movement, reminding us of the role art plays in raising awareness and inspiring change.

The group then made their way to the National Gallery of Victoria to explore Top Arts 2024—a showcase of outstanding work from last year’s VCE Creative Practice and Art Making & Exhibiting students. Divided into two groups, students were guided through an impressive range of artworks and visual diaries that demonstrated the talent, thoughtfulness, and dedication of Victoria’s emerging young artists.

Students had the unique opportunity to delve into the Unit 3 and 4 folios, uncovering the creative journeys behind the finished works. Visual diaries were brimming with research, artist inspirations, key ideas, issues, material experiments, and sketches—offering a rare and authentic insight into the artistic process.

The learning continued back at school the following week with a visit from Ethan, one of this year’s Top Arts exhibitors and one of Ms Ward’s past students. Ethan generously shared his experience of studying Creative Practice in VCE and spoke about the challenges and rewards of balancing multiple creative subjects including Media and Visual Communication. He offered a personal perspective on his work, discussing the themes that shaped his folio and the emotional connections behind his artwork. His talk was not only insightful but also deeply inspiring for our own students as they continue to develop their own creative voices.

This excursion and follow-up experience gave students a rich appreciation of how art can express powerful messages, reflect personal stories, and spark social dialogue—all whilst showing the diversity of pathways within the visual arts.

Ms Birra-li Ward and Ms Jo Beck

VCE Creative Practice Teachers