Hannah Edwards
Gosford High School
PACIFIC PLAYGROUND PATTERN
Drawing
Watercolour, graphite, coloured pencil
In my body of work I examine multiculturalism in the young people of Australia and celebrate the culture that has allowed for the development of our country. I represent this concept through my stylistic choices, where the watercolour elements convey how it is impossible to mimic individuality. The complex aura that surrounds each portrait illustrates the diversity of self-expression, and how that self-expression brings our personal perspective to learning.
Marker's Commentary
Highly engaging pencil drawings of fellow students in Pacific Playground Pattern are expertly and realistically rendered to highlight personality and cultural origin in this body of work. The confident poses each one presents and their engagement and apparent ease with the artist, reveal facets of themselves that are utilised to heighten the experience for the audience. Cultural diversity is evident in the deliberate choice of the subjects and the incorporation of descriptive details further develops the viewer’s understanding.
Similar viewpoints and head shots allow the audience to interrogate each image without distraction and reveal the distinctive characteristics not just culturally but as individuals. Colour washes over a variety of ethnically referenced patterns which forms a unifying backdrop across all portraits and further explores the great diversity of multiculturalism in Australia today. The abstract nature of the patterns highlights the realism and personality of each person. The traditions of portraiture are well understood and highly proficient drawing techniques by the candidate are employed in a simple but vastly effective way. Their choice allows for the themes and intent of the body of work to shine through.