A stunning array of creative work by local teenagers has gone on public display at Castlemaine’s CBD Market Building.
The annual Castlemaine Secondary College Art Show occupies a special place on the college calendar and this year’s offering is particularly strong says Clayton Tremlett, VCE art teacher at CSC.
“The emphasis this time is on VCE students’ art and studio art and we have paintings, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, installation, photographic work and even a handmade book,” he says.
This year’s show represents the work of about 18 young artists at the local college and Clayton says he’s impressed by the calibre, with quite a few of the students in contention to have their work go on to the state’s prestigious Top Arts show at Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria.
“It’s particularly strong and from my perspective, to have almost 50 per cent being in contention for Top Arts, for a teacher is about as good as you could expect,” he says.
The annual college art show launched on Sunday with CSC staff and students expressing their approval for the central venue in the Market Building that also houses Castlemaine’s visitor information centre.
“It’s fantastic,” Clayton says.
“On average we’ll have 5000 people through here so it’s putting these young people’s work right in the centre of town.”
Participating Castlemaine Secondary College VCE student Tino D’Onghia agrees.
“It’s a fantastic thing for a young artist,” says Tino whose abstract expressionist style paintings are inspired by the landscape around his Hepburn Springs home.
“It’s really quite difficult to get your work into a gallery so having something like this gives us a chance for other people to see our work.”
Among the many talented young artists represented, Hetty Moysey’s large charcoal and graphite piece packs a visual punch on entry to the show from Mostyn Street.
“It’s a message I wanted to get across – about the silencing of minorities,” Hetty says.
“I’ve been working on it for the whole semester. I’m not sure of the hours I put in, but definitely over 100.”
Clayton says the work will remain on show for three weeks.
