Mesmerising yourself

Omar is young artist with a Pakistani background. He has an incredible talent for ink work. He loves to draw cities around the world and animals. He has an incredible eye for detail. He is in his happy place when he is drawing with ink.

This work is made from recycled cardboard. I tried to embrace the theatrical and dramatic, yet I didn’t seek to do this with bombastic colour or extravagant materials, Instead I looked to the recycling bin. For me it’s a creative practice of making art from existing material that is largely considered waste. Using repurposed cardboard to tell my stories I utilise the mediums existing colour and textures to draw attention to composition and design. I aim to show my versatility as a creator through a mindful use of materials and a reminder of the importance of addressing environmental issues, telling a story of sustainability alongside a story of their own. I'm also exploring solitude, how sometimes being alone with our thoughts, without support, and accessibility to negativity through social media, can have a damaging affect on our mental health. As a child I was told I always thought outside the box, so this time, I thought...what can I make out of the box!

Donna paints just in case you didn’t grow up with possums that pee in your bed, didn’t get to pat an echidna on the tummy, hug a koala or take rescued snakes to show-and-tell at school. Growing up with a Fisheries and Wildlife father, and grandparents who loved and cared for nature, Donna is the third generation to talk to animals great and small. Donna began painting in January 2023 and is solidly in love with watercolours, nature, and books. All her paintings represent real animals she's had an encounter with. Each has its own story, and its own place in the heart. Each brush stroke and all the intricate detail is woven through layers upon layers of paint, like a well-crafted story. It seems only fitting, that each of these characters that I have met, who have their own stories are linked to books that have influenced me. Two loves, 2 great influences combined in art.

A crisp clear June morning in the Grampians. The fog has lifted from the mountain summits surrounding the town, and all is quiet. I slowly wandered Brambuk and met the wallabies, scarlet robins, blue wrens and breathed the sweet clean air that only eucalypt-covered mountains can bring. As I slowly rounded a corner, there was a family of kangaroos dozing in the morning sun and one joey. As I approached, he watched me interestedly, in between working on a particularly irritating itch on his right ear and occasionally nibbling the grass right in front of him. I sat and just watched him repeatedly shake his head trying to rid himself of his irritating ear tickle, or gaze serenely back at me. (Watercolour on 640 gsm Fabriano paper. 50.5 x 70 cm - unframed)

I have been making art at Artmania for 8 years. I like making collage and sculpture most. Making art makes me feel good. I like being in the studio with my friends and being creative is good.

This mixed media collage is 1 metre round with many faces I cut out of magazines, googly eyes, glitter, plastic gems and sequins. It took me months to finish.

Georgina Evans lives in Sydney’s Inner West and has been a practising artist for 8 years. Georgina was originally a ceramic artist, specialising in colourful totems of fruit and vegetables. Since then, she has turned to textile arts, painting, and botanical drawing, often expressing her love of nature in pieces that combine drawings of plants and seed pods with the textures of woven art. Being an active and passionate artist has helped her deal with my physical and intellectual challenges and mental health issues. Her lived experience has influenced her work through a love of nature and wanting to express the beauty of flora and fauna. Nature gives Georgina great joy and has helped her to appreciate the beauty in everything and the joy she has in life. Georgina is grateful to be able to express my feelings through creativity and art.

This work uses a combination of different mediums including hand-woven textiles and ink paintings on rice paper. I hand weave the textile on my Japanese floor loom. I incorporate my paintings of flora and fauna into the weaving. This work expresses the beauty of the landscape by its colours and techniques. The colours symbolise the joy of nature and the paintings showcase my interpretation of the natural bush.

I live and work on the Central Coast of NSW. I live with my amazing husband, and we have 3 beautiful Labradors. I recently had a brain haemorrhage and spent 10 days at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital (Ward 7D). I really wanted to show my appreciation to the wonderful care I received, so I made this artwork as a thank you gift for the staff in 7D. I hope they see the work and care involved in my creation. I love creating and it is my therapy. I try to do something creative every day. It helps me keep the ‘Black Dog’ away. It is a hobby and I make gifts for family and friends. My black Labrador ‘Milo’ is always at my side, so I tag my works with ‘Milo and Me’.

Mayday, mayday glitter guns and stardust at the ready. Starships are conducting an emotional rescue. Forecast? Cannibalistic star supernova.

Materials: graphite, colour pencil, acrylic paint, mother of pearl shell, freshwater pearls, baroque pearls, CD shards, beads, sequins, Swarovski crystals, thread, tissue paper and wire on paper. Statement: ...blooming in full... These rosy posies are ready for combat...and my bleeding hearts to replace interlocking heart loves. So much space...The good Lord knows that spiritual pain definitely needs it balm as well as its aggression...

I have chosen dragons because since childhood I have always been fascinated by dragons through watching films and reading literature. I have always been intrigued by what I have seen, and through my sculptures I wanted to show how you can appreciate their beauty without being fearful of them, for others to not disrupt the peace but, when given the opportunity, to view dragons without being threatened.

The three individual, interlocking, air-dry clay sculptures I have produced for my body of work were made to create the idea that because something is widely thought to be vicious and dangerous, can also be something peaceful and beautiful. Each of these sculptures are displayed as very mellow and relaxed despite dragons being traditionally considered fierce and evil in many cultures. However, my dragon sculptures rest on top of each other serenely, giving off the metaphor, "letting sleeping dogs lie". Each dragon measures approximately 25cm - 35cm wide. When the three are interlocked together, the sculpture as a whole measure's approximately 60cm wide.

Megan Baker is an interdisciplinary artist. Born in Ireland Baker is now based in Boorloo (Perth, Western Australia). Their practice is informed by and explores their experiences and identity through a variety of lenses. Specifically Baker creates work from the perspective of somebody existing at the intersection of multiple identities, being physically disabled as well as autistic, gender diverse and an immigrant. They create work in the realm of sculpture, textiles, video, performance and beyond.

Laid to rest is a physical representation of the artist’s attempt to come to terms with ingrained feelings of guilt by relinquishing ownership of their disabled body. The coffins, stained with dirt in shallow graves, suggest that the ritual of burying and resurfacing, of both the coffins and the feelings they represent, has occurred many times and will continue to keep happening. A poetic declaration absolving the artist of guilt is inscribed across the three coffins and reads. ‘I am a vessel’, ‘It will die with me’ or ‘It will poison the earth.’

I live in the small NSW village of Nundle. My practice is inspired by a fascination for the figurative form both real and fantastical and the telling of stories. I have travelled far and wide during my lifetime and the stories that I have heard/witnessed/been a part of and tripped over have informed much of my creative life. “Retelling and reshaping stories helps us to understand how we are entangled, where we meet, and how our differences may be viewed as disguises of our sameness." Kristin Berjornarud. The landscape here in Nundle is also a beautiful and bountiful muse. I love great mythic tales of old, fantastic journeys, wild lands, strange creatures and how we are deeply bound together within that storytelling landscape.

This figurative work speaks in a language that is a weaving together of time and space and poetry and bits and pieces from my studio and genuine joy in the creative process. She is a strong, forthright, determined, stoic creature who carries with her her life's collecting and within her very deeply cherished convictions. She has been made from various air dry clays, encaustic wax medium, various paints and inks, faux fur, metal embellishments, wood and tin and stands on a metal found cog.

Garth is a self taught artist from Western Sydney. An award winning and published poet, he has painted on and off for two decades, but has now committed to his art practice full time. Garth identifies as an outsider artist, and with a diagnosis of autism, refers to his work as naive expressionism. Garth's work is a tool for reflection and unpacking. His bold primary and fluro works are offset by muted black and whites, a back and forth of balance.

I often say to friends, 'When it's Thursday, it may as well be Sunday.' The days disappear, become non - existent, such is their speed. The painting's sentiment might be read as a bigger study of time passing.

My family has always been involved in artistic pursuits from pottery and painting to drama and media studies. I have experimented with many techniques and am currently using needle and thread to convey my impressions of people and places.

This work was done using a pen and India ink and water colour pencils on heavy paper.

My art practice is a primary exploration of the sensory world and the nuances it means with engaging with that. As a result of my disabilities, at times this is a very overwhelming experience, but also has become one of the sole ways I interact and engage with any broader world beyond my house. Being able to delight, experience terror, see or not see on any given day I believe has provides richer narrative of life and meaning. I hope that the beauty, wonder and narrative of my artworks bring some tension and insight into a slightly different human experience. Ultimately this artwork is a beauty-explored world of my lived experience that aims to also go beyond the everyday narrative I experience. It is a wonder-tale entwined in my parameters with a disability, as well as moving to dream different realities.

Mayday, mayday glitter guns and stardust at the ready. Starships are conducting an emotional rescue. Forecast? Cannibalistic star supernova.

Materials: graphite, colour pencil, acrylic paint, mother of pearl shell, freshwater pearls, baroque pearls, CD shards, beads, sequins, Swarovski crystals, thread, tissue paper and wire on paper. Statement: ...blooming in full... These rosy posies are ready for combat...and my bleeding hearts to replace interlocking heart loves. So much space...The good Lord knows that spiritual pain definitely needs it balm as well as its aggression...

I have MS so I spend a lot of time at home. I love to fill my time with being creative and creating beautiful pieces.

Right place at the right time. Photo taken on my Android phone.

I am a quadriplegic that uses art as a method of journaling through paralysis. Words are sometimes ineffective and scary to read - wouldn’t want anyone stumbling upon these thoughts. Especially the people that surround me on a daily basis to keep me alive.

As a light skinned Indian in Melbourne winters that turns near black in summers - my life and identity exudes and receives mixed reactions - both in the corporate workplace and the dating marketplace. Vitiligo struck my mother in her twilight years to add. My mind processes these 2 very real influences in my life as a head turner..

Based in Sydney, I channel my creative drive into textile art, specialising in intricate wool-based design and the reworking of recycled textiles and yarns. Growing up, I began foraging for yarn remnants from my grandmother's collection, then later turning to op shops and recycled textile markets for art materials. This ambition is not only a creative pursuit; it is a conscious effort to intertwine forgotten fragments, fostering sustainability through my artistic expression. My work breathes new life into neglected materials, respecting their past while infusing them with contemporary vitality. Inspired by the organic tones of my rural Australian upbringing - the warm, comforting hues of sunsets and earthy reds - my palette has evolved to encompass the urban finishes and serene blues of Sydney's dynamic cityscape and coastal waters.

This is my self-portrait. I used an interplay of recycled wool and synthetic yarn unified through a mixture of crochet and embroidery. This visual narrative reveals the dual facets that define me: the radiant exterior visible to the world, and the shadowed interior I hold close. These two facets dissolve into the embrace of entropy, a seamless merging of identities. Guided by the skill my grandmother imparted, crochet became my expressive medium at a young age, and its resourcefulness remains integral to my artistic journey. Having grown up in rural Australia and relocated to Sydney, this journey has bifurcated my essence. Organic hues, reminiscent of sun-kissed rural landscapes, entwine with the deeper cerulean tones inspired by the urban concrete of the inner west. This composition is a testament to the convergence of self and art, echoing the inherent duality within us all. Just as sunrise and cityscape meet, my work harmonises these contrasts.

Kiki is a talented non-verbal artist who loves working with mixed media creating landscapes, working with different textures and fabrics, including wool and beads. She loves working with details in ink. She is an avid reader and will read everything.

Mixed media farmyard.

I lost my sight at the age of four. This was through cancer. I am lucky to have a mother who told me that “just because I couldn’t see, didn’t mean I couldn”t do whatever I wanted. It just meant we’d have to find a different way about some of them. I’ve never accepted my blindness as a reason not to try things. In my second year of high school, I had an art teacher that didn’t believe someone who was blind could do art. She spent the the next few months ignoring me and hoping I’d go away. By second term, I was still in the art class and we had a new teacher. A teacher who taught me not only that I could do art and that I had the unique ability to see the world in a different way. This was through my hands, for they are my eyes.

This artwork was born out of a broken chair. I love taking discarded things and seeing something new and different in them. I began by weaving the broken parts together. From there I slowly added other materials, bits of wood, bark, anything with texture. This piece is made to be touched and explored by the hands. I’ve weaved all these things together, making lots of little spaces and textures to explore. Finishing with bells to ring and offer a sweet sound.

For as long as I can remember, art and creativity have been a part of my life. I consider myself a multi medium artist dabbling in many different art forms over the years. From folk art to paper making and now my current love, mosaics and glass work. I do not earn any income from my creative pursuits, it is my happy space where I can let myself explore without the pressures of making a living from something I love. I clock into my daytime job, filling my spare time exploring many different mediums and art forms, with the main objective being how to incorporate the things I love to do into the places and homes where I live. My current love is mosaics.

This is the hopscotch path that I made for my grandchildren to play on when they come to visit. My current residence is the inspiration for “Mosaics on Maud” a Facebook page and YouTube channel where I share the transforming journey of this lovely old Queenslander. Excited to share my project with family and friends on social media back in 2020, little did I know then, that this hopscotch path would reach several million views across social media platforms and circulate around the world.

Georgina Evans lives in Sydney’s inner west and has been a practicing artist for 8 years. Georgina was originally a ceramic artist, specialising in colourful totems of fruit and vegetables. Since then, she has turned to textile arts, painting, and botanical drawing, often expressing her love of nature in pieces that combine drawings of plants and seed pods with the textures of woven art. Being an active and passionate artist has helped me deal with my physical and intellectual challenges and mental health issues. My lived experience has influenced my work through my love of nature and wanting to express the beauty of flora and fauna. Nature gives me great joy and has helped me to appreciate the beauty in everything and the joy I have in my life. I am grateful to be able to express my feelings through creativity and art.

This work features hand-woven textiles in layers of various colours interspersed with layers of sticks inserted into the textile fabric. The work is an interpretation of the colours and layers of the Australian landscape. The colours are those of soil, flora, and big skies. The sticks serve the purpose of separating layers, linking the work to the living environment and utilising found natural objects. The work demonstrates beauty of the environment at all stages of life.

Emma Harradine is a mature emerging artist with disability from Perth, Western Australia. To Emma, the arts are all about having fun. Her creative arts practice is filled with bold and playful works that flaunt her tongue-in-cheek personality. She is an extraordinarily prolific artist, creating numerous works every week, each with an unmistakable sense of humour and mischievous flare. Animals are the focus of Emma’s creative arts practice. Inspired by her upbringing on her family’s hobby farm in Perth’s outer suburbs, she finds great happiness in depicting animals. Emma’s passion for animals is deeply connected to their absurdity juxtaposed with their relatability. They are a source of pure joy for Emma, especially if she finds their appearance or habits funny. She accentuates this feeling of elation that she finds when observing animals by prioritising childlike fun and excitement over fussy rendering in her art. Her work can be seen as a beacon of fun against the daily humdrum.

A colourful pink fish with vibrant scales, luscious lips, sharp pearly-whites, and long eyelashes floats alone in the ocean's dark blue depths. Aptly named Miss Fish, her maniacal grin makes one wonder what kinds of mischievous thoughts are swimming around her mind. "Miss Fish makes me smile and laugh," says the artist, Emma Harradine. Inspired by her upbringing on her family’s hobby farm in Perth WA's outer suburbs, Emma finds great happiness in depicting animals in her creative arts practice. Emma’s passion for animals is deeply connected to their apparent absurdity juxtaposed with their relatability. They are a source of pure joy for Emma, especially if she finds their appearance or habits funny. She accentuates this feeling of elation that she finds when observing animals by prioritising childlike fun and excitement over fussy rendering in her art. Her work can be seen as a beacon of fun against the day-to-day humdrum. You can find more from Emma on Instagram, @emmaharradine.art

I grew up in a family that encouraged artistic exploration and I have experimented with many mediums. I currently work with needle and thread to depict people and places with layered fabric and hand stitching.

The figure merges with the landscape and seems to be thinking about how much her homeland forms part of her. The piece is hand stitched on net fabric which has been layered to provide a sense of depth. It measures 50 cm x 60 cm.

I'm a 14-year-old emerging artist located on the Central Coast. My primary artistic tool is colored pencils, and my focus is on creating animal portraits. The natural world surrounding me has always been a wellspring of inspiration, particularly avian creatures. I take great pleasure in capturing the essence of their motion and individuality within my artworks. Additionally, I have a passion for photography, frequently employing my own taken images as points of reference for my creative pieces. This approach provides me with a distinct bond to the animals I strive to depict.

This artwork represents an image of a red-tailed black cockatoo named 'minning,' a tribute to both the avian beauty and the linguistic heritage it embodies. The name 'minning,' originating from the Guringai language, carries with it a profound significance, encapsulating the essence of nighttime. With careful attention to detail, I've attempted to depict a red-tailed black cockatoo, ensuring to capture the intricate textures of its feathers and the vibrant interplay of colors within its plumage.

I’m Imogen, an art student who loves to express and create. It was hard to determine what my style is, as I’m still exploring different techniques however over time, I have always noticed a couple of things. Drawing for my love of dance, I realise figures are often incorporated throughout my pieces, as I think the movement and expression captured through figures and body’s is extremely intimate and reflective. I also have a tendency to have detailing in everything. I just love intricate details. While my style may not be based on a specific medium, I obtain small features of figures and details that represent me. I also tend to tie back into my cultural roots of the Kowanyama clan and Italian identity as inspiration when creating pieces.

In a way, our identities are all ambiguous. When observing others, a lens of assumption predisposes first impressions. But once you truly get to know someone, in those personal moments you spend with others, their true self is revealed. Exploring my personal love for dance and culture, I realise I often let people make their own mind up about who I am. This rug encompasses dance, one side very subtle and soft, the other colourful and boldly cultural, but all intricately sewn in together. Inspired by Julia Gutman’s comforting use of tactile materials and Basquiat’s tiny detailing, expressed in the inclusion of recognizable cultural symbols, overlaid with dance labanotation. Taking a form of a quilt, the duality of both comfort and expression, also details the symbols that give me security, warmth and protection.

My life experience of 48 yrs as a queer non binary autistic ADHDer whose family immigrated to Australia in the early 80s has meant a lifetime of hiding in order to help others feel comfortable, while never fitting in nor belonging anywhere either. Rather like the oddly shaped ghost in this drawing, for many years, I listened to others who were not listening to me. Dressing, masking and trying earnestly to minimise others discomfort at my own cost. Cycling anxiety, confusion and burnout while bewildered at how effortless life was for others, meant being limited at learning about life as myself while not understanding it through others either. I was nearly 30 before I found out that not everyone is in pain while walking! I am a parent to three and I am grateful for the blessings in life, but every day I am aware how tenuous and how much effort is needed to maintain mental, emotional and physical stability. I look forward to more acceptance of difference in society.

A drawing with fine ink pen on small square of art paper. Hiding its natural self and covered to help it blend in. But in the end neither hiding nor belonging is achieved. The possibility is for all the layers to shed so it can shine. The reality is that for as long as it carries the extra burden constantly, it continues to live a life impacted negatively by its difference without the opportunity to know itself more.

Andy attends the Achieve Australia Day Program at Seven Hills. He loves using his hands to colour, paint and build sculptures. He loves music and dancing too.

I made this 3D sculpture with a wood block and wire. I bent the wire into shapes that I like and found interesting. I also decorated the sculpture with textas and coloured beads.

Textiles have always played a pivotal part in my life. From making dolls clothes as a child, to making my own and later, my children’s clothes and when time allowed, embroidery, patchwork and quilting; always seeking my “thing”. It is a way to live mindfully; reusing and repurposing materials, being absorbed by the process. Based in north-west Sydney Jo’s current art practice focuses on combining felting and embroidery. Creating my own designs, and exploring techniques and materials, is fundamental to my textile art practice. Influenced by a background in survey drafting - design, shapes and textures – I continue to be challenged, creating unusual felted substrates for my embroidered mixed media textile art.

In the last days of the Fabric Cave and Needlecraft Emporium at Crowle House, Meadowbank, I purchased a small Gymea Lily plant in a pot. In 2020, after 11 long years of anticipation, the Gymea Lily now my garden flowered. No-one got to see it as we were in lockdown, so here is my very own Gymea Lily for all to see. This free standing art piece, inspired by nature, challenged by materials, is a culmination of my growth and confidence in my ability. Apogee: the farthest or highest point: culmination. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary Flower Head: felted merino tops, needle lace wire flowers Stem & base: Metal stand structure, felted stem & leaves, stitched bamboo ribbon yarn, wire 195cm (h), 37cmx 37cm at base

I am vision impaired totally blind in my right eye and have no peripheral vision. I get great satisfaction experimenting with my iPhone 14 pro and photography. I am 67 years old. My mother has dementia I take memories of her in black and white. It captures her mood and feelings. Sunrises and reflections are a passion as well.

This beautiful model is my Mother. She is 92 years young. She has the terrible disease and lives in her own world.

Daelle is 24 years old and lives in Brisbane, Australia. Her family grew up calling her Daelle the Snaelle! Daelle was born with Pachygyria; a rare, genetic neurological disorder. She has Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy and profound intellectual disabilities. Daelle is an artist. She loves to make art with her support worker Zoe. Please check out www.snaellegarden.com for more details

Acrylic paint on canvas board. The pattern is completely unique and was created using Daelle’s wheelchair. 12.7cm x 17.8cm

Prior to a near fatal medical incident at the beginning of 2020, I had applied for and was accepted to study my Maters in Visual Arts at Griffith University. Due to the lengthy recovery I had ahead of me, I regrettably decided to withdraw from the program not long after commencing, which was shortly after my discharge from hospital. I studied art through senior high school with very high achievements and also chose art as an elective subject while attaining my Bachelor of Education, again achieving high distinctions. I've continued to create all through my life, using significant life events to re-evaluate the most recent chapters in my artistic journey. I go to bed planning my next creation and wake up doing the same. As a self-taught artist who sees drawings and paintings in everything I look at, I dream about art being my full-time career.

I showed an ex-cabinet maker friend a split block of wood and asked him what I could do with it. He broke the block in half and said, "Nothing". At that moment, in my mind, Edgar & Edith were born - I was determined to keep them together forever. Without sharing my intentions, I laughed and walked away with my broken block of wood. I have since shown my friend Edgar &b Edith (eternal lovers) & he stood staring at them for a while, then looked at me shaking his head and said, "Amazing". Once again I laughed! Not only did I reframe the wood which otherwise would have gone to landfill, but I reframed my friend's way of thinking. Nailed it! Pardon the pun.

After losing both my hearing, body function and level of vision in 2020, art became a part of my physical recovery. I started with tracing things digitally, at the time when I couldn’t even hold a pen and sign my name properly. Over time I transferred to sketches, then charcoal and slowly paints, every new medium comes with new challenges. Mostly I create from bed or in short sessions. My experiences have slowly shown up in my art, from the contrast I use, the light effects I’m obsessed with, the softness and slight blur of things. Art is slowly giving me a way to show people the way I now see the world and explain things I don’t always have the words for.

Mixed media charcoal and photography collage. Combined with augmented reality, the piece comes alive when scanned using an AR app as shown. Wallflower wonder is for those who struggle to fit in, whether they are amongst the fold but still on the outer, or on the outer entirely. Those see things a little differently, hearts sewn into themselves, sparkles in their eyes. The ones who never grew out of trying to find magic at the end of the rainbow.

My art practice is a primary exploration of the sensory world and the nuances it means with engaging with that. As a result of my disabilities, at times this is a very overwhelming experience, but also has become one of the sole ways I interact and engage with any broader world beyond my house. Being able to delight, experience terror, see or not see on any given day I believe has provides richer narrative of life and meaning. I hope that the beauty, wonder and narrative of my artworks bring some tension and insight into a slightly different human experience. Ultimately this artwork is a beauty-explored world of my lived experience that aims to also go beyond the everyday narrative I experience. It is a wonder-tale entwined in my parameters with a disability, as well as moving to dream different realities.

Mayday, mayday glitter guns and stardust at the ready. Starships are conducting an emotional rescue. Forecast? Cannibalistic star supernova.

Materials: graphite, colour pencil, acrylic paint, mother of pearl shell, freshwater pearls, baroque pearls, CD shards, beads, sequins, Swarovski crystals, thread, tissue paper and wire on paper. Statement: ...blooming in full... These rosy posies are ready for combat...and my bleeding hearts to replace interlocking heart loves. So much space...The good Lord knows that spiritual pain definitely needs it balm as well as its aggression...

Warrah Specialist School is in Dural NSW and forms part of the larger Warrah Disability Services. A Steiner-inspired community and school, Warrah’s curriculum engages its students in various handwork, such as weaving, under the guide of a Master Weaver. Steiner Education encourages self-expression through imaginative, aesthetic and holistic methods. Our educators strive to cultivate a love for learning, encouraging curiosity, empathy, and a lifelong pursuit of wisdom. In weaving, a craft that aligns seamlessly with the Steiner philosophy, students find a medium to bring together their artistic expression and practical motor skills, creating a profound union between the head, heart, and hands while performing an inherently therapeutic activity. Through this approach we aim to equip our students not just with knowledge, but with the tools to navigate life with resilience, creativity, and a deep sense of purpose.

This piece was woven collectively by the K-12 students of Warrah Specialist School in Dural NSW. It was created over a period of eight months, on an 8-shaft loom, using sheep’s wool. The cotton warp was hand-painted in seasonal colours, allowing a depth to each section and a sense of time and seasons passing with each panel. The meticulous crafting of this artwork embodies not only the dedication and creative expression of our students but also the spirit of collaboration that permeates our school community. The rhythmic intertwining of threads and the blending of colours mirror the diverse perspectives that define Warrah Specialist School. As we present this piece for consideration in the competition, we invite the viewers to delve into the woven tapestry of our students' experiences and the vibrant essence of the changing seasons that unfold within it.

I've created miniatures before from DIY kits so making small objects and gluing them together has been a strength of mine for the last few years. Being in year 12, I've realised how much being in isolation for our schooling affected our mental health and the way we approach life. Making art helps me understand myself and process things without thinking.

2020 was a traumatic year. Confined to our own bedrooms and now effect of isolation has resulted in long-lasting depression. After Covid-19, miniature art became popular. Reducing things in size gave us perspective about things so we could handle them, unlike the global pandemic. Although my previous artwork expanded a personal trauma into a large space that others could walk into, this contemporary piece reduces the trauma to contrast between a positive and negative outlook on our own circumstances. The bedroom space stays the same, but the effect of positivity is represented in the bright colours and organised composition. Aiden Itsalapron has inspired creating a miniature room, whereas Mia Pensa has influenced my using pastel and bright colours with plants showing growth.  Objects have been to symbolise the mental and physical state of mind. Look through the window and watch time pass representing hope that our mental states change too.

I have always been interested in the arts in general and more specifically, drawing and printmaking. I have been able to incorporate this with my love of textiles by making quilts. I am a modern quilter who designs my own work. I like to combine machine and hand quilting to emphasise my designs.

I pieced 5 pieced circles in rectangles, which I cut up and played with. I used hand and machine quilting to emphasise my design. The quilt measures 180 x 180 cm.

Phong has a lived experience of trauma. He is a visual artist and collaborator as part of Milk Crate Theatre’s Waterloo community programs. Phong has worked as a dancer and performer both on film and in live performance. He is passionate about sustainability and repurposes recycled cardboard and paper materials into new 3D sculptural art pieces. He uses a single piece of fabric to drape various forms 3D sculptural textiles. He also plays with acrylic flow paint to create unique abstract art. Phong has been developing his artistic practice with Milk Crate Theatre since 2020 and continues to nurture his creative skills with the goal of inspiring more community-engaged practices.

This photo was taken in a sitting position. Then using some filters to manipulate the colours it completely transformed the obvious into the unexpected. Trust, but expect the unexpected.

In my work time, I'm a software developer, but in my spare time I'm an amateur photographer and media person. I love exploring how media is put together, especially digital media.

Summer is in full swing, and the bees are busy collecting the pollen. I was lucky enough to be able to get close enough to snap this shot before Ms Bee flew off. Canon 80D, ISO 400, Exposure 1/800, Focal Length 250mm.

Mosaic art has influenced my creativity like no other art practice. The inexhaustible choice of materials and vast choice of applications has provided an artistic platform of expression that inspires me. ‘Perfect in its imperfection’ it provides a unique platform for art and life. Mosaic art allows me the freedom to express myself while providing therapeutic benefits for my overall well-being. The ancient art form recognisable across the globe from traditional mosaic installations throughout Europe, the Middle East to the modern, contemporary art practice seen today that has the ability to bring people together from diverse cultural, intellectual and social backgrounds.

Security, protection, shelter are fundamentals of human nature. But the allure of undiscovered beauty, its secrets held within, entice the beholder to dream. Mixed media mosaic - stone, stained glass, fused glass, recycled metal and ceramics, cement on thermal board.

Being a 17 year old girl, I have experienced the impact of bullying and verbal harassment throughout my teenage years and I wanted to create a piece that commented on this experience in a confronting way. Often verbal bullying is over-looked and paired with the saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’, and I wanted to bring light to the issue and directly address the damaging impacts that verbal bullying or harassment can have on young people in particular.

My artwork is part of a two piece series commenting on the impact of verbal bullying and harassment. The subject is centred in a circular frame from her shoulders upwards and positioned in front of a brick background. It is a pencil drawn portrait featuring my younger sister, in an attempt to capture the pain and anguish that many young people experience as a result of verbal abuse. Her expression conveys the confliction and fear she is feeling in the face of being held at metaphorical ‘gun point’, representative of the hateful or demeaning words that are often ‘shot’ by others. This concept is further employed by the gun pointed at the portrait and the second artwork reminiscent of her being ‘shot dead’.