GOTAFE students work on display at 8th Koorie Art Show

CONCERTINA ARTIST BOOK... On display at the 8th Koorie Art Show are works from GOTAFE students. Photo: Supplied

The Koorie Art Show is an annual event showcasing the diverse talent of Victoria’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists in one inclusive space. All artworks for the Koorie Art Show are now being presented at the ground floor of the Yarra Building at Federation Square in Melbourne.

Four GOTAFE Certificate III Visual Arts, Art and Design students have had their work submitted as part of the 8th Koorie Art Show 2020 at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Melbourne.

GOTAFE students Dylan Charles, Jake Cooper, Zane Howell-Saunders and Melinda Solomon have worked through a tumultuous 2020 to produce an ink and watercolour artwork presented as a concertina artist book.

Melinda Solomon, a GOTAFE student and proud Kuku Yalanji woman who’s artwork is titled ‘Within the Ocean’, says her work is inspired by her love of the water. “My family are close to the ocean in Queensland and I try to get up there to visit them once every year,” Melinda explained.

Melinda is already an established artist – having frequented market stalls around Greater Shepparton and Metro Melbourne selling her works, which include canvas painting, jewellery, and even painted gum leaves

“When COVID kicked in and the markets were no longer happening, I thought I’d go back to study and do this course that also involves a bit more of the business side of things like copyright, which I needed to wrap my head around,” Melinda said.

GOTAFE Visual Arts teacher, Robyn Thompson said, “These pictorial works have been created as part of technical research and experimentation, which each student has been doing into their own hand tools for drawing. These include ink pen from recycled material, learning about watercolour washes and fine art paper as a medium, and finally, presentation techniques for exhibition; the Japanese art of folding paper (origami).”

GOTAFE offer a number of course options that can help you into your dream career. Visit www.gotafe.vic.edu.au or call 1300 GOTAFE (468 233)