By Eleanor Wilson
Two students from Berwick’s Beaconhills College earned first prizes in their age categories in the Young Archies portrait contest held at Narre Warren’s Bunjil Place recently.
Year 11 student Shelby Holyoak and Prep student Sayul placed first in the competition, which invites budding artists between the ages of five and 18 to submit a portrait of someone who is special to them and plays a significant role in their life.
Sayul’s artwork was a colourful depiction of his two-year-old brother at Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium. He described the work as “my favourite person at my favourite place”.
“I went to the aquarium with my family. It was our first time going. My favourite animal was the eels,” Sayul said.
Shelby Holyoak was awarded first prize for a heartwarming portrait of her grandma, who she says “definitely deserves some recognition”.
“I recently learned a lot about how she grew up that I was never told because it was so sensitive,” she said.
“I don’t think she has got a lot of recognition [for what she went through] because she was scared to talk about it.”
Shelby said she hopes to pursue art outside of school, with a long-term goal of becoming an independent artist or a tattoo artist.
The Young Archies competition, which is part of the touring Archibald Prize, proved fruitful for the college, with Peter Nguyen from Year 11 and Year 6 student Vidusha named as runners-up in their categories, while Year 11 student Erin Hicks and Year 8 student Mikayla were named as finalists.
The students’ artworks are being exhibited at Bunjil Place alongside the Archibald Prize exhibition.
