A drawing of her Papou wins Annelise of Year 11 the Northbridge Art Prize
A charcoal drawing of her grandfather who journeyed from Greece to Australia at age 16 won Annelise of Year 11 the Northbridge Children’s Art Prize 2016 in the drawing category.
The exhibition, now in its eighth year, provides young people around Sydney the opportunity to showcase their work. Approximately 100 people entered the competition themed 'It's a beautiful world'.
The idea for Annelise's drawing, Papou, which translates as grandfather in Greek, was conceived during art class. Her Visual Arts teacher Mr Kim Marcovitch had asked the class to draw a subject who had a poignant story.
“My mind immediately went to my grandfather,” Annelise later said. He was the right subject and Annelise felt tied to his story. "It was hard for him leaving Greece... He was leaving his family, there was a war in Greece at the time, and obviously I have an emotional connection. I love him."
Given the choice to work with pencil, oil paints or charcoal, Annelise chose the latter. “Charcoal is a nice medium to work with because it is fast. It’s also soft, so the medium captures my grandfather who is a softy!” Annelise hadn’t been working with charcoal for long, or drawing for that matter. “I came into art late,” she says. “I swapped electives in Year 9.”
Her Papou was surprised he didn’t have to sit for the portrait. Instead, Annelise took over 100 digital photos of him, and eventually chose one of him looking up. She felt it represented him looking back over his life, and said the work highlights his appreciation for his life in Australia.
Annelise was thrilled to win the prize: “It was special to tell [my grandfather] as well". She will continue studying Visual Arts for the HSC – but is yet to decide whether she will draw for her Major Work or not.