The Thistle - An E-Newsletter of Scotch College, Perth, Western Australia

Art News

The Shaun Tan Award for Young Artists is a prestigious annual art exhibition hosted July- August at Subiaco Library. The City of Subiaco received 1235 entries for the award. The panel of expert judges carefully selected the best fifty works across the five age categories to be displayed in the exhibition 10 July to 6 August 2017.

The following talented Scotch Junior School Artists were selected:

  • Hamish Byass, Year 3: Second Prize Middle Primary
  • Philip Pizimolas, Year 4: Highly Commended
  • Brenn Armstrong, Year 3: Exhibited
  • Maxwell Fine, Year 2: Exhibited

The award ceremony was held at Subiaco Library on Monday 17 July. Award patron and Academy Award Winner Shaun Tan presented prizes to the finalists on the night. Hamish Byass, Year 3 won 2nd prize in the category of Upper Primary. Shaun interviewed each of the finalists and made some very encouraging comments. Below is a copy of what Shaun had to say about some of our exhibiting Scotch Artists' work.

Fuzzy Bear by Hamish Byass
"Here is another great example of the simple rule of art: just try and capture the thingness of a thing. In this case, the fuzzy bearness of a bear, the way you feel the fur in your mind's hand more than your mind's eye, and you sense the artist also putting a hand to the paper in the same way. Almost petting the form into existence. This is not a resolved picture, and that keeps it alive. If you kept working on this, trying to nail the fuzziness or bearness of the fuzzy bear, I think you would lose both. Art is tricky that way, you have to hold everything like a bird in your hand, not too tight to crush it, not too loose or it will fly away. It has to sit there because it wants to."

Just Rooster by Philip Pizimolas
"Here is the roosterness of a rooster. Whether by accident or design, and both matter a lot in a drawing, the stark presence of the rooster is impossible to ignore, and the odd combination of poise and jerkiness that you notice in poultry. The claws stand out the most, the part we are either worried about or like."

Mr Rooster by Brenn Armstrong
"Again, a wonderful feeling of the rooster in a work that would not look at all out of place in any gallery. This is an artist to watch and encourage. I'm also impressed by the simple idea of cutting out a drawing and putting it on a brightly coloured background, that's a really good trick. Focuses rather than detracts from the fluid energy and character of the drawing itself."

Please click here to view exhibiting images.

I wish to take the opportunity to congratulate our wonderful young Scotch Artists. I thank you for sharing your gift of creativity and presenting your many talents to the broader community.

Mrs Jane Roche
Junior Art Specialist