Three Illawarra students have had their original artworks selected to become part of a permanent collection aimed at bringing joy to thousands of sick children.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Their artworks were selected from 870 submitted by students from 271 schools around the state for Operation Art, a program that invites students to create art they think patients at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead would enjoy during treatment.
Illawarra artists selected for inclusion in the permanent collection are Corrimal East Public School Year 6 student Nick Simovic’s for his work ‘Birds in the Blossom’, Russell Vale Public School Year 1 student Kyas De La Torre for ‘My Family’ and Illawarra Grammar School Year 6 student Emily Choi for her work ‘Midnight Owls’.
Corrimal East Public School principal Bede Darcey said teacher Janelle Butt had been encouraging students to enter artwork for the program since 2007.
Students are encouraged to nominate an artwork for the program, based around what they think would bring joy to sick children.
“We enter four artworks every year,” Mr Darcey said.
“Nick’s artwork is Japanese inspired, as his class were studying Japanese culture as part of an integrated HSIE unit.”
Operation Art project officer, Lisa van den Dolder, said the artworks on exhibition reinforced the power artwork has to influence mood and emotion.
“You can’t help but smile as you walk around the exhibition. The artworks are all so bright, colourful and optimistic, truly reflecting what Operation Art is all about, cheering up children in hospital,” she said. “This year we have more schools participate in Operation Art than ever before and it is really inspiring to know that behind each of these artworks is a student who wants to help their peers towards recovery.
“For children in hospital, art offers a place to escape from the real world of tests, procedures and treatments and provides them with a space for their imaginations to thrive and I think the students this year have really understood that.”
Apart from the 50 works selected for Westmead’s permanent collection, another 150 artworks will be chosen for display in regional hospitals. Operation Art 2016, featuring all 870 works is on exhibition at the Armory Gallery, Sydney Olympic Park every day from 10am until October 30. Entry is free.