Students’ top arts on show

By Kath Gannaway
STUDENTS from Billanook College, Lilydale Adventist Academy (LAA) and Mount Evelyn Christian School (MECS) have works on show in the 2008 VCE Top Arts exhibition in Melbourne.
Andy and Tim Hopkins from LAA, Gavin Kroon from MECS and Charlotte Booth from Billanook were among 61 students whose works were applauded at the launch of the exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria on 25 March.
Now in its 15th year, Top Arts puts out into the public arena more than 70 works by 61 students from Victorian Government, independent and Catholic schools.
The exhibition includes works from a range of media including painting, photography, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, animation, works on paper and an installation.
Co-ordinating curator Merren Ricketson said the selection panel looked at thousands of applications and were delighted by the creativity, skills and ideas that emerged from art classrooms across the state.
Frances Lindsay, deputy director of NGV said the exhibition contained exceptional works.
“It’s always exciting for us to see fresh and unique work reflecting the issues faced by today’s young people and the NGV is proud to be supporting and encouraging the next generation of Victoria’s visual artists,” he said.
Top Arts VCE 2008 is on show at the Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria until 14 June.