By Callum Ludwig
Talented former Mater Christi College student Gosia Piosicka will have her artwork feature in an exhibition being put on display this month, celebrating the achievements of students who created masterpieces in a challenging year of schooling.
Ms Prosicka said the Covid-19 pandemic felt like an interruption and had an impact on her school experience.
“I found it incredibly difficult. I kind of enjoyed remote learning initially, because I’m a bit of an introvert,” she said.
“But over time, I think I just lost motivation.”
Ms Piosicka is part of 31 VCE and VCAL students of 2021 from around the Yarra Ranges who have been given the opportunity to have their artwork displayed in 2022’s Creative Showcase at The Memo in Healesville.
Despite art being a favourite subject of Ms Prosicka, she said it was difficult adjusting to working alone from home.
“It made me realise how much I took for granted just being in the art room. Not only using the materials, but having my teacher there at my disposal all the time,” she said.
“I guess in a way, though, it made me work more independently and realise what I can do on my own.”
Ms Prosicka explored the theme of gender expression in her art featured in the showcase, particularly honing in on a feminine perspective.
“I knew from the beginning, I wanted to do it about women and femininity and tie it into growing up,” she said.
“Today, women have rights, we’re free to sort of do whatever we want. But there are still some underlying issues we face such as internalized misogyny.”
Ms Piosicka’s art depicted a story of a young woman embracing her sense of femininity and how freeing it can be.
“There’s this stigma in presenting really overly feminine, a weakness in that,” she said.
“I wanted to show liberation can be felt in sort of just being comfortable in who you are, especially as you grow older.”
Ms Piosicka utilised acrylic paints for underpainting, before oils such as linseed oils to finish, while using thick brushes to create depth.
In the future, she would like to explore sculpture and linoleum printing in the future.
Ms Piosicka said it felt amazing to have her art displayed in the showcase, which is open to the public for free.
“It’s one thing to have your friends and your teachers and your family see your artwork in the classroom,” she said.
“But it’s another thing to have it in an actual physical space to have other people who you don’t even know can see it, can appreciate it and maybe even resonate with it.”
Her advice to VCE students of 2022 and beyond was to tap into topics they are interested in, and explore from there. She encouraged students to choose a broad theme and then to explore mediums and techniques they wouldn’t otherwise use in their folio.
The exhibition will take place from Friday 4 February through to Sunday 27 February, hosted by the Yarra Ranges council in collaboration with Burrinja Cultural Centre.
