A trip to Kokoda was enough to influence the future career and final Visual Art work of former Isabelle Hughes.
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The 18-year-old completed her Higher School Certificate at The Riverina Anglican College (TRAC) last year and earned the highest marks in the Riverina in Visual Arts with a score of 92.65.
Her inspiration came from a trip to Kokoda in 2013, where she experienced the culture and countryside in a way that shaped many important decisions in her near future.
Isabelle developed a series of three portraits of children, three one-metre collages and a one-metre portrait comprising of ink drawings over a year.
The trip had such an impact on her that the poor living conditions and weak health system inspired Isabelle to study nursing and later return overseas to help with health care.
“The trip influenced greatly what I want to do in my career path,” she said.
“Seeing the people and experiencing a third world country … it’s breathtaking.
“If I was attached to the story then I knew it would show through my art work.”
Her final work drew parallels between World War II and Kokoda and was heavily inspired by the people Isabelle met on her 2013 trip.
But the powerful subject matter and well executed technique still did not prepare her for the response she received.
“I was shocked, I had no idea,” she said.
“It was a great reward for all the hard work.”
TRAC principal Ian Grant described Isabelle as an imaginative student who is a great example to other students.
“She’s tried to look at a variety of different types of art and I think that’s been recognised by the markers,” he said.
Mr Grant said the skills Isabelle obtained by studying Visual Arts will translate into her university life.
“We really want to foster the children’s creative side because it gives another dimension to their abilities,” he said.
“It’s always nice to see student graduate and go off with a sense of purpose.”
Isabelle was awarded the $250 Wagga HSC Art Prize by Wollundrytoo Art Co-operative for achieving the highest mark in Visual Art in the HSC.