Year 12 Visual Art Student Profile: Alexia Jurkowski

Our very talented Year 12 Visual Art students are currently working on projects towards their Graduation show, held at the end of Term 3. The theme for this project is ‘Secluded’, where students look at places of safety, peace, and solitude. This work will be externally assessed for their final WACE exams.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing their work with you and the stories behind their pieces as they continue their projects at home.

This week we start with Alexia Jurkowski

What is your artwork about?
My artwork follows the theme of “Secluded” and details the experience of being secluded in a moment of intense passion for something. Having a strong dedication to something in life, such as for music as featured in my artwork, can be somewhat lonely and a sacrifice. But these aspects are overruled by a person’s drive and passion for what they love. This piece embodies the atmosphere of isolation that may come with one’s passions, but heroes the seclusion of an individual caught in their trade.

What or who is the inspiration behind your artwork
My artwork is inspired by my Mum’s personal experiences, and this is why she is the subject matter of this piece. In a trying time in her life, playing the piano brought her ease. It suspended her in a purely untouchable space away from her troubles whenever she needed relief. This seclusion and complete passion for her music may have been lonely, but it inspired the message of the power and importance of one’s passions in this piece.

Who is your favourite artist?
Claude Monet is probably my favourite artist. Although his enchanting and delicate style is nothing like my own, I am in awe of the complete essence of calm and softness he brings to his landscapes through his use of mellow lighting and pastel tints. His ability to capture the world in a fragile and mythical state-of-being inspires my own tendencies to view what I paint beyond a surface level.

What’s your favourite medium to work in?
Although challenging, oil paints are my medium of choice. They allow for a wide variety of techniques to be applied to canvas and can create any desired textures or atmosphere. It is also my favourite because of the richness of the paint colours, which allows for an incredible mixture of colours to be invented as I mix them.

What do you love most about art?
The thing that I love most about art is that it is highly personal and there is no right or wrong when creating a piece. Art gives me an opportunity to put my own thoughts, opinions and emotions into my work without hesitation, and although it is highly testing of patience at times, it is so rewarding to create something from my own mind.