Describe the ideas behind your work short–listed for Top Arts.

My artwork was inspired by botanical illustrations. However there is a slight twist! Each so called flower is constructed using alternate, attractive, yet repulsive objects. The majority of these works are a collection of skeletons, repulsive sea urchins, scaly reptiles and insects, oriental fans and African land animals just to name a few. I have applied my images in various ways, using photography, Latin names and oil and enamel on canvas.

What were your starting points? Where did your inspiration come from?

At the start of the year I was exploding with ideas and decided to pour them all out creating A4 collages with magazine cut–out images I had found and other random materials. From that one collage made from a boot and a snake looked similar to a botanical flower. I took this idea and created more flowers using alternate subject matter.

What media/materials did you select and why?

I used a Photoshop program (image manipulation program) on computer. This was used to fully manipulate the ordinary images I found into the flower stereotype. I created an antique botanical book to link my modern flowers to its traditional botanical style and used enamel and oil on canvas to create a textual background for candy coloured alternate flowers.

How did new technologies influence your ideas or working methods?

As my work is largely based on computer, the new technologies of Photoshop certainly influenced my work and allowed me to create such individual pieces.

What challenges/difficulties/discoveries did you encounter in producing your work?

I had never used a computer manipulation program before so I had to completely familiarize myself with the program by trialling and experimenting. I learnt patience and backing up work on the hardrive are IMPERATIVE to avoid frustration and loss of work through a computer fault.

What influences from other sources were significant in the production of your work? For example: other artists, literature, media, historical or political events. How did this impact on the development of your work?

I feel I am a very individual artist and thrive off my own creativity and interesting ideas which is represented through my "different" pieces. Hence, I really didn’t use other artists in the development of my work. However I looked at Fiona Hall’s works as she also uses botanical images in a modern interpretation.

What resources did you access e.g. Libraries, galleries, newspapers, magazines, art programs, websites, films, events and performances.

In my works I had to source many images to incorporate into my flower designs. I found these on the internet, magazines, and various brochures and images I had collected off the street, also from books.

What exhibitions did you see in 2006? Was there a specific exhibition that influences the development of your ideas and working methods?

I love viewing other people’s work. I find it therapeutic and interesting to see what others have created. I saw Ben Frost, Picasso, constantly visited NGV and Flinders Lane galleries and galleries in Byron Bay. However none of these directly influenced my ideas and working methods.

Did you see Top Arts VCE 2005? If so, what was your response?

Top Arts: VCE 2005 was stunning and impressive. I felt I had a lot to live up to yet I was excited at the challenge to see what students of my age were able to produce and the quality of that work.

Did you refer to the NGV website – how relevant or useful was this site? Any other sites you found useful?

I did not refer to this site particularly for the reason that I am my own artist and would prefer to be original rather than copy what others have done in VCE. However at the start of the year I visited this site to see the standard of work that must be reached.

Did you consider presentation and conservation issues in the process and production of your work?

My workbook was based fundamentally on entertainment for the reader whilst piling them with the necessary information about the production and process of my works. IE: the journey of my process is documented by characters and funny images which keep the book flowing and the reader engaged.

What advice would you give to students undertaking Art or Studio Arts?

Never doubt yourself and allow your gut instinct to be set free. Allow one idea to branch and flow on to the next, you will end up in a place you never thought you would be, but that is what keeps it interesting.

What were the highlights of your studies in 2006?

Being able to step back and see where you started, where you finished and all the skills learnt on the way. It is an amazing and intense year, but the rewards of seeing your finished pieces on show are simply priceless.

Are you planning to pursue a career in the arts? What will you be doing in 2007?

Most definitely. I would love to study communications design/visual communication. My dream is to some day work for a magazine doing art direction and layout. I am obsessed with the design and the graphically "cool".