The Unexpected Surprises From All Sorts of Emotions

Just a week before the Term 1 school holiday, Jonathan was invited to participate in the Youth Week Inaugural Art Exhibition for all abilities in Baulkham Hills, an event collaboration between "At The Corner" and "The Hills Council". The theme was "Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful".

We submitted Jon's art print series of "Emotions" as they show all sorts of emotions he goes through and as a whole, they truly what makes up his personality.

Being a mum, frantically just trying to organize packing for the holiday, I didn't realize that it was actually not just an exhibition but also a competition. So you can imagine my surprise when I was informed that the artworks have won the Judge's prize for the 10-15 year old age group! Even more surprise knowing that they have been bought soon after the exhibition by a local family who found the artworks connecting to their hearts!

I feel truly encouraged both by the recognition from the Judge and by the buyer, who happened to walk past the exhibition and saw Jon's artworks. They speak volumes to me and I believe for my son too to keep going and keep creating art from our hearts.

About the artworks:

We submitted 3 artworks as a series to show the qualities that make who he is. He is a happy boy who sometimes feels sad and feels angry. Happy is the feeling who is there with him everyday. Happy is nice to be with. When I dance, play music, swim or play in water park, eat mum’s spaghetti, happiness comes and make me burst in giggles and smile.

Anger is the intense feeling that overtakes everything. It is hard to control and it doesn’t feel nice. It makes me puff really hard, stomp the ground, grit his teeth and scream my loudest. And normally Sadness follows after all that. Only a big hug from mum or dad can make me feel better and recover from all these horrible feelings.

Sadness also sometimes comes to visit when I feel I have let down people who I love, especially my parents or my brother Joshua. Or when something is broken when it’s not supposed to. 

Details about the event:

Judge: Leonard John Thomas Smith - Indigenous artist from Thomas Smith Art
More information and videos can be found on At The Corner Facebook page here.