After months of dreading the possibility of never going on another Visual Arts excursion due to the enduring pandemic, we were all met with the astonishing news of a day out to Newcastle to explore the best artworks on display.  It was an opportunity too good not to take.  So, that’s exactly what we did.

We started the day at 7:30 am at Taree, hopping onto the bus and getting comfortable for the next two hours of driving until we arrived at Maitland Regional Art Gallery.  The gallery welcomed us as soon as we entered, guiding us around the exhibitions, in particular last year’s Year 12 students that were fortunate enough to be displayed in “Art Express”.  We were in awe of the raw talent presented to us, stepping into the minds of some of the greatest artists within our greater region.  The favourite from the gallery seemed to be the Virtual Reality artwork “Terminus” by Jess Johnson and Simon Ward.  The artwork allowed for the viewer to be transported into an alternate reality that presented many interesting ideas and concepts to consider.  After viewing the gallery, most of us sat down at the café and grabbed a coffee before hitting the road again.

We then journeyed to the other side of Newcastle, enjoying a bumpy bus ride until we finally arrived at our second venue:  The Museum of Art and Culture, Lake Macquarie.  We were greeted with a warm welcome and were shown around the gallery, once again showcasing the previous senior students that excelled in their HSC Body of Work last year.  We saw some familiar faces, works that convey both powerful and important messages, and ideas that inspired us greatly.  We all walked out with our minds tingling and swirling with possibilities, considering our own artmaking and that of those that we admired.  

The bus ride home was a quiet one, everyone tired from a long day out.  With no one getting lost or abandoned and of course returning home safely, I can confidently say it was a very successful day exploring the Newcastle/Maitland art scene.  A big thank you to our wonderful art teachers Lyndall Laurie and Jason Koenig, and to our bus driver Dru for making this wonderful experience possible to us!

Rickardd Weiley
Year 12 Visual Arts