One Student's Dreaming

Inspired by experiences with Aboriginal communities in northern NSW, Jonathan Otto could not use words to describe his feelings--they were too limiting.

The realisation of those feelings is now part of the ArtExpress Tour, a statewide exhibition of visual arts projects from Year 12 students.

Jonathan's artwork, entitled "Karl-Maliyaa (Friend)", was one of seven HSC artworks from Warners Bay High School that were nominated for ArtExpress.

"I was stoked when they told me my work had been chosen," says Jonathan. "It's been a dream of mine since I began making art at school. My teachers have been really supportive of that."

Jonathan's artwork depicts a smiling Aboriginal child giving a thumbs-up gesture. He used a number of mediums, dividing the artwork into eight equal panels forming the shape of a child. The piece symbolises optimism amidst detachment.

He has twice visited Walgett with a Christian community service group known as StormCo (Service To Others Really Matters). The group of young adults is organised through the Seventh-day Adventist Churches of Newcastle. A team has visited Walgett every six months since July 1999, with the intention of being an ongoing positive factor in the town.

"It's a divine form of giving," says Jonathan. "StormCo's all about self-sacrifice for others. It taught me how to connect with all sorts of people in a community."

Jonathan received the Lake Macquarie City Council Young Citizen of the Year Award on January 17 after being nominated by his school principal for his community focus.

Jonathan won't see his artwork on display when it opens?he leaves this Friday for Tanzania, Africa, joining 11 other World Vision ambassadors for a study tour. He is taking his SLR and video cameras along with a hope that he will be inspired to create more artworks of a similar nature.

"Karl-Maliyaa (Friend)" will be on display in the windows of David Jones, Elizabeth Street, Sydney from Monday, January 26.


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