A large charcoal drawing of an old man's face surrounded by smaller paintings of scenes from his life.

Bethany College

Darug Country

Nonno

Collection of Works

Charcoal on paper, acrylic on canvas, image transfer on canvas

My Nonno's journey stands as the living thread that connects my family to our privileged existence today. He left behind family, loved ones and life in Sicily to begin a new life in an unfamiliar land with an unknown future. The immense courage, sacrifice and hardship he endured is a direct testament to the courageous migrants of the 1950–60s, whose unwavering spirit and inspiring stories deserve to be cherished, honoured and not forgotten. In honour of my Nonno, my body of work represents his journey as not just a story but instead an anthem of hope, success and gratitude.

My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Käthe Kollwitz, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Douglas McDougall, Mark Powell, Robert Longo.

ARTEXPRESS 2024 is a collaboration between NSW Department of Education and NSW Education Standards Authority, curated and presented by Hazelhurst Arts Centre.