The Swap across the Strait Exhibition featured artworks by students of Sunshine College, Mother of God School and the Create and Make art classes of the Devonport Regional Gallery. The artworks are about what it’s like to live in Melbourne or Tasmania, and also responded to questions and answers which were sent backwards and forwards across the Strait.
All of the artworks travelled across the Bass Strait on the Spirit of Tasmania to be displayed in at Gallery Sunshine Everywhere and then returned to Tasmania the same way and were exhibited at the Devonport Regional Gallery, in the paranaple arts Centre.
Eva
I am drawing the map of where the artwork is going.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Junsyn
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Kaisa
One side is about the Tasmanian Devil, something that they don’t have in Melbourne. But then in Melbourne they have sky-scrapers.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Avni
This is my imaginary boat with wings. It’s a flying boat as well and has fire underneath. There is an octopus.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Maya
I’m drawing the night sky because you can watch the sun set at Warrawee. We visited Warrawee the other night and we saw eleven scorpions on the way down. We saw lots of girl scorpions because they have orange dots and the orange dots are actually eggs.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Ella
It’s the beach and there’s going to be a camping site and the sun’s really hot – its turning orange.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Ivy
What television shows do you watch? I watch Pokemon, My little Pony, Teen Titans Go! And the Lego Movie 2.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Jeremiah
A camper trailer. We took it on the Spirit of Tasmania. We stayed on the Mornington Peninsula.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Avara
The reason why I did this artwork is because at school I love to look at the blossom trees and at my house I love to look at the sunset.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Eden
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Marko
I believe in God
(Year 1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Mikalai
Victory Day, Belarus
(Grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Thomas
Vietnamese/Chinese New Year
(Grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Selina
New Year’s Eve
(Grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Martin
Vietnamese New Year
(grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Tejveer
Diwali/Indian celebration
(Grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Toby
Easter
(Year 4, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Chelsea
My boat is travelling to Devonport
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Nyanyok
Self Portrait
(Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Ater
South Sudan
(Grade 4/5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Caleb
This is the beach. I love looking for shells and playing in the sand
(Prep, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Akvol
Self portrait with a rainbow
(Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Pau
I like to play soccer with my friends at lunch and recess times. I play soccer because it’s my favourite sport. I play defence because I protect the ball.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Maria
These are chickens. I have three chickens at home. They just lay two eggs every day. They can grow Easter eggs
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Isabelle
We have rabbits around Ardeer.
(Year 6, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Awais Ali
This topic is about the city in Melbourne. I went to the city: it was so bright that I could not believe it and it was amazing. The sun was bright, the sky was blue and I liked it. The city was amazing and it was like sunshine in the city.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Kevin
I’m making the spirit of Tasmania with an octopus in the water. It’s the Tasmania boat and sails the ocean sea. The captain drives all night.
Clouds are in the sky. There is a shark under the water. I have been on the boat and I like the boat.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Edith
It’s going to be my apple farm. There’s going to be some poppies and there’s going to be some apple trees. It’s about my granny’s house. It’s Ma’s house. It’s in Hobart.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Avni
The big Apple
It’s somewhere in Spreyton.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Lily
This is about a girl who moved to Melbourne and she forgot the way home and she’s all lost and she doesn’t have a phone, and even the fireworks are going.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Nastia
Bass Strait
(Grade5/6, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Jeremiah
This is my house. This is a plane. This is a tree. This is me.
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Emily
In response to Tasmanian students’ question, “What is the temperature there?”
(Year 6, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Herani
I chose these colours because I always go on planes with these colours. I’d get this plane to Devonport. Are there any Devonport people from Ethiopia?
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Mason
Some people take planes to Tasmania but I would take a submarine.
(Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Sebastian
A house
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Angelique
It’s about a cat and there’s lots of colours around her.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Charlotte
Do you like wallabies and possums?
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Indra
My cat Pebbles
She’s not that good friends with my dog.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Cassandra
I’ve drawn rabbits because I have one called snuggles.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Oliver
I put sticky tape on that.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Eleanor
I love dogs and cats
That’s me saying I love them
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Cassandra
I’ve drawn rabbits because I have one called snuggles.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Madeline
I’m doing a cat because I love cats.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Paige
I wonder if they get sunny days in Melbourne?
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Dhieu
I painted our school. I put a cross on top and then I put a door. We welcome everyone through our door. We are good people.
(Year 4, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
David
I drew a plane flying to Devonport
(Grade prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Chloe
Bass Strait
(Grade 5/6, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Bao
(Year 4, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Christian
We have a cow at our school. I used collage to create my work
(Year 5, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Indra
The Bluff – and there’s a sunset on the water
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Avni
The Bluff
The Bluff is paradise because it is nice, quiet and relaxing.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Avara
Seascape
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Eyoel
This is my house. It is orange. What colour is your house?
(Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Aluk
My house
(Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Atong
There’s a sky. A rainbow and rain. This is what I see from my house.
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Jaiden Nguyen
How students spend their time in class. No matter what subject, what year or what school, the students will act the same. There will be someone who studies, someone who sleeps, someone who is on their phone and many more. No matter what gender, race or age, the class will look the same.
(Year 10, Sunshine College)
Lung
I drew this picture because me and my family don’t celebrate it but we go to church before the new year and we sing, dance and pray and sometimes we go to the real festival.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Jett
My drawing is about the joy of Christmas and children getting presents. I drew a green Christmas tree with ornaments on it. I also placed the Christmas tree in front of the window so people on the outside can see it. I also drew a person next to the tree. This drawing also shows what most people do at Christmas with a tree, Christmas colours and presents plus more.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Tanaysia
I drew Christmas because it is special to me and my family and it helps bring people together. I used the colours, red and green the most to represent the colours used at Christmas and I also drew something to go with Christmas like a snowman, hot chocolate and a gingerbread man. I also drew a church because some people like to go to church on Christmas Day and my family and I always go to church on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. I also drew a Christmas tree and presents to show what most Christmases look like as well!!!
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Annika
Lantern Festival: this is about a festival that my family and I celebrate. We go there to have a good time watching the celebration occur. I love the parts where people in costumes do a performance. This is why I made this drawing. I remember them dancing on the stage as lights changed colour from above.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Aleks
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Rehab
I did this drawing because my family celebrates something called Ramadan. We also fast: we eat at 4 in the morning and we don’t eat again until 5pm when the sun is setting.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Kenny
The drawing is about Chinese New Year celebrations. A Dragon is a symbol of the culture, the colours are mainly yellow, orange and red. Fireworks are ignited and also fire-crackers. This event occurs every year.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Kevin
My drawing is about lunar new year. “Tet” in Vietnamese means Lunar New Year. The tree represents trees that have yellow flowers and people have them in their homes. The red envelopes represent lucky red envelopes that have money inside them. The elders, like parents and elder relatives give these to the younger children and in return the younger children wish their parents and relatives, happiness, luck, wealth etc.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Avin
I chose Lunar New Year because it signifies luck and wealth and even hope for a lot of Asians. I celebrate this festival every single year. It is a holiday for a lot of Asian people to celebrate: it is a tradition for all and we welcome all kinds of people. The red triangles are actually red pockets you use to put money in and it signifies even more dollars!
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Kang Lian
I drew a Halloween house because in the community we celebrate it and sometimes some trick or treaters come to get candy and I even one did trick or treat because I like candy.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Hasan
In May, the month of Ramadan starts for me and my family. One of the things I am recommended to do for this month is fast. Fasting is a tradition and we go for each day without eating or drinking. I do this for thirty days. One of the other traditions I do in Ramadan is have a big feast. At the feast we have a big plate of yellow rice and some chicken with some nuts and other foods.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Achok
This is a drawing of a living room from the perspective of a flower vase. Outside of the window lies a view of my neighbourhood.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Sariah
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Jane
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Esther
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Bol
We learn Dinka at our school. It is the language of the Dinka people of South Sudan.
(Year 6, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Shalone
My country is Sri Lanka. I lived there. There are rainbows there. I speak English and Tamil
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Ola
I speak French. Sometimes we count in French at karate. I punch and kick.
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Hannah
Self Portrait
(Grade Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Jacob
In this picture I tried to recreate the front of the school with the fence having a hole in it being an identifying symbol of the school. I came up with this idea while standing in front of the school while waiting for my dad to pick me up. I drew this because in coming to school everyday it’s a really important place to me
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Jana
I drew this picture because I feel safe at school because of all the caring students and teachers. Every day when I enter the gates I feel happy because of the good things about this school: Sunshine College!!!!
(Sunshine College)
Manahil
My picture is about the city and my colours are showing all the different happiness in all the different happiness in all the different houses. My drawing is also showing how busy it can be in the city of Melbourne. Melbourne is a very good place to visit and you could see many different features and houses.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Keza
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Mung Sen
This is a drawing of my house in Myanmar but not in Australia. The drawing is for the memory of my grandma and grandpa.?
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Angelique
Mine is Tasmania, and this is the boat, this is my home and this is Hobart which is the capital city and I drew a star around it. And this is sunshine.
And this is where the boat goes and then goes out to see. I have drawn my family who live in the house.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Indiana
I drew a whale.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Juston
This is where I live. I live in Deer Park. I have been living there for more than five years. I live with my two brothers and my mother.
(Sunshine College)
Blake
So what I drew is an ambulance dropping off a patient who was involved in a car crash at Sunshine Hospital.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Dien
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Mahlet
This is my house, I live with my sisters, brother and mum, and dad. I’ve been in the house about three years and a half. I love my family. Sometimes on the weekends we love to go on a camping trip.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Aida
This is my house in Sunshine West. I’m living in Sunshine with my family. In my family is my dad and mum, my older brother and my younger brother.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Russel
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Blake
I drew Sunshine on an ocean of water and a snake watching the horizon from afar. It was based on Sunshine College.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Alexander
Sunshine College Bird’s eye view
I drew a bird’s eye view of Sunshine College, Ardeer Campus and the front of Sunshine Marketplace. I drew Sunshine College because it’s my school and I like it.
(Sunshine College)
Kaizen
Sunshine College in the beginning, Sunshine College in the end.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Alen
My work was supposed to be about “I live in Sunshine” but I could not think of anything else in Sunshine I could draw.
(Sunshine College)
Albert
This picture is about my country and I drew it because I miss my country so much and I really care about my friends in my country because I miss them too. I love to draw pictures of things that I know and care about.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Owen
Windmill Town
We pass Windmill Town (Oatlands) when we go to Hobart. There’s sheep. The red is the dirt from all the diggers (roadworks).
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Maya
It’s a little fishy.
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Narjis
I chose a topic of “I live in Sunshine”. First I drew my house and my neighbour’s house and then I coloured it. I used crayons for colouring. I made trees, mountains, birds and the most important thing – sun. The sun is important because I want to show I live in Sunshine. In my drawing I used orange and yellow colours to make a sun.
(Year 7, Sunshine College)
Christian
I painted a boat because it would be a fast way to get to Devonport.
(Prep/1, Mother of God Primary School, Ardeer)
Madeline
(Devonport Regional Gallery Art Classes, Tasmania)
Sculptural works
by children of Devonport Regional Gallery’s make and Create Classes (photographs below)
Charlotte – I’m making a boat. I have my own beach path that nobody can use, only me, because it goes from my house to the beach.
Charlie – A Boat. It has little dots and it has a white . . . .
Eleanor – (plasticine picture)
London – A Snake. Sometimes it gets hot in the summer in Tasmania and you can see a lot of snakes around.
Ivy – Boat. There’s lots of people from different countries riding on the boat to go to London.
Abigail- (puppets). I like horses
Maya – Crocodile
Katy – (landscape sculpture)
Harriet – Tasmanian Devil. Don’t touch or it will kill you!
Fletcher – Wallaby sculpture. I imagine because you live in a city, you don’t see lots of wild-life.
Owen – A rockpool with a blue ringed octopus and some fish.
Eleanor – It’s for swinging around
Indiana and Paige – Farm Sculpture
Kevin and Junsyn – pipe-cleaner sculptures
Paige and Indiana- There’s a pond, there’s a big silo, a house, some flowers, and lilly-pads in the pond. It’s a really big red farm house. There are lots of purple and red flowers. There are hay-bales in the red house.
Ivy, Charlotte, Ezra, Anais, Abigail – papier mache boats
Elsie – penguin
Amelia – Echidna
