2022 Year 6 Highly Commended

Shielded by Grace
Sophie Malyn
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish Primary School, Bowral
Year 6

My inspiration came from ‘The Flight to Egypt’ (Mathew 2:13-15). In this passage we read of King Herod commanding his men to murder Jesus. I harnessed this wickedness portrayed, which highly influenced my piece. The artwork displays a range of creative methods. Mediums such as watercolour pencils, graphite, ink and collage elevated my image. Magnificent white lilies adorn the right corner, casting strong beams of righteous light. White lilies are symbolic of virginity and purity and are often associated with the Virgin Mary. Flowers are delicate and gentle which clearly reflects Mary’s warm personality. These blooms protect baby Jesus from Herod’s threatening hands as he desperately searches for Jesus.

Torn and textured fragments of the Hebrew scripture passage are fixed around the page. They are broken to express the frantic and distraught feeling that Mary and Joseph experienced. My background displays dark and eerie shades of red and black which violently contrast against the glowing yellow. These colours are dramatic and bold, emphasising Herod’s jealousy and outrage. Red, as an emotion, expresses rage and extremity while black suggests edgy and powerful feelings. Therefore, these colours make an eye-catching and meaningful backdrop for my artwork.

View more of our Christmas Story Art Exhibition 2022 artworks by clicking on our young artists' names in the teal panel. Alternatively, click through our artworks below.

View Next Artwork >>