'that anxious feeling' 
Tahlia Jankulovski
st francis of assisi catholic primary school, warrawong
year 6

My artwork is inspired by Matthew 2:13-15, The Flight to Egypt. In particular, the part when the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. Joseph’s eyes display his fear and anxiety, but deep inside he would have had a sense of trust and hope.

I connect with all of these emotions deeply. In my learning, sometimes I can become overwhelmed with fear and anxiety when I don’t understand the concept being taught. Sometimes I end up in tears, just like Joseph. But deep inside, I find a glimmer of hope and trust that is triggered by the memory that I’ve pushed through before. 

The muted colours in the background are to create an immersive effect on the viewer, while the multitude of colours used are to show the worry and mixture of emotions. The yellow in the top corner represents the love that Joseph has for Mary and Jesus and the courage he will need to overcome the challenges ahead. Green symbolises the hope he has that his family will be alright. Blue represents the trust that Joseph had to show that they would be okay. Orange symbolises the frustration that Joseph had to leave his home.

View more of our Christmas Story Art Exhibition 2023 artworks by clicking on our young artists' names in the teal panel. Alternatively, click through our artworks below.

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