2021 YEAR 6 HIGHLY COMMENDED
'Mary Lighting the Way'
Claire Dadd, Year 6
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish Primary School, Bowral

My work on the Annunciation was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night.’ The night sky is vast, deep and dark much like the world was before the birth of Jesus. Mary is holding a candle gazing into the light, reminding me of how Jesus is the light of the world. I chose to draw Mary holding the candle with hot wax melting onto her hand to represent the discomfort and pain she was to face being the mother of God, this wasn’t going to be easy.

Mary’s palm is open just as she was to receive the good news of Jesus’ birth. The angel is centred in the flame of the candle, the colours I chose here are that of a sunset which I think are the colours of heaven. The angel has no formed hands as this represents that the gift of Jesus is given freely to all.

I chose to use oil pastels on the stronger colour elements of my work such as the night sky and Mary’s hand. I also used watercolour as this gave a softness to both Mary and the angel.
 

Listen to Claire's description of her artwork below...

View more of our Christmas Story Art Exhibition 2021 artworks by clicking on our young artists' names in the teal panel. Alternatively, click through our artworks below.