Woods Street Youth Art Prize / 2026 Exhibition Catalogue
The Woods Street Youth Art Prize is a biennial exhibition presented by Creative City Hobsons Bay. It celebrates the diverse perspectives, creative practices and artistic ambitions of young people across Melbourne’s west.
4 - 19 September 2026 Thursdays - Saturdays 12pm - 5pm Free entry Woods Street Arts Space 44 Woods St, Laverton hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/youthartprize Hobsons Bay City Council acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of these municipal lands and waterways. We recognise the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Country, and pay our respect to Elders past and present.
Front cover image: Masengo “My Liberation Notes” Back cover image: Elijah Cristiano “Of Geological Time”
2026 Exhibiting Artists Aaron Phung Ada Whiteway Aidan Doyle Alex Robertson Brooke Johns (BeWitched Arts) Caitlyn Phan Charli English Claudia Bellingham Dennis Pham Dylan Disint Elijah Cristiano Elliot Tenney Evangeline Sanderson Frances Gentile Gluzyl Pagdanganan Greta Ligertwood Halle Roberts Harper Stubbs Iris Pavlidi Isobel Heddles Jasmine Davies Jessica Noyce Joe Kenny Joshua Griffioen Jovana Raickovic Justin Enrico Legaspi Lidya Gebreslassie
Lily Attard Lucinda King Luna Coleman Marini Coles-Janess Masengo Max Borhillo Maya Yoon Kirk Melinda Shipp Meredith Walker Montana Brayshaw Niamh Davies Oliver Cheung Olivia Di Gioacchino Ruby Findlay Rumaiha Bilal Samuel Roslin Manugas Shikha Manoj Kumar Jay Sirikwan Sophie Gradkowski Sumaira Alam Tandia Blaszczyk Tara Mathews Tessa Remsu Violet Gala William Kendall
Pursuit of Success
Aaron Phung 16 years old Acrylic paint 350mm NFS “This painting is a self portrait and it reflects upon the personal growth within my life. The snowball in my hands represents the idea of “snowballing growth”, where small, continuous efforts lead to personal growth. Therefore, I implemented it to represent the growth of my self confidence and self-esteem as I learn to be comfortable with who I am. However, I added the chains to symbolise how my self doubt and envy towards others hinder its development despite all I am. I used a centric composition to create a confrontational and authoritative feeling that highlights myself and my exhaustion. Finally, I implemented the rock ptarmigans in the background to symbolise resilience and perseverance in rough and cold environments, paralleling my daily efforts.”
Rock Ptarmigan
Aaron Phung 16 years old Air dry clay, wire, acrylic paint 130mm x 160mm x 70mm NFS “This clay sculpture was made to accompany my self portrait (Pursuit of Success) and it reflects upon my resilience and perseverance. This specific species of rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) are found in high-altitude tundras of northern Xinjiang, China. I specifically chose this bird to accompany my self portrait as its living conditions represent how resilience and perseverance are key to traversing cold and harsh environments, aiming to parallel my tenacity in life.”
Angel of Hearts
Ada Whiteway 16 years old Earthenware clay 310mm x 320mm x 300mm NFS “Skin and flesh peeled back to reveal a heart so big it’s hard to breathe.” This artwork explores vulnerability, what it feels like to open up and care so deeply it leaves you exposed. The opposing side is beauty and peacefulness because in the end the one who loves wins.”
ACT 1: Text Into Speech
Aidan Doyle 20 years old Single channel video NFS “In this work I recount the political experiences of myself and other young men. I’m interested in how young men are being radicalised on the internet. It looks at how a semi fictional character interacts with the world around him during a process of radicalisation.”
Changes
Alex Robertson 18 years old Watercolour, pens on paper, collage 300mm x 210mm NFS “This piece is an embodiment and representation of how my emotions feel in my body. I’ve often described negative emotions as a “red spiky ball” in my chest. So I tried to convey that feeling into this artwork.”
Shadow
Brooke Johns (BeWitched Arts) 24 years old Digital illustration 610mm x 440mm NFS “The concept of Shadow is that our world is often labelled as being black and white, but our world can be more complex and beautiful than a simple label. I wanted to show that off by having the girl only hold colour where her shadow laid on her skin. Showing how beauty can be found in even the shadows of our world.”
Nơi Hoa Sen Nở - where the lotus blooms
Caitlyn Phan 17 years old Oil paint 810mm x 690mm NFS “This artwork portrays my mother and her sister at the ages they were when they migrated to Australia. It reflects themes of displacement, identity, poverty, and resilience. Lotus and lily flowers symbolise growth through adversity, while also representing motherhood, family bonds, and the complexities of relationships shaped by hardship.”
Porthole
Charli English 25 years old Oil on canvas, wood, solid bronze porthole 250mm circumference $8,000 “Porthole is an oil painting of the open ocean under a stormy sky framed in an antique solid bronze porthole.”
If Only
Charli English 25 years old Oil on canvas, wood, solid bronze porthole 190mm circumference $3,000 “If Only is an oil painting of a bright orange ocean sunset framed in an antique solid bronze porthole.”
Am I Pretty Enough?
Claudia Bellingham 13 years old Oil paint 400mm x 300mm NFS “In this painting I have depicted a girl attempting to change her appearance, the feeling of never being enough for something. To try desperately so hard to change but ending up burning yourself out in the process. To the point where you can’t care anymore.”
Geometric Nostalgia
Dennis Pham 18 years old Oil painting 275mm x 220mm $45 “Oil painting of a screenshot of Minecraft gameplay. Minecraft is a sandbox game that has culturally changed the internet forever, and the exposure to it allowed for a creative outlet for me as a child. Traditionally, oil paintings were only commissioned to preserve and illustrate people and events of great importance. I used this medium to emphasise its cultural significance to contemporary media and widely shared nostalgia of children in the early 2010s.”
Flock Carousel
Dennis Pham 18 years old Kinetic sculpture 440mm x 660mm x 270mm NFS “A zoetrope is a method of stop motion animation. This piece is my love letter to stop-motion animation that I grew up watching, such as Shaun the Sheep and Wallace and Gromit. This is to comment on the animation medium as it has been impacted by the introduction of AI. It’s intentionally made to mimic the production process of stop-motion animation, as it is a long and rigorous process. Being a zoetrope allows viewers to examine each frame and appreciate the animation process. The addition of a pigeon on a skateboard is to represent urban life and is reminiscent of nostalgic kid cartoons.”
Ocean Decay
Dylan Disint 16 years old Wood, paint, air drying clay 780mm x 350mm x 20mm NFS “Swordfish skeleton made from air drying clay on wooden board painted blue. The prompt for this artwork was environmental change and the ocean. I chose to represent death and decay by focusing on a large fish species - a swordfish.”
Of Geological Time 18
Elijah Cristiano 25 years old Cyanotype 320mm x 230mm NFS “Of Geological Time responds to the Organ Pipes National Park, exploring multispecies entanglements within the site in relation to geological time. By aligning humans with more-than-human timescales that transcend the so-called Anthropocene, the work aims to decentralise humans from ecosystems by illuminating the complex relationships between species embedded within vast timescales. As part of a larger series, this image seeks to engage the site as an active co-creator through the cyanotype solar printing process, disrupting colonial depictions of the Australian landscape as passive, unpopulated ‘wilderness’ available for extraction.”
Double Dying
Elliot Tenney 20 years old Mixed media 730mm x 570mm NFS “Double Dying aims to explore the idea of death, both physically and metaphorically, in relationship to the trans community. Double dying represents the idea of killing off your old self to make way for the new, the idea of killing a part of yourself to try and fit in instead of transition, and aims to be a commentary on the violence often suffered by trans people.”
The Game
Evangeline Sanderson 19 years old Inkjet photo print 297mm x 420mm $70 “‘The game’ exists as a small section of a larger narrative illustrating the death of individualism through urbanisation. The uncanny figures in the photograph, their masks and outdated clothing, speak to the opaqueness of modern life, which demands veiled conformity, rather than simple existence.”
She’s Unusual
Frances Gentile 20 years old Pen on paper / zine 150mm x 210mm $10 per copy “What would you do if you knew the world was going to end tomorrow? Using Melbourne Cup horse names and inspired by my Pop’s old pottery books, we follow a young girl called Jane on her final night out.”
The Way Home
Gluzyl Pagdanganan 19 years old Oil pastel 210mm x 290mm POA “This is my view on my regular commute home from work, I find it very calming and reassuring. Recently, I started experimenting with oil pastels and I wanted to capture and share the scene.”
Beatrice
Greta Ligertwood 17 years old Oil painting 210mm x 145mm NFS “This painting is an attempt to capture my friend in a moment of joy and serenity. We have grown up alongside each other so I wanted to reflect her complexity and history while uniting these aspects in the present.”
Cat in a Box
Halle Roberts 21 years old Fine liner pen 210mm x 290mm NFS “Cat In A Box is a gift for my brother featuring our senior cat, his favourite cat, as he moves through what we expect is our last year. He marked the beginning of our lives in Melbourne, and has lived with us in three houses across the western suburbs. After 15 years, our chapter with him is coming to a close. The Genesis box is his bed of choice when he gets put away at night, with a second dinner concealing pain meds for his severe arthritis. The box is filled with his fluff from constant use, and there’s a comfortable solitude in his face I aimed to capture, because he’s happy to be put away at night, escaping from the younger cats he doesn’t get along with, finding peace in a world he no longer keeps up with.”
Fishpen
Harper Stubbs 14 years old Acrylic paint 200mm x 250mm NFS “Fishpen was inspired by The Impressionists and their style of painting along with my own take. During the process I focused on adding layers of colours to add a warmth to the painting and make it feel like the spot it was set in and the memories made there.”
Serenity
Iris Pavlidi 23 years old Oil paint 400mm x 510mm $950 “A depiction of a sense of peace in mundane moments”
Jaws
Isobel Heddles 16 years old Acrylic paint 430mm x 330mm NFS “I enjoy painting subjects with interesting shapes and forms. For this piece, I focused on experimenting with colour and contrast to create a bold image with a strong sense of character. I wanted the painting to feel playful, expressive and eye-catching.”
Cafe To Colour
Jasmine Davies 19 years old Oil pastels 390mm x 280mm NFS “An oil pastel artwork exploring Melbourne’s urban identity through a vibrant café scene, a graffiticovered wall, and the West Gate Bridge framed by the city skyline. The collage brings together everyday social spaces and iconic urban landmarks, capturing the energy, colour, and unique character of Melbourne’s western suburbs and the surrounding city environment.”
Unity
Jessica Noyce 15 years old Acrylic paint 300mm x 300mm $80 “The artwork is intended to highlight that everyone, no matter their background, can be close and that everyone can and should be accepted no matter who they are.”
Ned Kelly Rode A Pegasus
Joe Kenny 25 years old
“Australian Bush Poetry detailing the real and imagined history of one of this country’s most celebrated folkloric heroes, his infamous Kelly Gang and his relationship with a magic horse.”
Clown Fish
Joshua Griffioen 14 years old Paper mache and acrylic 250mm x 100mm x 50mm NFS “A one-sided paper mache clown fish painted with acrylic paints”
30
Introspective Self
Jovana Raickovic 15 years old Acrylic paint 350mm NFS “A deep reflection of my identity and individual character, glancing upon my internal along with external growth through the utilisation of various natural elements.”
Untitled (pop art)
Justin Enrico Legaspi 19 years old Digital collage, monitor 430mm x 420mm x 145mm NFS “piZap sparked my first interest in digital art. In my ‘early-early’ career as an artist, I’d digitally manipulate self-portraits and family photo albums. The platform had a large Filipino user base during the rise of the ‘Swagapino’ internet subculture among second-generation immigrants.”
Leisure time at the plaza
Justin Enrico Legaspi 19 years old 3D animation, monitor 620mm x 370mm x 50mm $1,650 (including monitor and playback equipment) / Free (digital download) “The work is a surrealist interpretation of Werribee Plaza (now Pacific Werribee). It uses the skeuomorphic design aesthetic of Frutiger Aero, often associated with early Windows computers. I’m nostalgic for both the plaza and the decline of optimistic, glossy design in favour of flat minimalism by the mid-2010s.”
Dreamscaught
Lidya Gebreslassie 14 years old Oil pastel 320mm x 420mm NFS “Dreamscaught is a work intended to highlight the beauty of imagination. The name Dreamscaught is a direct reference to Dreamcatchers, made to preserve the magic and whimsy of the memories and stories our minds hold, and that is what I communicated through a cosmic nebula of colors and shapes.”
Trinity
Lily Attard 18 years old Coloured pencil 594mm x 841mm NFS “My artwork was focused around the number of three, using 3 pencils, to create 3 different visuals of 3 major years of my life. This artwork has been based on a negative experience that occurred within my previous school in year 10 that resulted in me isolating myself from that environment, avoiding school for one year. This caused significant chaos within my relationship with school, represented through the chaotic view, seen initially when viewing my artwork, through both colours. Followed by the isolation of the individual drawings when viewed through the single lens, representing self isolation. With the third pencil used being white, used to blend these colours when drawing, representing how I’ve tried to blend these experiences away, although realising they’re still apart of who I am.”
Ode to the White Light
Lucinda King 21 years old Embroidery thread, embellishments, calico 300mm x 1300mm NFS “A hand embroidered poem inspired by themes of death, love, addiction, fate.”
Cupid
Luna Sofia Coleman 15 years old Digital painting 297mm x 420mm NFS “This artwork was inspired by the mythology of the Roman god ‘Cupid’. I wanted to create a character that contradicted themselves, the idea being ‘a Cupid who doesn’t believe in love, or was broken by it.”
Festering
Marini Coles-Janess 22 years old Watercolour, acrylic, nails, fabric, thread and beads 610mm x 610mm x 410mm NFS “Festering seeks to translate intangible emotions and experiences into material form through an embodied and intuitive process.”
My Liberation Notes
Masengo 22 years old Film photography, monoprint, photopolymer 841mm x 1189mm NFS
The Days Victoria Burned
Max Borhillo 17 years old Water mixable oil paint and acrylic 510mm x 390mm NFS “In an impressionist style, a depiction of a eucalyptus tree is partially in flames while the black smoke envelopes the background. It was painted during the tragic bushfire season in January as a way to document the terrifying event that many Victorians were seeing in their own backyards. This is an artwork that captures the environment and the fear many Victorians experienced during this time.”
Canopy
Maya Yoon Kirk 22 years old Filet crochet, mercerised cotton 2735mm x 1885mm NFS “This work is a translation of a digitised self-captured image, taking inspiration from the earliest programming language, that of the weaving machine. It translates an image from binary black-and-white pixels into mesh and solid stitches, using the slow process of filet crochet.”
Pictured At Hanging Rock
Maya Yoon Kirk 22 years old Chromogenic print 640mm x 890mm NFS “This work is the culmination of an interest in location and notions of preservation. As the title suggests, the image was photographed at Hanging Rock. A photograph captures a single moment in time, becoming a fragment. It is how we know our past, integral to shaping memory.”
Stay A While
Melinda Shipp 23 years old Analogue collage 190mm x 165mm NFS “Part of my ongoing collection of analogue collaged work, this piece represents the feeling of finding yourself in a hopeful dreamlike state, and deciding you’re better off staying. It is composed of found images, sourced from my collection of vintage magazines.”
What Are You Running From?
Melinda Shipp 23 years old Analogue collage 175mm x 110mm NFS “Made from found images and cut up word searches, this piece blatantly asks “what are you running from?”. Encouraging both myself and viewers to ponder what it is exactly that they are trying to escape, and whether or not it’s worth it.”
The Wild West
Meredith Walker 24 years old Watercolour 180mm x 470mm $160 “This watercolour painting combines motifs of food, culture and connection inspired by the suburb of Footscray. The piece’s Art Nouveau-inspired framing forms a literal and metaphorical ‘melting pot’. The subjects depicted are drawn from specific moments of time spent in the West, each associated with fond memories of the vibrant and diverse community.”
They Wrote On Me First
Montana Brayshaw 20 years old Mixed media; plaster bandage, acrylic paint, tissue paper, ink 540mm x 310mm x 210mm NFS “They Wrote on Me First is a meditation on the body as an archive. A vessel that carries the weight of memory, expectation, tenderness, and injury. The fractured torso becomes a landscape of absence and exposure marked by openings that reveal not emptiness but evidence of survival. These markings reflect the ways we are shaped by the words, histories and projections placed upon us long before we can choose our own narratives. The body remembers what the voice cannot always speak. This work does not seek to repair what has been broken. Instead, it asks what it means to live with the marks left behind. To carry them, to reveal them and perhaps through the act of witnessing to begin re-writing ourselves new.”
Lost Identity of 16
Niamh Davies 16 years old Acrylic 405mm x 510mm NFS “This painting is the depiction of the clouded knowledge of those who fail to understand themselves during the time of their life it matters most, and emptiness one endures during this. As the years pass, it is harder to truly overcome this feeling and the uncertainty falls thicker.”
The Awakening
Oliver Cheung 15 years old Markers, pen and ink 985mm x 375mm $160 NFS “The awakening depicts the emergence of Artificial Intelligence and technological advancement. The serpent is agonisingly being consumed while a new peaceful, yet mysterious life emerges from inside. The new era of life has begun. Everything we know may change and be replaced by this new life Artificial Intelligence.”
Neon Mother Mary
Olivia Di Gioacchino 24 years old Oil paint 500mm x 380mm NFS “This artwork is a portrait of Mary the mother of Jesus and has a modern twist to it. I wanted to capture the spirituality, peace and femininity of Mother Mary and I really wanted to bring out the modern yet classy and colourful side of her in this artwork.”
Seasonal Serenity
Ruby Findlay 25 years old 35mm film 480mm x 480mm NFS “Muted tones and grain created by 35mm film provide a nostalgic quality, which represent memory and moments in time. Each photograph captures areas of Hobsons Bay which hold special memories for my family. The cool and warm tones reflect the three seasons these moments were captured, Summer, Autumn and Winter.”
The Colours We Leave Behind
Rumaiha Bilal 14 years old Acrylic and gouache 200mm x 200mm NFS “A skull that is meant to represent that life eventually ends, but the bright colours represent that the things we do, people we meet and memories we create still continue after we are gone.”
Red Bridge
Samuel Roslin Manugas Acrylic paint and graphic markers 330mm x 240mm $20 “The aqueduct is an unique piece of architecture in the west. The modern concrete bridge shows how modern architecture has drained the life and colour out of the past and historical society. Both of the structures show a contrast of how dead, modern creativity, kills the concept of our past.”
A Dance Of Waves
Shikha Manoj Kumar 18 years old Oil paint on wood 600mm x 800mm x 150mm NFS “‘A Dance of Waves’ encapsulates the transience of the natural world through the portrayal of a shifting beach landscape, one scene that feels dynamic and another that feels serene and still.”
The Pasture at Dusk
Shikha Manoj Kumar 18 years old Oil paint on wood 410mm x 490mm x 35mm $250 “The Pasture at Dusk’ captures the tranquil mood of a quiet farm landscape. The concept of this painting was to portray the serene moments of the natural world, which encourages the viewer to slow down and appreciate these moments of peace.”
Sunburst
Jay Sirikwan 25 years old Pressed flowers 350mm x 270mm $188 “Sunburst was inspired by the crystal clear water and golden light of Williamstown Beach. It is the place that made me fall in love with this area and decide to make it my home. The work is made from hand pressed violas from my garden and Sunburst dahlias from Williamstown Farmers Market, brought together to capture that warm bright feeling of finding somewhere that feels right.”
Twin Flame
Jay Sirikwan 25 years old Pressed flowers 270mm x 270mm $168 “Twin Flame was created using preserved flowers from my garden. Inspired by the concept of yin and yang, the work explores the quiet harmony between two opposing forces. Through the flowers selected and the way they are arranged together, Twin Flame reflects how contrast and connection can exist within the same space, and how beauty can grow from the balance between them.”
The Purple Blossoms
Sophie Gradkowski 15 years old Ink 210mm x 297mm NFS “Purple Blossoms” uses shimmer ink on paper to convey the unique beauty of nature and harmonious colours. The sweeping foliage and distant mountains convey the imperfect beauty of the natural world, putting a fantasy spin on ordinary landscapes to reflect the universal understanding of the worth that our surroundings bring to our wellbeing and happiness. This piece is also made using only two colours, diluted to achieve different tones, highlighting how even the most lovely things can come from the simplest beginnings.”
Fawn’s Nostalgia
Sumaira Alam 18 years old Acrylic paint 300mm x 400mm $500 “This piece depicts various elements of my childhood that encompass comfort, whimsy, and a gentle longing for the bygone past of the 2000’s, with the main figure being a fawn symbolic of innocence and youth.”
Tangled Up In Blue
Tandia Blaszczyk 17 years old Crochet 900mm x 900mm NFS “This crochet piece is meant to signify the comfort in imperfection. At the centre of the piece, an intricate mandala is formed, and as the project is pulled taut and blooms outward, the structure falls away. Stretched, pulled and tight, this piece exists as itself rather than a perfectionist ideal.”
Experiment in Long Exposure Audio
Tara Mathews 21 years old Audiovisual, long exposure photography, accompanying soundscape NFS “My first experience with long exposure photography was capturing the Aurora Australis. Something so beautiful is unseen by the naked eye, yet becomes visible in long exposure. My work applies this same principle to sound, layering and distorting my voice and synthesisers until they are heard as one homogenous drone.”
Untitled
Tessa Remsu 25 years old Acrylic 400mm x 400mm $100 “This painting depicts the experience of being present in nature. The moments when you are encouraged to slow down and notice the intricacies of your surroundings. Looking at this painting and its details acts as a reminder to search for reflections of light and colour to find beauty where it is overlooked.”
12
Violet Gala 20 years old Stencil etchings on etching paper 1250mm x 1500mm $700 “12 is a collection of 30 etchings varying in colour and pattern. The numbers on the etchings represent time stamps and medical numbers from a certain accident that took place when I was 13. This work tells the story of the time spent at the hospital and the recovery after.”
Life With Death (Triptych)
William Kendall 23 years old Digital photograph 420mm x 297mm $168 “What a captivating encounter down at the Williamstown docks! Documenting that vibrant Italian fisherman and his rare, handmade heirloom rod sounds like the perfect portrait opportunity. Capturing such rich, diverse local stories is exactly what makes street photography so rewarding.”