Artist Statement

Looking beneath the surface often reveals hidden truths that some are not prepared to face. This rings true when reflecting on the impact people have on the natural world, particularly the ocean. Our nets, our anchor chains and our pollution are rapidly degrading our oceans, affecting the living organisms that depend on it for survival. The closer you look, the more you care, the more human impact on the environment you will find throughout this installation. My work aims to encourage people, informing them that there is still a beautiful habitat that needs looking after. This begins with each of us.

Artwork Process

To create this installation, three main processes were undertaken. Firstly, I transferred photographs onto the wooden panels. Next, over 100 clay coral-like sculptures were made and attached to acrylic rods of different lengths. The three cotton fabric panels were dipped together in indigo dye before being separated into the individual panels. The panels were attached to a piece of driftwood and the clay sculptures were secured into pre-drilled holes in the wooden flooring.

About the Artist

Name: Lilly Dawson
School: Redlands College (Wellington Point)
Artwork: Beneath the surface
Media: Mixed media installation (timber panels, acrylic rods, paper clay, dyed cotton, driftwood)

My name is Lilly Dawson and I am a student at Redlands College where I am currently completing Year 12. I have been fortunate enough to grow up living only a couple of minutes away from the ocean and so have always felt a close connection to the sea. This attraction has inspired my art for the past couple of years and continues to inspire me to protect it and all of the creatures that call the ocean home.