Year in Review 2024 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 51 Catholic Education Sandhurst MacKillop Art Awards The 15th annual MacKillop Art Exhibition featured over 300 artworks from 42 Catholic schools across the Diocese of Sandhurst at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo and online. Showcasing the artistic talents and spiritual insights of students, the Awards recognise that art thinking and art making are tangible ways for young people to explore their faith, society and even themselves and to give expression to this. Since 2022, Bishop Shane has personally chosen a primary and a secondary school artwork which best embody, promote or inspire Christian values and spirituality. Awarded were; Charlotte Seddon St Anne’s College, Kialla Year 11 Woman of the Woods Acrylic on Canvas Board; (pictured top) “Depicted is the Woman of the Woods. A symbol of regrowth after fire, her burnt half slowly regrowing to match her beautiful natural self. A female form was chosen as ‘Mother Nature’. The spiritual aspect of fire is explored, biblical stories often feature ashes and fire, Ash Wednesday. The regrowth is as spiritually significant as the destruction that comes before it. The idea that hardship is necessary to encourage positive change is one of great importance and as such great care was taken to not demonise the burnt side, as this is the catalyst to inspire beautiful things to grow.” Isabella Lahm St Anne’s College, Kialla Year 5 Nature’s Hand Watercolour on Paper (pictured right) “My painting is of a small baby bird on my hand from an experience I had camping with my family. My cousin and I came across some baby birds who had fallen from their nest. We picked them up and found their mother. My message in this artwork is about how we all have a part to play in taking care of God’s creations.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ0MTI=