Celebrating Mia’s Artistic Achievement

We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Mia, a talented Year 6 student whose creativity and originality have earned her a place in the spotlight—twice!

Mia’s captivating artwork, titled My Curious Spirit, has been selected for display in the prestigious Young Archies exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Out of more than 3,200 entries, Mia’s piece stood out for its imagination and emotional depth, earning her a place alongside some of the most promising young artists in the country.

But the recognition didn’t stop there. As part of the recent Vivid Sydney festival, Mia’s artwork was also projected onto a building as part of a collaborative public art display—an extraordinary moment that brought her vision to life on a grand scale.

Mia’s journey began with the MLC Junior School Portrait Competition, where her work was selected to represent the school in the Young Archies. Her piece, My Curious Spirit, blends childhood memory with imaginative transformation. In her own words:

“When I was little, I had a favourite stuffed toy. I would often hug it and bite it. This portrait blends my memory of biting the toy’s ear with things from my imagination. Half of my face transforms into my favourite animal – a cat. Cats are curious and adventurous, always wanting to explore and discover. This represents my way of seeing the world – mixing real experience with fantasy.”

Visitors can view Mia’s work at the Art Gallery of NSW from Saturday 10 May to Sunday 17 August 2025. For those eager to explore the full collection of finalists, the Young Archie competition 2025 gallery is also available online.

Congratulations once again to Mia for this remarkable accomplishment. We can’t wait to see where her artistic journey takes her next!

– Marian Doull
Teacher

Click on gallery to view full images