How many Laura’s can you see? Laura Graetz poses with two of her pieces that made it into Victoria’s Top Arts exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.
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An engineering student hailing from the Goulburn Valley proved she is as capable of wielding a paintbrush as she is with a calculator.
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Laura Graetz, a graduate of St Augustine’s College last year, saw double when she noticed not one, but two of her paintings hanging in the National Gallery of Victoria.
Miss Graetz’ work is being featured in the NGV’s Top Arts exhibition, a celebration of the best of the best student work from 2024.
The exhibition highlights the use of innovative use of materials and techniques employed by students completing VCE studies of Art Making and Exhibiting.
In a remarkable achievement, Miss Graetz secured her place among just 40 artists selected from hundreds of students.
“It didn’t feel real,” is what Miss Graetz said, describing seeing her paintings on the walls of the NGV.
“It still doesn’t feel real, like why did they pick me?”
Her two pieces are a mix of acrylic and oil painting, both featuring the same scene but from different perspectives.
Untitled (portrait) painted by Kyabram artist, Laura Graetz.
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Untitled is a self-portrait of herself, and said she was inspired by pieces on social media which influenced her to be able to share and convey emotions in a vulnerable and emotional way.
Prying Eyes is a painting which features a voyeuristic view into her painting process as she paints the portrait of herself.
“The first was just the photo of me, and was done as a trial case at the start of the year... then the second piece was the last piece that I had done for the year... I wanted to rework that and connect it back into the first piece,” Miss Graetz said.
Prying Eyes by Laura Graetz was one of her last pieces she did as a student at Kyabram's St Augustine's College.
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Seeing the exhibition on the opening night, Miss Graetz said she realised how “connected” all artists really were on that night.
“It made me feel connected to everybody else, having the same feelings and going through the same things with artwork as everybody else,” she said.
She didn’t have to travel far for the exhibition, as she has begun studying for a Bachelor of Engineering at RMIT.
Although her current focus is on engineering studies, Graetz remains committed to nurturing her artistic talents.
“I probably won’t have as much time (to do art), but I will stick with it,” she said.
Next time you are down in Melbourne, head down to NGV and view the Top Arts exhibition, on display until July 20.
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