The Charles Darwin University (CDU) creative producers of the Night + Day Lightbox Project are moving into 2022 with new projects and ambitions. These Creative + Digital Arts students are sharing their experimentation, development, and creative progress through the Digital Arts NT (DANT) website, and you can follow along their journey.
Meet the Artists
Shannan Hayes
A Collection of Stamps
Shannan comes from an agricultural background in Central Australia and is the sixth generation on her families owned and operated cattle station. Shannan incorporates the rural aesthetics of life on the land through a crisp graphic design practice.
A Collection of Stamps
Postage stamps have become a thing of the past, inspiring a nostalgic approach to this lightbox design. Colourful and full of memorable moments, stamps connect people together linking stories and themes. The day-in-a-life moments of communal swimming pools have been sourced from Northern Territory Library image database Territory Stories. Evocative photographic records are a treasure trove of memories. For A Collection of Stamps, Shannan has used images dating back from the 1960, 70s and 80s. Swimming at Cooinda Motel and Darwin Hotel to Parap Pool and Nightcliff Pool
*Shannan acknowledges the use of four images sourced from Territory Stories (https://territorystories.nt.gov.au/) and are Licensed: Attribution International 4. (CC BY 4.0) Free Cultural approved for works.
Citations:
· Top Left: Wiedemann, Bert, Swimming pool, Cooinda Motel. (1987). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/641311.
· Top Right: Wiedemann, Bert, Darwin Hotel. (1982). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/641141.
· Bottom Right: Burns, Norma, Nightcliff swimming pool. (1974). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/718722.
· Bottom Left: Helyar, Geoff & Lois, Parap pool. (1960). Retrieved September 14, 2021, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/730210.
Isabelle Henderson
All Night Awake
Isabelle Henderson, aka. Dippity, is a CDU Creative + Digital Arts student who likes to experiment with the intersection of storytelling and digital design. Throughout 2022 Isabelle will piece together the storyline for a comic, drawing from over 10 journals filled with ideas. Follow Isabelle’s journey through narrative and character development, as the tales of Edith and Leo come to life on the page and the screen.
Jemma Petch
The Hidden Details
Since moving to Tasmania from Central Australia Jemma’s strongest memories of Darwin are the wonderful, exaggerated colours and the warm nights where the sounds of unseen wildlife can be heard from all around. Follow Jemma as she continues to work in mixed media thematically turning closer to home, exploring childhood, families, and motherhood.
The hidden Details
Unnoticed details are a major focus within many of Jemma’s current artworks, whether its tiny insects or protruding powerlines, Jemma likes to draw attention to things other people might miss or no longer observe.
Jemma Petch is a contemporary landscape artist living in the Derwent valley, Tasmania. Many of her current artworks are inspired by nature and explore both her new landscapes within Tasmania as well as her many memories from her years living in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Jemma predominantly works with acrylic paint, printmaking, and charcoal, however digital art is beginning to make an appearance alongside these other traditional mediums.
Nikita Kafetzis
‘Tis the Dry Season
Nikita continues his journey as a young Greek-Australian design student, who loves nothing better than life in and around the beach. Expanding his research to prose about Australian beach culture, in 2022 Nikita will focus designing for narratives drawn from historical events, personal memories, songs and stories about the beach.
*Nikita acknowledges the use images sourced from Territory Stories (https://territorystories.nt.gov.au/) and are Licensed: Attribution International 4. (CC BY 4.0) Free Cultural approved for works.
Citations:
· Soldiers swimming. (1940). Retrieved, 2021, September 14, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/742255
· Dead crocodile. Retrieved 2021, September 14, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/718846
· Fisherman. (1980) Retrieved 2022, September 14, from https://hdl.handle.net/10070/671786
Aaron Othman
The Flying Squad
Now in his final year of study at Charles Darwin University Aaron’s interest in gaming designs from first-person shooting games to virtual reality images, has been realised through some key creative projects. Following on from his lightbox work, Flying Squad, Aaron will share his reflections on past works, worlds, and future in designing.
The Flying Squad
World War II bunkers are dotted around the coastline of Darwin. Hidden amongst our open recreational spaces where we picnic, jog, and walk out dogs. Today’s vibrant and multicultural Darwin is harmoniously shared by many social, cultural, and religious groups. War is a memory of Darwin’s distant past. The remnants of WWII from observation posts to the corroded remains of RAAF Military equipment and aircrafts are laminated to rocks and covered in coastal creepers.
The Flying Squad is a digital composite of past and present. It is a battle ground and memorial site. The Japanese dive bombers are like fish in the sky, spiralling formations, moving through the picture plane, flowing energy and movement from the aircraft over the Darwin skyline. They merge into a wreath of coastal creeper that frame the image. The ruins invite us inside.
While studying at Charles Darwin University I have been interested in gaming designs. From first-person shooting games to virtual reality images. I am interested in the connection between sporting or gaming activities and how they may reference the reality of where I live. The Flying Squad lightbox captures my world of discovery by day and gaming by night.
Rafael Lontoc
The Sky in Full Bloom
Darwin based Digital Artist, Rafael Lontoc, has been working in digital media since middle school. Rafael has a love for digital media and the online world, as well as a passion for digital art. This year Rafael will follow his passion for botanicals and colour, creating a new series of works creatively exploring sensual and captivating floral worlds.
The Sky in Full Bloom
The Sky in Full Bloom captures the luminance of a hibiscus flower as it embodies the sky of day and night. The viewer is asked to consider the art of wonder through the rare and fantastical experience of atmospheric light. Nature has many transitional states for inspiration. Whether it be the “magic hour” of after sunset, a meteorological sun shower, or the more ominous skyglow.
Darwin based Digital Artist, Rafael Lontoc, has been working in digital media since middle school in 2017. Rafael has a love for digital media and the online world, as well as a passion for digital art. Heavily inspired by fantasy and magical themes Rafael embodies his flora subject with the sky of day and night. In the digital realm wonder extends beyond the real world into pure fantastical.
Thuy Truong
Chilling in the Rain
Thuy’s interest and creative exploration of Vietnamese–Australian food culture of Darwin is expressed through vibrant and fun graphic design. Follow Thuy’s development as she pursues exciting independent projects connecting crafting, design, and creative writing
