By Leo Small | Year 9

Photography

11 x 14 inches

Nature in landscapes’ is visual representation of my connection to Orana. I have this

connection because of the immersion in nature Orana provides. I took these

photographs is both the bimberi wilderness, a quite sub-alpine ecosystem bustling

with plant life and Mallacoota, a small costal town at the top Victoria. These places

inspired my love of nature gained from my time at Orana.

By Juliana Mesquita | Parent / Guardian

Watercolour Painting

A3 (297 x 420 mm) + frame

At Orana, we see stars in many places. To me, the star represents the gifts within —

the unique light that each child carries and has the potential to shine.

I often remember teachers cutting an apple across its centre and revealing the little

star hidden inside. The star was always there; we simply had to look closely enough

to discover it.

For me, this simple moment captures something of what Orana means: the wonder of

discovering what is already within us, and nurturing that inner light as it grows.

The star was always there.

By Aeon Academy | Staff / Teacher

ceramic, colourants, copper wire

72cm x 76cm x 3cm

We are the children who attend after school care at Orana Aeon Academy. Every

afternoon we play in the beautiful outdoor environment enjoying the seasonal

changes, the plants and animals. We have worked collaboratively to create a hanging

sculpture made from pressing clay onto parts of our outside play area. Every tile

shows a part of Orana that we love and we invite people to enjoy touching this tactile

art work.

By Kathy Knight | Patent / Gaurdian

Wool

1 x 2 m

Orana is where the connections run deep and long, 16 years of belonging to a

community. Our lives are knitted together beyond the years in the school yard and

beyond time spent apart, to a space that is brought together in a moment of need, to

rally for a family that is hanging by a thread.

By Louise Curham | Parent / Gaurdian

Digital art

A3

Being an Orana parent is a long journey and for me, it has been very rewarding.

Thank you, Orana community

By Imogen Larmer | Year 11

Drawing / Painting

A5

This artwork explores how Orana is an open book where we learn not only typical subjects, but also how to socialise and grow within an accepting and familiar community.

By Abi Paterson | Year 11

Collage / Mixed media

A4

Orana means community to me, the people here feel like family and Iv'e gained so many amazing memories of creating art, making music and going on adventures in nature here.

This piece was meant to capture the soul and the whimsy that this place holds

By Sanya Kennedy | Year 11

Drawing / Painting

297 x 420 mm

To me, Orana means people. I've drawn my friends and I dancing to the Rasputin 'just dance' in our common room for the millionth time. My teacher looked over whilst I was colouring it and asked me "What is this, the Power Rangers?" and I laughed so much that I decided to title the piece that.

By Olivia Kolano | Year 9

Drawing / Painting

A4 piece of paper

This artwork displays the meaning of Orana to me by representing the way I have grown and moved through high school. I painted a whale shark because I think it is a powerful animal that lives peacefully and it represents my journey through high school like a whale shark travelling through the ocean. By being at a Steiner School, it has taught me to slow down and look at things more creatively.

Larissa Hrstic | Staff / Teacher

Drawing / Painting

30 x 40cm

As an Orana alumna and now a staff member working in Marketing and

Communications, The Orana Spring Fair holds a deep sense of nostalgia and

meaning for me. I have many happy memories of growing up and learning at

Orana, so much so that the beautiful classrooms and grounds still frequently

feature in my dreams.

In a world that often values speed and instant results, I wanted this artwork to

reflect the joy of slowing down and enjoying the creative process itself. There is

something deeply rewarding about giving time, patience and dedication to making

something by hand, and finding value in the journey rather than only the finished

result.

Here I have reimagined the traditional maypole in a playful way, drawing on the

movement, colour and joy of the Orana Spring Fair. Created by hand with

watercolour, the artwork is also a small reflection of what I value about Orana:

creativity, community, celebrations, childhood, wonder, the human touch, and the

freedom to explore and express our individuality.

By Elin Adams | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x25 cm

In my artwork, I wanted to explore the sense of wonder and awe I experienced when transitioning from conventional, mainstream education to a Steiner school. I was particularly inspired by an artwork called the Flammarion engraving, which

depicts a traveller peering through a barrier between the Earth and the celestial world. My interpretation of the Flammarion engraving is that it represents a person’s journey to broaden their perspective and celebrates a quest for knowledge and new experiences. In the case of education, I interpreted the Earth as representing traditional schooling, and the celestial realm as alternative school systems. Overall, I wanted to depict the experience of branching out and immersing oneself in the Steiner philosophy and escaping the limited viewpoint

imposed by strictly classroom-based education. Several personal experiences directly inspired elements of my artwork. For example, the presence of stars in the background of the ‘traditional education’ side of the print reflects an experience I

had at the 2024 winter festival, which I attended prior to joining Orana. That night, I vividly recall a shooting star streaking across the night sky. I interpreted this meteor as a positive omen, telling me that I should move schools. I also incorporated other memories from that night, such as of the firestick performance and the lantern walk in a spiral. Furthermore, I included imagery to represent some of the most memorable main lessons I had at the beginning of Year 8. For instance, I included an open book and a quill to represent the Shakespeare main lesson, and a simplified outline of an aerial screw to represent the DaVinci workshop main lesson. I want viewers of my artwork to reflect upon their own experiences with different education systems, and to consider the limitations of

strictly classroom-based education. From this, I would like viewers to examine their own perspective of learning and knowledge and recognise the value of self-education and forging your own path. In line with my own journey, I encourage viewers to keep an open-mind, challenge pre-existing beliefs, and immerse themselves in diverse experiences.

By Darcy Amarfio | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

In this artwork I was looking for a way that humans and nature could work together as one like Orana does. I also showed the future ahead that Orana is preparing us for. My experience of walking along a path with my classmates up to the top campus for classes at Orana. This inspired me to carve the path up to a classroom with other people following in my artwork. That part also shows how Orana is guiding us to the path of success. The hills you can see far away at Orana are represented in my art in the background to show the future ahead. I want the

audience to feel a sense of unity between humans and nature. As this is what I feel at Orana. I want the audience to realise that more schools should be like

Orana with more nature for the kids to learn about. I want them to see how important it is to preserve our world of nature.

By Banjo Burns-Jansen | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

My most memorable part of my time at this school was in primary school. I would always visit the library. Every lunch I would take my food to the library and eat there and then read until the bell went. I'd also visit the library in the afternoon to

borrow books. Because of this, I have carved an open book at the bottom, and then a stack of books placed on the open pages of that first book. Aswell as the stack of books I have included a bit of natural presence into the print. I feel that Orana has an aura of nature about it, and, playing in to the theme of what Orana means to me, I have carved a tree onto the top of the stack of books. At the base of the tree on there is a sort of pond with little reed-like plants growing around it. Then the pond flows into a small waterfall that falls past one or two of the top books rendered in the lino. Then waterfall then flows into a river that winds around and creates another waterfall as it flows of another edge of the books. This waterfall is longer, and a greater arch, landing in almost the centre of a larger pond on the page of the open book at the bottom of the stack. More shrubs and reeds are gathered here. This part of what Orana represents to me the quiet, calm (wow,

I know right? Banjo was once quiet and calm sometimes) and natural way of gathering knowledge in the good old technique of reading dusty books. I know there is definitely someone who influenced my choice. It’s not a source or anything, and they actually helped me with this years ago. And that person was the old librarian. Cheryl. Cheryl took my beginner warmth towards reading and cultivated it into a roaring fire. I devoured books every day and borrowed more as soon as I had finished.

By Sofia Chhabra | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

The concept of my artwork is to explore what Orana means to me and how I view it. I want my artwork to convey an idea of safety and belonging but also the

unmistakable distinctiveness of Orana. How Orana is a school where you can grow and learn. Yet also a place to experience being incorporated into a community that will give you such a unique perspective of life. My own experience with Orana inspired this piece. I want it to show my feelings about finding a place to fit in without ever putting it into words. The window represents not only a

classroom/house/store/etc, but also a place where you can go that simply feels right. In a sense, it's where you are supposed to be, and no one is going to judge you. The lanterns in itself symbolize the lantern festivals and by extension represent the feeling of magic you get when walking around the school. More about the lantern festival, it's also a reference to the markets, fairs, plays, and concerts that define Orana’s magic. Some of my best experiences are being able to witness these events. Where so many people come together to create

something truly beautiful. Reading is a hobby of mine which is why I added it, but it also shows how unique everyone is and how they are all free to voice their own opinions. The tree shows the nature of Orana. How there are plants, grass, trees, and not just designated areas. The beautiful fact that Orana is more ingrained with nature. I also wanted to add colour because Orana is such a colourful place. My

piece won't have felt complete without it. The art piece, while inspired by my experiences and views, is also open for interpretation. I want the audience to look at this and feel inspired. Inspired to find their own place in the world. I want them to feel a deeper understanding of what this place for them might feel like.

By Archer Douglas | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

The central idea: It’s supposed to represent me being able to let that other version of me out and into the school, breaking that wall that’s been blocking that has been blocking that version from coming out and showing itself. What I want the audience to understand when they walk away from my carving is that I’ve broken through the wall

blocking that version of me that I've now shared with my friends.

By Poppy Fasch | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

My Lino print painting depicts what Orana means to me by representing the concept of growth and calmness. I wanted to make my print a sunset over an ocean, which means to me creating a sense of warmth and looking back at your memories and experiences, like gazing into the sunset. The gleaming sun and its lines that radiate outwards symbolise all of the people such as friends, family and teachers who make up my school experience and help guide me forwards. For the ocean, I purposefully tried to make it irregular and flowy with swirls to convey your school path not always being straight and steady and that it has dips and spirals. My print was inspired by a similar lino print I came across, which also was a calming sunset landscape. When I found this painting, it made me feel very

peaceful just by looking at it and I wanted to try to evoke that feeling even stronger in my own artwork. Overall, I really wanted the people who viewed my print to feel calmness and warmth as if they were feeling the suns glow and to absorb the peaceful atmosphere of it.

By Saskia Forsyth-Lacrampe | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

Orana's connection to nature is shown by the logo stylist tree in my print

Quinn Hart | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

My lino print explores childhood imagination and the sense of magic we experience when we are young. The mushrooms and spiral in the centre are inspired by the myths and stories I grew up hearing about fairies, mushroom rings and magical worlds hidden in nature. These ideas represent the way children can see ordinary things as mysterious and full of possibility. My own experiences at school also inspired the artwork, particularly the spiral walks we did with lanterns and the apple and candle walk. These traditions created feelings of wonder,

community and nostalgia, which I wanted to capture in my print. The spiral in the centre represents these walks, as well as the idea of being drawn into an

imaginative or magical world. Tamika Grant-Iramu influenced my idea to use lino printing as a way of expressing these memories and ideas. Her approach to printmaking inspired me to use the bold shapes and patterns of lino to create an artwork that feels simple, symbolic and connected to storytelling. I want the audience to feel a sense of nostalgia and wonder when they look at my artwork. I hope it reminds them of their own childhood stories, traditions or memories where the world felt more magical and full of possibility.

Lily Justin | Year 9

Lino Print

25 x 25cm

For my artwork I chose to express what Orana means to me through a Lino print of

three octopuses. The three octopuses represent, to me, the connections in Orana

and the tight knit group that grows through the years with you. The concept I

wanted to covey through my piece is the octopus representing a strong and unified

class. An octopus has eight independent arms, yet they are all guided by a single,

central heart and mind. I brought this idea into my artwork to symbolise the

connection within Orana. And how strong it is as a community. When I was in

primary school, I remember our classroom had a picture of a small octopus, I

remember always trying to draw it but was never able to make it perfect. I chose to

do an octopus because the idea took me back to primary school when everything

seemed to be easier, and our only worry was losing our pencil. When people walk

away from my artwork, I want people to feel a connection towards it and feel what I

feel about Orana. I also want people to understand that coming to Orana means

forming connections that last a lifetime. The friendships you gain aren't always in

your year but also others and that is what I love so much because it means you

grow closer than normal schools do.

By Olivia Kolano | Year 9

Lino Print

25x25cm

This lino print that I have done represent the lantern festival we would have in primary school. The lantern represents the beautiful and special feeling of the festival and how nostalgic it is to me. I chose to include the lantern being lit because the flame represents the warmth, creativity and light that the school brought into my childhood. The flame also

symbolises the way the school helped me to grow and always gave me something to look forward to in my primary school years. I hope this print lets you experience the warmth of nostalgia it brought to me.