Rising creative joins art group ranks

AN emerging creative will receive a helping hand throughout next year as part of the Soldiers Hill Artist Collective’s mentoring program.

Recent Federation University visual arts graduate Travis Trudgeon was chosen out of the institution’s end of year, or EYE, exhibiting students to receive the fourth annual SHAC Award.

As part of the acknowledgement, Trudgeon will be a free SHAC member for the next 12 months where he’ll receive exhibiting opportunities with the group.

He said his exhibiting work Gremlins in the Machine married his passion for mixed media and found objects with his growing interest in artificial intelligence.

“I started with AI about last year when the technology started taking off,” he said. “Mixed media’s always been my preferred method.

“I’m looking forward to working with these people who are out there in the world of art and doing it for real than being in an academic environment.

“I had an installation piece which is a train carriage where the view out the window was of a three-minute looping video made with real pieces enhanced with AI technology, and those real pieces were alongside it as standalone maquettes.”

A lifelong artist currently based at Bonshaw, Trudgeon started following his creative passion more prominently during COVID.

He’s is set to exhibit his EYE piece for the first time both with SHAC and in a non-educational setting during their Art Space show running from Thursday 18 January to Sunday 18 February.

Trudgeon’s work will also be displayed soon at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts.

SHAC president Cliff Adeney said mentoring program about giving a boost to up and coming artists.

“It’s a very good launchpad to give graduating students exposure in the local community,” he said.

“The award gives the recipient an honorary membership with SHAC whether they live in Soldiers Hill or not, which is normally a requirement, and they get experience exhibiting with the group.

“How the selection works is a few of our SHAC members look at a number of portfolios selected by Fed Uni academics just before the end of year exhibition.”