Portraits on show capture sprit and soul

FORMER students, family, and friends attended the opening of the Pencilled In exhibition by Melbourne artist Salvatore Trigila at the Heathcote Winery on Sunday.

The exhibition features portrait studies of Trigila’s former students from his class of 1990 at Loyola College in the Melbourne suburb of Watsonia, and will be open until Sunday, 1 October.

Trigila attributed the inspiration for his work to a chance meeting with a former student, Angela Fazio, in a coffee shop.

“It was a life-changing moment in time,” he said.

The popular teacher, affectionately dubbed Mr T, was subsequently invited to a post-COVID lockdown reunion of his 1990, year 12 students.

“I was blown away by what these students had achieved,” Trigila said. “The people they had become in the 30 years since I last saw them.”

“I was so happy to be invited to the reunion and wanted to show my joy.”

The enormous respect each student has for their former teacher was evident as they viewed the drawings that capture more than outward appearances.

Each image seemed to have a soul.

“We are all so pleased to be a part of this exhibition,’ said Ms Fazio. “Mr T has brought out our characters in each and every drawing.”

Since 2019, Trigila has concentrated solely on his art and is known for building and figure drawings, and he regularly tutors art classes.

Trigila will be at the winery every Sunday for the duration of the exhibition for meet the artist sessions and an opportunity to have your own A4 portrait created for $50.