Year 11 student Charlotte Grimes’s photography work is currently on show at the Unicorn Lane Gallery in Ballarat.

Charlotte said she was inspired by the raw portraiture of Steve McCurry, and the imaginative artworks by surrealist painters such as Salvador Dali. This developed into her keen interest for surrealistic portraiture.

“I have been exploring how we all have a unique approach to navigating the human condition, yet we are forever connected to each other by the emotional landscape that we share,” she said.

“My series of images entitled ‘The Ineffable’ are of household chores in nature and have been influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic. With three in particular, I wanted to highlight that our worlds have been turned inside out, where our existence is now defined by our homes and the natural landscapes around us.”

Charlotte is studying accelerated photography at Damascus College and the photos chosen were part of her photography tasks from the last 18 months.

“It means a lot to me to be able to have this opportunity, and has made me more confident about my artwork,” she said.

“The process of curating photos for my exhibition, and seeing them on display in the gallery, confirmed to me that I have been developing my own style over the last year and a half. I have found this experience really valuable in confirming my artistic direction for surrealistic portraiture.”

Charlotte’s photos can be found on the Damascus College Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DamascusCollege