To celebrate the creative passion, technical excellence and dedicated hard work of our Young Archies Portraiture Group artists, we welcomed parents and siblings to join us for an early-bird showcase of student’s 2026 Young Archie Competition portraits at our Young Archies Christmas Celebration, Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 November.
The festivities included delicious refreshments and a selection of inclusive, Christmas-themed art activities. Participants took on rapid-fire challenges, drawing Christmas trees, portraits, and even Christmas poems in only a few minutes – with one prompt completed blind! Despite the seemingly impossible tasks, parents, siblings and artists alike rose to the occasion, producing remarkable work. With the final touches carefully attained through watercolour painting, each participant left with a set of four charming, festive, handmade Christmas cards!
Our Young Archies Portraiture Group is strengthened and enriched by the wonderful community around us, including the invaluable support of parents, grandparents, siblings, staff and students. Throughout the year, Headmaster Mr Browning has championed this cocurricular program and is proudly regarded as a committed supporter and honourable friend of our young artists. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and look forward with great excitement to sharing our 2026 Young Archie portraits, and additional portraiture pursuits, with you in the new year.
Prospect Portrait Prize
A friendly reminder that the 13th Prospect Portrait Prize opens on Friday 5 December, and will showcase an oil painting by Young Archies Portraiture Group artist Ethan Lee (Year 7). His portrait, My Friend Nathan, will appear alongside works by nationally acclaimed artists including Sophie Hann and Datsun Tran. We warmly encourage you to visit Newmarch Gallery to admire firsthand what promises to be a diverse and exceptional selection of portraits. You will also have the opportunity to vote for Ethan’s portrait My Friend Nathan in the People’s Choice Award. We are so proud of Ethan and wish him all the best!
Ms Rosalynde Skewes
Senior School Teacher and Coordinator of the Young Archies Portraiture Group
