Molley Varga’s entry into Australia’s most popular portraiture competition for young people is an arresting etching of her brother, Jaymie, who died of cancer eight years ago.
His image is among the five finalists in the nine-to-12-year-old category of the Young Archie competition, the fourth year this celebration of young Australian talent has run alongside the Archibald.
Young people aged between five and 18 are invited to submit a portrait of “someone who is special to them and plays a significant role in their life”.
“I drew my older brother Jaymie because he had battled through cancer, but unfortunately he didn’t win,” Molley said.
“I wanted to draw Jaymie because I really looked up to him and loved him too.”
Molley’s mother Tracey said revisiting her son’s death has been difficult, but she always knew her daughter was talented.
“I mean, being picked out of 2200 entrants, that’s pretty incredible,” she said.
A grade 6 pupil at Manor Lakes College, Molley started showing her artistic talent while in kindergarten. It was her school art teacher who urged her to enter the etch.
The Young Archie winners will be announced on September 17. Molley’s work will be shown at the Art Gallery of NSW until October 9.
