By Alesha Capone
Talented teen artist John Mathet has been presented with a scholarship from the Wyndham Park Community Centre.
The Werribee centre launched the scholarship earlier this year, in honour of its founding member and community volunteer, Maggie McInnes.
The scholarship aims to provide a Wyndham student from a current-generation refugee family with $3000 to assist them in a career or studies in artistic-based information technology.
John, who is aged 18 and completing Year 11 at Manor Lakes College, was recently presented with the scholarship.
“I gave a speech on the night, saying how I appreciate the Wyndham community, my family and Manor Lakes College – they have had my back ever since I started there three years ago, they make anything possible,” he said.
“My mother, Deborah, also really inspires me – she is a single mother with seven kids, I’m the youngest.”
John said he would also like to thank youth worker Reece Gains, who helped him to apply for the scholarship.
“The scholarship is going to help me a lot, in terms of my art journey,” John said.
John, who creates digital art in addition to traditional painting and drawing, said he might use the scholarship funds to purchase an iPad Pro.
Earlier this year, John won the People’s Choice Award at the Wyndham Art Prize. He has also received a scholarship from Western Chances.
John said his love of drawing began when he lived in South Sudan as a child, when he and his friends would draw in the sand of his school playground.
