Winner 16-18: Julia Kardas

Age 18

Dawn in Molten Blue, 2024

Acrylic and pastel on paper 

‘Blue is such a versatile colour. Depending on its shade, it can either be comforting or it can trigger a sense of loneliness. Dawn in Molten Blue is a selfportrait that represents the broadness of feelings that make us human. If someone were to ask me what colours make up a person, I would say orange and blue – completely divergent yet balanced together. One might not exist without the other, just like happiness cannot be cherished without sadness.

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