Students Share Their Stories Through Art

Photo credits: Victoria Velton

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By Victoria Velton

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The creativity and personal stories of Ingham State High School students drew crowds at the recent opening of the school’s 2026 visual art exhibition, Storytellers.

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Held at the TYTO Regional Art Gallery, the exhibition showcases artwork created by students throughout the year, exploring themes of culture, identity, place, imagination and personal experience.

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Senior student Georgia Minato officially opened the exhibition.

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“For us Year 11 and 12 Art and Digital Art students, the focus has expanded beyond simply creating artwork. We have been encouraged to look at the world around us and explore the issues, limits and experiences that are important to us,” Georgia said.

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One of her own works, featuring skeletal figures lying in grass, draws on personal experiences, strongly saying it was a 'coming to peace with whatever happens along the line'.

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For fellow student Lori-Ann Smith, having her artwork selected for the exhibition's promotional material was a particularly special moment.

“I was really grateful for it, and I was grateful that someone saw beauty in my artwork. I was really flattered,” Lori-Ann said.

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Her featured work, Can't Teach My Old Dog New Tricks, combines a vintage, blue Volkswagen Beetle with her own dog, exploring the idea of bringing new life to older things.

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The exhibition also reflects the diverse ways students have explored storytelling, including First Nations art, cultural symbols, Australian landscapes, photography and digital art.

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Hinchinbrook Shire Councillor Donna Marbelli praised the students and teachers for creating a space where young people could express themselves and build confidence.

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“Ingham needs to know just how much talent we have in this town,” she said.

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