ESTABLISH herself as an artist or become a mathematics teacher?
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That's what 19 year-old Caitlin Graham was faced with when she graduated from La Salle Academy.
"I did art all through high school and actually came first in the Diocese in year 12 for my major work," the Wallerawang native said.
Ms Graham said she was planning on being a maths teacher but applied for a spot at the National Art School (NAS) in Darlinghurst in what she described as a "spur of the moment thing".
"I thought why not? and then I got in and had to make the decision between teaching and art," she said.
"It was sort of a once in a lifetime opportunity to go to NAS so I couldn't say no. It was a really hard decision because I've had to move to Sydney while studying and I didn't want to at first but it's been a really, really great experience and a great opportunity."
Her impulsive decision led her to studying a three year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Currently she is a second year student and has a knack for getting creative.
"I've always loved art and creative things and have always been really crafty," she said.
In her first year with NAS she explored different art forms which led her to pick printmaking and ceramics for her major.
"We got to do a little rotation with painting, photography, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture and then I had to pick my two favourites to go a bit more in depth," she said.
She said she chose ceramics and printmaking because she enjoyed carving and working into something.
"With printmaking I'm using draftsmanship and I really love maths so I get to use that in it as well," she said.
Due to COVID Ms Graham is back in Wallerawang, working and studying from home.
"COVID has made things pretty tough because I thought I'd be back on campus by now, it's an art degree so it's like 80 per cent practical but I've been doing my best with what I've got at home," she said.
Pre-regional lockdown she was using a press at Orange TAFE to help complete her works but that was put to a halt.
"You need a press to be able to print stuff, so we actually ended up making a press for me to use at home," she said.
In March 2022, Ms Graham will have an opportunity to showcase her works to the Lithgow community with her pop up exhibition 'Wood, Water and Ink' and Gang Gang Gallery.
"I did some work experience at Gang Gang and have been keeping in touch with Sharon and Kayleen there. I had a chat with Sharon about doing a pop up and she thought it was a good idea," she said.
She has spent over 70 hours preparing her works and said she has been inspired by nature, architecture and coal mines with her dad working out at Springvale.
"My exhibition title came from the Wiradjuri meaning of Wallerawang which means place of water and wood I believe, and printmaking uses water and it needs ink and wood," she said.
Ms Graham said she was excited to have the experience on what it takes to prepare and host an exhibition.
"It will be nice to see how my work is received in the community and share what I'm learning with everyone. It will be a great experience and I can't thank Sharon enough for making this happen," she said.
The exhibition will begin on March 10 and will run through to March 13 and will be open daily from 10.30am-4.30pm.
Ms Graham said she was slightly nervous that COVID may delay her exhibition, but she remained positive.
"I'm a little bit worried with COVID because it's [the exhibition] borderline with lockdown ending but if lockdown extends we can just postpone, but hopefully it doesn't come to that," she said.
Ms Graham said it was tough being a young emerging artist but her ultimate goal was to become established.
"It's tough to get your foot in the door and figure out what you want to do but I'm also a youth advocate at the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) which has helped me with networking.
"I guess my goal is to become an artist and maintain a practice that I can live off and it become my career, but I may still go do maths teaching later on in life as well," she said.
You can see some of Ms Graham's works at the exhibition or follow her on Instagram.
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