Creative Careers 2018

Petrina Hicks uses the seductive and glossy language of commercial photography to create artworks that probe at the false promise of perfection, exploring photography’s ability to both create and corrupt the process of seduction and consumption. Her work often explores female identity — making reference to mythology and art history and drawing associations between these elements and contemporary image culture. Of further interest is the symbiotic relationship between animal and human reflected in her work.

Petrina Hicks has exhibited widely through solo and group shows in Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, USA, UK, Japan, China, Mexico, and Brazil. Hicks’ work was recently selected to be shown at; Volta NY 2015, 17th International Videobrasil, Brazil, Pingyao International Photography Festival, China and Art Platform, Los Angeles. Her work belongs to various national and international collections including National Gallery of Australia, AGNSW, Queensland Art Gallery, Tweed River City Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Victoria.

Hicks has been awarded various notable prizes and residencies including; 2014 Bowness Photography Prize, Josephine Ulrick Photography Award for Portraiture, 2008 ABN Emerging Artist Award, La Cite, Paris Residency, Art Gallery of NSW and 8-month Fellowship, Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany.

After beginning his career as a 14-year-old drummer in country Victoria, Paul eventually moved to Melbourne and attended an audio engineering school studying under James Guthrie who co-produced and engineered Pink Floyd's The Wall. He has since ran recording studios in Melbourne and Sydney, performed across Australia in his own band playing shows at Falls Festival, BDO and every venue in between to thousands of people. He's shared stages with the likes of the Avalanches, Suicidal Tendencies, Run DMC and more. He's remixed songs for Snoop Dog, Friendly, Magic Dirt and Underground lovers.

He has worked on MTV and channel [v] mixing hundreds of local and international acts including Foo Fighters, Xibit, Cypress Hill, QOTSA, R.E.M. Kelly Rollands, Tame Impala and Wolfmother and toured Australia with festivals such as, Laneway and Future Music with bands like Dune Rats, Rudimental and Hilltop Hoods. He's stage managed TV for Sydney’s part in Live Earth and video shoots for Christina Aguilera. He's worked as house technician for Sydney's Metro and Enmore Theatre, with bands, Sticky Fingers, Ben Harper and Angus and Julia Stone to name a few.

He has toured across USA and Europe as an engineer and tour managed with bands like The Griswolds, The Goons of Doom and Hiatus Kaiyote. He also owns his own record label and manages two bands. He's now 46 and his parents still ask him when he's going to get a real job, his answer? "Not anytime soon."

Christina Mclean is a multidisciplinary artist based in Sydney. Working with both textiles and ceramics, Christina applies marks and pattern to create works that blur the line between art and functional ware. With a background in ceramics, fashion and textiles, Christina began studying ceramics in 1988 and established Chowk Ceramics for 12 years before applying her love for mark making to textiles.

From 2006 onwards Christina has been designing prints for many sort after Australian fashion brands. Her latest venture TRADE the MARK, sees Christina going back to her roots as a maker, crafting work to last the test of time with a contemporary twist. Christina hand makes all of her work in her studio in the Inner West.

As the founder of This Island Life, Laura has built an authentic brand identity and loyal following through original and unique content. She is not only regarded as an expert on all things summer, she is also a respected advertising creative with more than 12 years' agency experience. Since starting her career as a copywriter in 2005, she has worked for top Sydney agencies including Clemenger, McCann Sydney and Host.

When she’s not chasing the summer, Laura can be found sharing her expertise at speaking events and writing opinion pieces for leading industry publications. Laura currently works for M&C Saatchi Australia as a senior social content writer and is a guest lecturer at General Assembly in Sydney.