Tenant talent shines in art awards
A hobby has become a proud achievement for eight-year-old Believe Housing Australia tenant Aaliaa, who won an award in the Community Housing Art Awards South Australia (CHARTS).
Her artwork, Jellycat, won in the youth bracket’s 2D painting/drawing category and was displayed in a free gallery exhibition with the other CHARTS finalists.
The awards were created by the Community Housing Industry Association of South Australia (CHIA SA) to showcase the talents and creativity of community and social housing tenants.
Celebrated biennially, this year marked the third CHARTS awards, with tenants from nine community housing providers represented across three judging brackets (youth, emerging artists, and general entry) and different art categories.
The idea to paint Jellycat came from an art class that Aaliaa attended last year, where she started drawing a jellyfish, before her imagination turned it into a cat.
“I love cats, so I put ears and whiskers on the jellyfish and called it a jellycat,” Aaliaa said.
Aaliaa said creating art was a passion of hers.
“I love painting and drawing; it makes me very happy,” she said.
“I am proud of my work.”
Aaliaa’s mother Aminah said her daughter’s imagination amazed her.
“I am absolutely proud,” Aminah said.
“I have been drawing since I was little, and art is a passion of mine as well. It is amazing how Aaliaa thinks of an idea and follows wherever it takes her and comes up with a masterpiece.”
Believe Housing Australia Placemaking and Area Improvement Officer Wendy Hurmuzniya said Aaliaa’s response to seeing her artwork displayed reaffirmed the organisation’s vision to provide housing stability so South Australians could believe, belong, and become all they want to be.
“My favourite part of the awards night was seeing Aaliaa’s response as she entered the art gallery. She saw her artwork on the wall and ran over there with excitement, and I was happy to witness that moment.
“This is why Believe Housing Australia does what we do, to give our tenants opportunities like this.”
Believe Housing Australia also congratulates another of our tenants, Megan, who won in the Poetry and Literature category of the Emerging Artist bracket of the awards for her memoir, Reclaiming Her Voice.
