Onkaparinga Youth Art Mentorship Program
Onkaparinga Youth Art Mentorship Program
This program seeks to nurture and support young emerging artists within the City of Onkaparinga to present artwork in an exhibition for the 2025 SALA Festival. This program is in it's 6th year and has supported 26 young artists to exhibit their artwork and develop their practice.
SALA Festival, or South Australian Living Artists Festival, is an open access arts festival that celebrates artists across all of South Australia during the month of August. Each year SALA grows more and more, and we are excited for our young artists to be a part of it.
2025 Exhibition
Our Shared Story
8 Aug - 15 Sept
Featuring Cedar Beaubois, Mickey Jean, Parker Warren, Ruby Ryan and Violet Pitcher-Ovenden, the Mentorship Program seeks to nurture and support young emerging artists within the City of Onkaparinga. This year artists have responded to themes of identity, mental health, disability and the impact we have on nature.
Cedar Beaubois, In My Own Light, 2025, watercolour
In my own light is a collection of self-portraits I made using watercolour. I chose watercolour because it moves in ways I can’t control. It blends and bleeds and surprises me… just like my thoughts and moods. I wanted to work with a medium that feels alive, that changes as it dries, and that refuses to be perfect. I painted these pictures while thinking about my own mental health and how hard it can be to explain what’s going on inside. And although it was confronting and uncomfortable to stare at myself for hours on end while painting them, these feelings and struggles are something everyone faces in their life. It’s just about perspective and learning to see yourself in your own light.
Mickey Jean, Series of digital drawings, 2025, edition of 3
These pieces were made with the intention of bringing to attention the general public’s disregard for wetland and scrub wildlife. As well as pet owners and parents lack of supervision in their pet’s or children's action towards wildlife. It also brings to light the bleak situation of the increasing shrinking and urbanisation of the field area near and in Pingle Farm that is home to many native Australian animals, including a large family of kangaroos.
Parker Warren, Amalgamation, 2025, digital drawing + zine
Amalgamation is a mixed-media work comprising a print and 16-page zine that explores the moment of growing up when we realize how much of our identity is shaped by external influences. Through an original poem that unfolds across all pages, accompanied by drawings, the piece examines how we are formed by the people, experiences, and environments around us. The intimate zine format mirrors this gradual process of self-discovery, inviting viewers to engage with each page as a small revelation about our interconnected nature.
Ruby Ryan, The Stories behind the smile, 2025, series of 10 digital photographs
I have chosen to take a series of simple portraits as a reminder that you can’t always see the challenges someone is facing just by looking at them. Behind every smile there may be a story you don’t know, difficulties that are hidden but very real. In a world where silent struggles are common, my hope is that this work encourages greater empathy, awareness, patience and kindness to all.
Violet Pitcher-Ovenden, 2025, A series of abstract drawings using acrylic and metallic paints, oil pastels, wax crayon, texta, NFS
Violet Pitcher-Ovenden, Careless, 2025, Acrylic and water colour paints, oils pastel, pencil and ocean rubbish
Using a more realistic style, I created a piece to depict the impact of climate change on our oceans including bleached coral, algae blooms, dead and dying fish. I couldn't complete this without acknowledging the pollution and rubbish. Our oceans are a source of food and enjoyment and look at what we are doing to it.