50 Year Event

Where are they now?

The OGA Art Acquisition Award is a prestigious monetary prize which has been awarded since 1990.

This Award allows an outstanding piece of student artwork to be acquired for the School Art Collection each year. Much of the artwork displayed within our School today has been acquired through this award. We recently caught up with some of our previous Award Winners to find out what they are doing now.

Renee Parnell

Renee Parnell (98)

considers herself a plate spinner (keeping lots of things spinning simultaneously), and there is no doubt that is exactly what she is. After finishing school, Renee completed a degree in Interior Architecture and worked on projects such as the Fiona Stanley Hospital. She was then recruited by Curtin University and was involved in rewriting curriculums, teaching and then moved into research. Renee is currently working in Missions Connect’s research team, which is developing virtual reality models of former Aboriginal Mission sites in partnership with Stolen Generation Survivors. Renee also has her own creative business that runs workshops for adults and children in printmaking and various creative techniques, alongside her own bespoke printmaking product range stocked at several locations across Western Australia. “I am happiest when I am creating and I am lucky enough to have multiple jobs that allow me to exercise my creativity in different ways and to help others flex their creative muscle and develop their skills, which brings me a lot of joy,” explains Renee. Renee recalls the Art Centre at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School as her second home. “Being a boarding student, I remember spending a lot of time at the Art Centre on the weekends working on my TEE projects. It was like having my own private art studio, a quiet place to retreat, turn up some Triple J and lose track of time.” “I remember walking into the art studio one day to find a giant windsurfing board suspended from the rafters in the middle of the room. This was to be our first observational drawing subject using oil pastels, and to my surprise it was my drawing that won the Acquisition Award.” It was the first piece of art that Renee had ever sold, but it was not her last. Renee had four exhibitions last year, the last of which at Moores Gallery in Fremantle sold well beyond her wildest expectations.

Renee Parnell :: OGA Art Acquisition Award Recipient 1997

Brittany Cherry

Lawyer by day and artist by night, Brittany Cherry (09) still has a passion for art and has done a range of private commissions for friends over the years. Since leaving school, Brittany completed a Bachelor of Law and English Literature, has worked for three judicial officers at the Department of Justice, and now works in Perth for a national private law firm. Brittany can remember her winning artwork well.“I remember my piece of art that won the Art Acquisition Award which was influenced by Cubism, a style of art I was studying in Art & Design at the time. It was very different to the usual art I created, as it used paint as the medium, and was full of colour. I still to this day prefer creating black and white art,” said Brittany. Brittany encourages those with a love for art to make a career out of it. “There is no better time for creatives to make a career out of their passion. There are not many people in the world that can truly say they love what they do, so if you can turn your passion into a living, you should.” Brittany still enjoys making art, although admits it takes her a lot longer now than it used to. She also enjoys spending time in the outdoors, and recently competed in the Busselton Ironman, Busselton Jetty Swim and hopes to add the Rottnest Channel Swim to her list of achievements next year.

Brittany Cherry :: OGA Art Acquisition Award Recipient 2009

Save the Date BLACK TIE DINNER

Saturday, 17 September 2022 Quality Hotel Lighthouse, Bunbury

Tickets go on sale on Monday, 25 July 2022. For further information, or to register your interest please contact Mrs Kym Ashby on (08) 9722 6017.

50th Year Anniversary Mementos!

These items are available for purchase from the School’s Clothing Shop or by contacting the School.

Lapel Pin $4

25mm x 20mm butterfly clutch lapel pin featuring School crest and 50 Year Anniversary dates (1972-2022).

Coffee Cup $15

350ml stainless steel egg-shaped wine and coffee cup, with a BPA free push-seal lid, decorated with 50 Year Anniversary School logo.

Reunions 2022

JOIN US AT THE COMBINED 10, 20 AND 30 YEAR REUNION ON SATURDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2022 30

30 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1992

20

20 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2002

10

10 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2012

2023

JOIN US AT THE COMBINED 10, 20, 30 AND 40 YEAR REUNION ON SATURDAY, 25 MARCH 2023 40

40 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1982 & 1983

30

30 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 1993

20

20 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2003

10

10 YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2013

2021

CHECK YOUR MAIL BOX!

The Grammarian is now available electronically! To get it delivered to your inbox, email the OGA Secretary at oga@bcgs.wa.edu.au

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MOVED?

Email your change of address to

oga@bcgs.wa.edu.au

STAY CONNECTED AND UP TO DATE!

We love to hear from our past students: let us know about any exciting adventures, births, marriages, and when you have moved. We will keep you up to date with our twice-yearly e-newsletter. Email oga@bcgs.wa.edu.au with your news and to ensure we have your most recent email address so that you can stay in touch.

BUNBURY CATHEDRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Phone (08) 9722 6000 | Email administration@bcgs.wa.edu.au 5 Allen Rd Gelorup, WA 6230 | PO Box 1198, Bunbury WA 6231 www.bcgs.wa.edu.au