Alumnae Stories Celebrating the diverse stories and achievements of our vibrant community of Old Collegians.
Marika Borlase (1985) I have been an exhibiting artist since 1989. I can confidently credit my education at MLC for igniting my passion through art, education, and lifelong learning. My fondest memory is spending lunchtimes in the art room with the inspiring art teachers Mr Harrison and Ms Pash. You can see one of my paintings hanging in the Dr Wood Learning Centre. After leaving MLC, I went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Arts - Fine Arts at the VCA, University of Melbourne. In 1995, the National Gallery of Victoria purchased two of my artworks for their collection. That year, I also received an Anne and Gordon Samstag Award, University of South Australia that enabled me to travel to London to complete a Master of Arts at the University of the Arts, Chelsea. My art is now held in the University of the Arts’ collection. In London I also met my husband Justin and later returned to Australia to complete a Diploma of Education at the University of Melbourne where I received a Dean’s Honours Award and Dwight Prize. From there I pursued a career in Visual Arts Education. I have taught all year levels with a focus on VCE. Now in 2022 I am focusing on my visual arts practice; my artworks often appear in home magazines, architectural digests and are a favourite with Australian interior designers and stylists. I am well collected in Australia and overseas. I have also worked on commissions for the Wynne Casino, Macau, and other Australian private companies. A career highlight was a solo exhibition supported by the Royal Overseas’ League, Edinburgh which coincided with the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting. I work from my studio surrounded by the Maroochy Botanical Gardens at home on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland with my husband and 12-year-old daughter Raphaella.
26 The Star Summer/Autumn 2022
