Animal artistry

Harrison’s awardwinning painting My Friend Sam

A passion for painting

Zoo Member Harrison Jacobs has found comfort in combining his two passions, oil painting and animals, while raising awareness for one of his favourite Australian animals – the Platypus.

ike many Victorians, 19-year-old Zoos Victoria Member Harrison Jacobs took up a new hobby to get him through the boredom and social isolation of lockdown. l

Unlike many people, Harrison’s newfound skill of oil painting has continued long after restrictions eased, earning him a place in a recent exhibition at Kapi

Art Space in the Dandenong Ranges and winning him the People’s Choice

Award for his work My Friend Sam.

At the beginning of 2020, Harrison’s mum Catherine enrolled him in an art class with Kapi Art Space teacher

Heather Bradbury, who specialises in photo realism. After only three lessons,

Victoria entered its first lockdown to stop the spread of COVID and lessons had to continue through Zoom.

“I am a very proud young man with autism… I have found that painting has been my safe place that I can go to relax, dream and just breathe.”

HARRISON JACOBS

Kapi Art Space People’s Choice Award winner

“I have always enjoyed drawing animals, nature and Pokémon. But it wasn’t until I started oil painting that I learnt how to do finer details and see the difference in colours, allowing me to enjoy painting more animals and nature,” Harrison says. It was thanks to Heather’s encouragement that Harrison felt confident to complete his first painting of a lemur he’d photographed at Melbourne Zoo.

Harrison found the social connection of a regular online art class and the safe space that Heather created particularly beneficial. “I am a very proud young man with autism,” Harrison says. “Most people see the autism first, they don’t see me.”

“Heather is a great teacher,” says Harrison’s mum Catherine. “When you’re a parent of a child with a disability and you find somebody that comes into your life who is wonderful, you breathe. I know he’s getting so much out of it and she’s so calming and gentle and just a lovely person.”

Participating in the weekly online classes helped Harrison get through some of the challenges of the lockdowns and helped keep away any loneliness he may have felt being disconnected from friends. “I have found that painting has been my safe place that I can go to relax, dream and just breathe. I would hum tunes while we all painted together and everyone would try to guess what theme it was,” he says.

Regular visits to Melbourne Zoo sparked Harrison’s idea to paint his largest painting yet of Sam the Platypus. “My favourite Australian animal is the Platypus and I have learnt that they are Vulnerable in Victoria,” says Harrison. “I can’t imagine our world without them. I decided if I painted one, maybe it would get people talking about them and raise some awareness.”

The exhibition Still Standing – organised by the committee of Kapi Inc. and the Yarra Ranges Council in March – was Harrison’s first opportunity to showcase the skills he’d honed over the past two years. He was invited to give a speech on opening night and relished the chance to bring attention to the plight of the Platypus and how everyday people can help protect them.

Through his artwork, Harrison found people could see him authentically. “I am no different from any other person who loves, cares and worries about losing these animals that we must save for years to come,” he says. “If everyone does a little bit then we can all enjoy our home, Victoria. Even just going for a walk and picking up rubbish as you go is cool.”

Already planning his next large-scale oil painting, Harrison is keen to inspire others to have a go at something they may never have tried before. “I want to encourage all people with disabilities who think that they are only seen for their disability to have a go,” he says. “Pick up a brush or pen and create to show everyone who you truly are.

“Maybe you could pick your favourite Victorian animal to create awareness in your family and community to help save our amazing wildlife.” ZN

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