News & Events

Year 8 students and a few Year 9 have had the privilege to work with sculptor Julie Squires on a new community project.

Cardinia Council has commissioned Ms Squires to create a child-friendly piece of work which will be unveiled in April 2017. The Mr Yakerboo Sculpture was inspired by a number of local sources including student made textile toys exhibited in our College’s very own foyer.

Thanks to the tireless persistence of Art teacher Jordana Hurrell, Pakenham Secondary College is the only high school taking part in the project, which involves creating individual unique scales in clay, moulding them into plaster then casting in bronze to be added to the Mr  Yakerboo sculpture.

Julie has worked as a professional sculptor since 1993. Originally from Newcastle, Julie moved to Melbourne in 2002 and was a Resident Artist at the Gasworks Arts Park for ten years, before returning to NSW.

Julie’s body of work includes over 20 Public Art Commissions across Australia. This genre has become her main practice, however, Julie has also exhibited in over thirty group and six solo exhibitions. Specialising in steel and bronze sculpture, Julie fabricates her own work, giving her greater flexibility in design development and a comprehensive knowledge of structural and technical design.

In 2011 Newcastle University honoured Julie by awarding her the Newton-John Award – for Innovation and Creativity that has improved cultural life in the Hunter Region and Newcastle.