Raising The Bar: Meg Cooke- Art & Exhibiting 3/4

This term, we shine a light on Year 12 student Meg Cooke, whose work in Art and Exhibiting has captured attention for all the right reasons. With two beautifully crafted pieces using earthenware clay, Meg has created something truly special—art that is both technically refined and emotionally resonant.

Meg’s powerful artwork, Concealed, explores themes of identity, belonging, and self-acceptance with striking clarity and emotion. Through symbolic materials and thoughtful composition, she opens a conversation about the complexity of growing up feeling different—and the quiet strength in learning to accept yourself.

‍Meg shares in her artist statement:

My artwork is called "Concealed", and it’s about self-identity. There is one black mask in the middle, which represents me, and it is surrounded by five white masks. The white masks represent the people in the community and show how I grew up in a mostly white environment, which often made me feel different.

The masks are hollow, which shows that the masks people wear can be fragile and thin — sometimes what you see on the outside doesn’t show how someone really feels on the inside.

There are also flowers around the masks in different colours and patterns. They show that even if people look the same or try to fit in, everyone is still unique and special in their own way.

This artwork is about feeling different, hiding parts of yourself, and learning to accept who you really are.

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Through Concealed, Meg invites viewers to reflect on the tension between external appearances and internal realities. Her symbolism is rich and evocative, challenging us to think more deeply about identity—and how we view ourselves and others. It’s a deeply thoughtful and beautifully executed piece that speaks to both personal and universal experiences.

Meg’s second piece, Pieces of Me, builds on the theme of identity with warmth and clarity, offering insight into the values, beliefs, and relationships that shape who she is.

‍The meaning behind Meg’s work, in her own words:

My second artwork is called "Pieces of Me". Each ceramic tile represents a part of my life and my values and beliefs embedded within myself. The larger tiles are symbols that are most important to me. For example, the stick figures are my family because they are the ones I love most in this world. The ladder means reaching your goals, which I always strive for. The other large tile is the Cambodian symbol meaning Khmer—the Cambodian language—which ties into my culture and deep family roots, signifying that I will never forget where I came from.

The smaller tiles surrounding my family symbolise everything else that makes up me. The love heart symbolises the love I wish to give and receive, the plants mean growth and flourishing, and finally, the butterfly means transformation and beauty within nature and my belief that everyone has the ability to transform into their true and unique self.

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‍Pieces of Me is a heartfelt visual diary—each symbol thoughtfully chosen and placed to tell the story of Meg’s values, heritage, and hopes for the future. It speaks to her strong sense of self and her belief in growth, connection, and transformation.

Meg’s artistic voice is clear, honest, and deeply moving. Her works don’t just represent her—they invite others to reflect on who they are too. We’re proud to celebrate Meg as this term’s student who is truly Raising the Bar.

These pieces are currently on display in our FCJ NOW exhibition space—we encourage you to visit and experience them for yourself.

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