THE work is done and the creations are hung.
Welcome to Art Rules, one of Hazelhurst Gallery's most popular exhibitions that is open for viewing, and open to interpretation.
On display are the works by 21 St George and Sutherland Shire high school graduates who wrapped up the year with impressive HSC artworks.
Students embraced different themes ranging from personal concerns to global issues in drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture and digital media.
Caringbah High School graduate and aspiring art teacher Jacob Boylan, 18, of Cronulla, painted an ocean-themed series of surf art. Using screen print and collage layers, his piece Davy Jones Locker symbolises "dying at sea". "I tried to take the techniques explored by artists I studied, like Warhol, and Basque art, and combined it with tattoo art," he said.
"When I started painting, I wanted to be so original, but you realise artists before you have already done everything you could possibly think of.
"That's when you just go from that, and develop your own style."
Gallery curator Liz Nowell said the standard was exceptional each year.
"There's so much great work and plenty of diversity to choose from," she said.
"We get up to about 70 entries and so many people through the exhibition, including other curators."
The free exhibition ends on January 20.
