Emerald Secondary College student wins inaugural Reilly Art Prize

Luka Kill, 17, is the inaugural winner of Lifeview’s Reilly Art Prize, a unique intergenerational program which saw secondary students develop connections with an aged care resident and paint their portrait.

The Year 11 student from Emerald Secondary College produced a stunning portrait of Emerald Glades resident Doug on his beloved drumkit.

A mutual love of music between artist and sitter ensured a special bond between Luka and Doug from the get-go.

Doug drummed with a band called The Silhouettes, a pastime that Luka also shares.

“Doug and I really connected and built a friendship over our shared love of playing drums and other instruments, like the ukulele,” Luka said.

“He always took the time to connect with me, eager to share stories and his love of music.”

Doug remarked that he thoroughly enjoyed the program and getting to know Luka. He was also impressed at the finished piece.

“It’s just great, isn’t it?” he said.

“I’ve had a great time, and (Luka) is so clever to have drawn this piece. It’s been just wonderful.”

Competition judges, Lifeview Director and passionate arts devotee Peter Reilly OAM, renowned artist Robert Lee, and long-time art collector and gallery Director Michael Blanche, were enormously impressed with the quality of all submissions at the Reilly Art Prize exhibition held at Lifeview Willow Wood in Cranbourne.

All works were proudly displayed, with students and their families joining Lifeview residents, staff and other dignitaries for the event.

But Luka’s portrayal of Doug won the day, the Cockatoo resident named the inaugural Reilly Art Prize winner and pocketing a $5000 cash prize.

Of the winning portrait, judges remarked: “Technically well drawn, taking on the personality of the sitter. Great rendering of subtle surfaces. Well thought-through overall composition, great connection through drums, and told a story.”  

Students from Cranbourne Secondary College, Monbulk College, Alkira Secondary College and Emerald Secondary College took part in the program this year, and it is tipped to significantly expand in year two with several other schools expressing interest.

Cranbourne Secondary College Visual Arts Coordinator Karl Pandolfo said the students derived enormous benefit from involvement in the program, well beyond art.

“A lot of the students got more than just art out of this, which was really good,” he said.

“The ability to work with someone in the community and make relationships, and to create an artwork of the person in two terms of working on it, was a really good outcome for all the students involved.”

Lifeview CEO Samantha Jewell said it had been wonderful to see the students and residents interacting so positively through the program.   

“Lifeview introduced the Reilly Art Prize as a way of expanding our intergenerational program. There’s no better way for students to get to know residents and tell their story than through their artwork,” she said.  

“It has been fantastic to see the students coming in and building a relationship with the residents, getting to know them and getting to know their history, which they’ve used to produce their artwork.

“And on the flipside, we’ve also had the residents, who love having visitors and telling their story.”

Luka generously gifted Doug the winning portrait, which will be displayed proudly at Emerald Glades.