Gus Challis

My name is Gus. I’m 18 years old and as far back as I remember, I’ve always been drawn to art (pun very much intended). Although for the most part of my childhood, this was in the form of cartoonish little sketches, I really started to branch out in my early teenage years. As people around me were gravitating towards gaming or parties, I found myself much more interested in mashing together oil paints and squishing clay into weird shapes that tried to resemble sculptures. In doing so, I found a strong passion in graphite and ink drawing, and photography. 

Separate to art, I love travel and community service. So, as I experimented further artistically and tried to push my limits, I naturally drifted towards integrating those passions into my works. For my passion for community service, I pushed my comfort zone by starting a charity where I sold my artworks and graphic designs at the markets to raise money for the Hamilton Refugee Center, where I volunteered. It was a great way to involve myself in the community and it’s where I developed a new passion for sharing my art with others. As for my passion for travel, I discovered photography to be an outstanding way to not only record my adventures but also capture the emotions of a moment. 

Over the next several years, I look forward to studying Architecture down at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. There I aim to get my Masters in Architectural Studies, opening a door to travel and design buildings all over the world. All the while, I look forward to growing as an artist and sharing my work even further afield.