We found our ‘Old Girl’ Bec Adamczewski, on the corner of Davey and Molle Streets, happily singing to herself while she sketched out drawings of gum nuts and eucalyptus leaves over a signal box. She was selected amongst a mass of applicants by Creative Hobart (in collaboration with the City of Hobart and Urban Smart) to tell a story about the walk she took almost every school day, down that road.
Why this box? What is special about this area?
So, I grew up in South Hobart and went to Collegiate for high school and college. This spot is somewhere I used to walk past a lot. Up until a few years ago, there used to be a majestic tree on the corner here. It was a Eucalyptus Globulus (Tasmanian Blue Gum) which is the floral emblem of Tasmania. My whole life I have been fascinated by plants, insects and birds. As I grew up, I used to love watching the seasons change the tree, different parts like peeling bark or flowers would fall to the ground. Often, we forget about nature as being important landmarks in our landscape, and we have some beautiful and significant trees in Hobart. I understand why this tree had to come down, but I wanted to commemorate it and its importance.
Did you enjoy being a Collegiate Student?
Yeah, I did! It was a big change for me, I started at Collegiate in year 7 without any of my mates from primary school. It took me a little bit of time, but I made the most beautiful group of friends, who I’m still really close with to this day. I found that there has been a lasting effect in terms of connections in the ‘real world’. I often meet other people who are past Collegiate students and there is a real sense of camaraderie. Reflecting on my school years, it was a really happy time.
How did Collegiate influence your future career choices?
I feel like I was really fortunate that I joined Collegiate at the time I did. I always knew I was creative and I loved art. When I started Year 10 a graphic design stream was bought into art and that was what got me hooked for the career I have now. I’m a graphic designer, illustrator and teacher by trade. It’s really special that I have a creative job that I can make a living from.
What was your journey once you left Collegiate?
After I left Collegiate, I went straight to doing a Fine Arts Degree then a Masters in Visual Communication, I was excited to get started in the art scene. I started my first job as a graphic designer at a local studio, until I started having lots of babies!
I decided I didn’t want to be working full-time in a studio, I have 4 children and wanted to spend more time with them and work on my own terms, so I started my own freelance practice Becski Designs. I was a teacher and tutor at UTAS, then was asked to teach at TasTAFE, which is where I am now – I have the freedom to teach what I love most as my bread-and-butter while doing my other lovely freelance work on the side.
I feel like everything has worked out nicely and I’m really lucky.
