About the Program

In August 2023, Melbourne-based artist Octavia Toymn was an Artist-in-Residence in the Junior School Kew, working with Year 6 students through a series of art workshops. She also created a two-panel polyptych commissioned for installation in Metcalfe Hall at the Junior School.

About the Artist

Octavia Tomyn is a Melbourne-based contemporary artist whose distinctive figurative and abstract line works explore human connection, relationships, and emotion. Originally trained as a fashion designer, she spent more than a decade working with leading Australian retailers and international fashion houses including Marc Jacobs and Christopher Kane before returning to her lifelong passion for art. Since establishing her art practice in 2018, Tomyn has developed a strong following both in Australia and internationally, with collectors in more than 29 countries. Her work is characterised by expressive line work, symbolism, and a deep interest in the stories and experiences that shape human relationships.