The art of Hillcrest High School student Susie Pratt has been seen nation-wide. Last year's greetings cards from the Qualifications Authority featured paintings from Susie's 1998 School Certificate Art submission.

Susie's work was described by the School Certificate chief examiner as "an outstanding submission". She recorded the scenes and activities that surround her home on the outskirts of Hamilton and was particularly taken by the impact of the Waikato floods.

Susie's art incorporates Māori themes and motifs seen on visits to the Waikato Museum. She says she was influenced by the New Zealand painters the class was exposed to during the year, notably Jeff Thompson, Buck Nin, Shane Cotton, Robyn Kahukiwa and Colin McCahon.

Born in South Africa, Susie came to New Zealand with her family when she was three. She is keen on drama, soccer and sailing as well as art, which she finds eases stress. "Not that School Certificate was not stressful," says Susie, "but Miss Ingham, our form 5 art teacher, had a very open approach and nurtured individual ideas." Now in her final year at Hillcrest High School, Susie has plans for further study and work that brings together fine arts and the media.

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