As part of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Sculptors in Schools project, students are designing and creating individual pieces for the three-week festival with sculptor Sarah Berners.

The 20 year 10 and 11 studio arts students are working closely with Berners to produce an installation to be displayed on the Lorne beach, alongside hundreds of other pieces.

Berners’ project is focusing on fabric and soft sculpture.

“I have left it pretty open to the kids,” she said.

“Most of the students are working on quite abstract forms. We have been experimenting with different materials including faux fur, stockings, vinyl and lycra.

“There is a dialogue between all of the different pieces.”

Berners said the project was set-up for recent VCA graduates.

“Five sculptors were selected for the Sculptors in Schools program,” she said.

“We have all been stationed at coastal or regional schools.”

Studio arts teacher Gail Higgins said it was a brilliant opportunity for the students.

“The students have gotten the inspiration from Sarah and are making their own soft sculpture contemporary forms,” she said.

“They will be placed on the Lorne beach in the sand. They are all individualised pieces and they don’t have to mean anything.”

Berners holds a masters degree in fine art and has exhibited her work across Victoria.

The Melbourne-based artist said her provocative large-scale sculpture and photographic works were usually abstract forms that represented the body.

“My practices have evolved quite a lot from acrylic on canvas to experimenting with textiles,” she said. 

“I include my interest in fashion and textiles into my fine art practise.”

Berners will soon leave Australia for artist residency positions in Tokyo and Paris.