Erfan Vafamehr misses home. He misses being able to express himself with ease in his mother tongue and wishes he could write without thinking how to in a language he learned less than three years ago.
Despite the myriad obstacles that presented themselves to a newcomer to a country with a different language and culture, the Iran-born teenager – who fled the country with his parents in 2014 – is finding his feet at school in a subject he chose to study on a whim.
After spending a year learning English at the Western English Language School in Braybrook, Erfan entered year 11 at St Albans Secondary College last year and chose textiles as one of his subjects.
Not only did he excel at the creative tasks he was given, it soon became one of his favourite subjects.
“It became more than something I just wanted to know about – I enjoyed it,” he said. “I enjoyed that I could express myself through my designs … I feel like when I’m drawing my designs, I feel free in that moment.”
Erfan’s creativity is being recognised beyond the classroom. The gown he entered into the annual Fashion Awards Australia competition’s “chic day wear” category won him a second placing last year.
His talents prompted his textile teacher Michael Bowden and the school’s head of art, Nick D’Aglas, to put him up for the National Gallery of Victoria’s new art start scholarship program earlier this year.
The program offers students affected by distance, economic hardship or language or cultural barriers access to the NGV’s resources and expertise to help with school-based learning. It also introduces them to future career opportunities in the visual arts.
Recently Erfan, 17, was told his application had been successful.
“They’re going to help me out with any of my art projects,” he said. “And also if I need money to get materials, they are going to help me out.”
After completing year 12, he says he hopes to work in fashion design or “something related to art”.
