Alannah Mills

Aveley Secondary College

Year 10

Clay

14.8 × 21 × 8 cm

Blanketed Childhood explores how children are often oblivious to the realities they will face as they grow up. It was inspired by my childhood memory of hiding beneath a thin blanket while excitedly waiting for my mother to return from her late-night shifts, believing it was the best hiding spot in the house. That carefree feeling contrasts with my life as a teenager, where I constantly worry about maintaining high academic standards and balancing school with recreation. The clay figure appears overjoyed despite being completely encased in a briefcase, using the contrast between happiness and confinement to encourage the audience to question why the child feels so content in such a restricted space.