THE 2018 Wearable Art Mandurah competition is a family affair for the Murphy family.
Michelle Murphy and 12-year-old twins Kiana and Tyler are heavily involved in creating entries in the prestigious competition.
When Kiana was 10 years old she was diagnosed with autism.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWBut the Murphy family is not one to be intimidated by such an event and has embraced the diagnosis as a gift. Mrs Murphy said Kiana was passionate about teaching people about autism.
“Kiana has taken on Wearable Art Mandurah as a platform for putting autism out there,” she said.
“She is really making autism work for her.”
After Kiana became involved, Michelle, who runs her own jewellery business, decided to make her own creation. Her entry is all about the senses – feeling, sight and smell – “to bring us back to the now through nature,’’ she said.
Michelle loves the idea of re-using anything and mother and daughters have gathered the bulk of the materials used in their creations from local op shops, including the big plastic jigsaw that is a part of Kiana’s creation.
The Frederick Irwin Anglican School students have been modelling since they were young.
Kiana will model her own creation for the competition, while Tyler will likely model her mother’s entry.
Wearable Art Mandurah encourages new ways of viewing the world through works of art for the body.
Two full-length productions featuring the finalists will be held at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre in June.
MORE: Prison guard assaulted at Hakea Prison in Canning Vale
MORE: $27m carpark expansion at St John of God Subiaco Hospital approved