Something about Dubbo grandmother Judith Wonderley is revealed at this year's Art Express

The acrylic painting, Back to Grandma, by St John's College's Year 12 student Keira Bussey is currently on display at the Western Plains Cultural Centre and touring major regional art galleries, including Mudgee Arts Precinct from June 2.

Miss Bussey, 18, is one of Mrs Wonderley's nine grandchildren who kept it a secret until the day her painting received the top marks on visual art subject from among 8,028 submissions by Higher School Certificate (HSC) students.

"When I found out at the school, I was shocked, I didn't know anything about it," the 75-year-old told the Daily Liberal at the WPCC exhibition room on Friday night.

Miss Bussey's painting prominently hangs at the entry to the exhibition room where a big crowd came to view each of the outstanding Art Express pieces by final-year students who expressed their deeper understanding of the concept of art and demonstrating it through works curated for the first time by local visual arts teacher Tamara Lawry.

"I am so proud of her, as with all my other grandchildren, they are all incredible kids with talents of their own. I'm a wool spinner, never a painter or someone who draws," Mrs Wonderley said.

"I am not sure where that artistry comes from though I've spent a lot of time with her and her brothers ... It was part of my job to look after them when they were little ... I had a good life I think."

Miss Bussey, a performance attendant at the Old Dubbo Gaol, did the HSC subjects Visual Art, Advanced English, Extension English, Mathematics, Food Technology and Studies of Religion and plans to pursue art studies at the University of Newcastle.

She said her stint at the National Art School in Sydney was an inspiration "to do a bit more about art" as a future career.

Choosing her grandmother as the subject of her HSC submission was something that seemed to have come naturally for the talented teenager whose work was also viewed by Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson.

"To see a variety of creative works by our students, what a wonderful future to have these creative minds go down the path in art and imagine what they would create at age 38.

"I am very excited for Keira and our teachers who taught our kids, allowing their creativity to come out and that is as challenging for our teachers as well."

Ms Lawry said shortlisting from among the students' works started with 266 outstanding submissions and for exhibition across the state, 38 were selected, and can also be viewed through the Art Express virtual exhibition.

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While her work is receiving accolades, Miss Bussey reflected on the significance of having a grandmother's constant presence while growing up.

"She did so much in her life, she travels a lot everywhere she'd always get us little gifts. She has a big cabinet in her living room each time I walk past it, I thought that was a significant detail about grandma," Miss Bussey said.

"I thought about painting about my family and the foundation of our togetherness. My mum and dad, my brothers, they were the catalysts of our close knit family and grandma has always been there all my life.

"I thought it would be nice to surprise her and do a little tribute ... it was a big reveal in the end.

"She stood there shocked to see it, and didn't say much except 'oh, that's my lolly jar, that's my fridge', I think she just loves it."

Along with Bussey's Back to Grandma painting, other bodies of work by HSC students from regional towns on exhibit at WPCC include Show and Tell by Isabella Baldwin of Kinross Wolaroi School, Misophonia by Teanu Barter of Hunter Valley Grammar School, The Product of One's Demise by Lucy Boyce of Lambton High, Suppressed to Survive by Brinda Cannock of Ascham School, One's Hidden Emotions by Mackenzie Curtis of Warners Bay High, and Adieu A Mon Enfance by Matilda Guernier of Maitland Grossman High, among others.