Old Boys' Art
The Nudgee Arts Gala proudly welcomes back a talented group of Old Boys whose creative journeys began during their years at Nudgee.
Spanning different generations, artistic styles and professional paths, their work encompasses painting, drawing, photography and contemporary portraiture, each offering a distinctive perspective shaped by curiosity, experience and personal expression.
Together, these artists demonstrate how creativity nurtured at school can continue to evolve throughout life. We invite Arts Gala guests to discover their work and reconnect with their stories at the 2026 Arts Gala.
Tom Sands (NCOB 2022)
Tom Sands is a Nudgee College Old Boy (2022) and is currently studying Architecture and Landscape Architecture at QUT while working as a student Landscape Architect.
His artwork explores themes of Australiana and suburban life, drawing inspiration from the everyday places and experiences that shape Australian identity. Tom began selling his work at the Nudgee Arts Gala while in Year 11 and credits the College with nurturing his development as both an artist and a designer. He continues to create commissioned artworks while pursuing his studies.
Jem Harper (NCOB 2025)
Jem Harper is a Nudgee College Old Boy (2025) and first-year Medicine student at UNSW who continues to pursue his passion for art alongside his studies. Best known for his detailed animal drawings, particularly lions, Jem has also completed numerous commissioned pet portraits. His work reflects both his love of wildlife and his connection to Nudgee, with The Treacy Building celebrating the College's historic heart through watercolour and fineliner. Jem credits his time at Nudgee with nurturing his artistic journey and hopes to continue growing his practice through commissioned work.
Franco Lim Santos Faria (NOCOB 2020)
Franco Lim Santos Faria is a Nudgee College Old Boy whose vibrant artistic practice focuses on expressive abstract portraiture. His bold use of colour and dynamic brushwork create striking works that explore emotion, identity and human connection. A defining feature of Franco's paintings is the expressive use of eyes as powerful focal points. At the same time, colour becomes a language for conveying feeling and experience, inviting viewers to look beyond the surface of each portrait.
Patrick Doody (NCOB 1999)
Patrick Doodley is a Nudgee College Old Boy (1999) whose passion for art began during his time at the College. Although his professional career is in engineering, photography has become his primary creative outlet. His work explores forgotten, abandoned and hidden places, capturing unique perspectives that reveal the beauty and intrigue of spaces rarely seen by the public. Through his photography, he invites viewers to look beyond the ordinary and discover the extraordinary in overlooked environments.
Adam Cerutti (NCOB 1993)
Adam Cerutti is a Nudgee College Old Boy (1993), illustrator, tattoo artist and entrepreneur whose creative journey began as a boarder at the College. While still at school, he launched his first business designing and selling T-shirts before completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts in Illustration and Printmaking. Adam's career has spanned graphic design, tattooing and fine art, taking him across Australia and Europe. Today, he owns La Bomba Loca Tattoo and Cairns Custom T-Shirts, where he continues to create original paintings, tattoo designs and exhibition works inspired by skateboarding, tattoo culture and extreme sports.
