Janine Caruana
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
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I have a great passion for the visual arts, particularly drawing and painting. My creative ability was evident when I began preschool, and has continuously grown ever since. I have quite an interest in studying objects and creating portraits of people as the subject of my work. I engage in creating art by creating a realistic depiction, paying attention to high detail and using materials boldly, such as oil paints.
My artists of inspiration for this painting style include Jenny Saville and Lucian Freud. Throughout my years in high school, I have participated in annual art exhibitions at Magdalene Catholic High School. I won first place at the Campbelltown Art Gallery for my category in 2007 for the Fisher’s Ghost Festival. I have also achieved a band 6 in Visual Arts for the course of the High School Certificate in 2010. I have graduated from a Bachelor of Creative Arts Degree in 2013 with a distinction average and am currently studying a Diploma of Education to become a Visual Arts Teacher.
ARTIST'S REASON FOR PARTICIPATING
I have chosen to participate in this fantastic project, as I am passionate about helping others and love animals. To promote awareness and assist the organisation for the aid and benefit of the orang-utans, by creating artwork, is therefore of great interest to me. Every animal deserves the best.
Email: artist92@live.com.au
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-by-Janine-Caruana/311064242416188
GEMBAR
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The Free-Spirited Climber Who Couldn’t Be Contained
In May 2013, International Animal Rescue welcomed a spirited young female orangutan named Gembar. Estimated to be around two and a half to three years old, she had spent the previous year in the care of a family who claimed to have found her abandoned while fishing—a story conservationists know is almost never true. Orangutan mothers are fiercely protective and do not willingly part with their infants.
Gembar's early life in captivity involved weekly baths, limited freedom, and a poor diet of milk, rice, and fish—devoid of the fruits and foliage her species requires. Upon her arrival at the IAR rescue centre in Ketapang, Gembar was malnourished but full of curiosity and confidence. After passing through quarantine, she quickly became a favourite in baby school, charming her peers—particularly Noel and Tribun—with her bold nature and flowing hair.
Her adventurous spirit sometimes got her into trouble. Eager to explore, Gembar would often stray beyond the safe confines of baby school. Though she initially tried to join the juvenile group, she found their boisterousness a bit much and returned to the comfort of baby school. But her tenacity never waned.
Now, Gembar has officially graduated to forest school, where she is learning crucial survival skills—climbing, foraging, and nest building. She occasionally hesitates in the presence of her larger peers, but her confidence is steadily growing. With continued support and patience from the dedicated IAR team, Gembar is well on her way to a second chance at freedom in the wild.
