Busselton student selected to design logo for Yallingup surfing competition Taj’s Small Fries

A Busselton Senior High School student is making waves in her graphic design work, after her design was selected as the logo for a popular local surfing competition.

Tiana Bolton, 17, has officially had her design accepted for the 2022 Taj’s Small Fries surfing competition in Yallingup, WA’s biggest junior surfing event.

The design features various traditional Aboriginal symbols, reflective of Miss Bolton’s heritage as a proud Yuat Noongar woman.

She said the emblem represents the connection between land and sea.

“The snake is the rainbow serpent, which made all the hills and rivers that went through the land and the waves in the middle is the Yallingup waves,” she said.

“It’s sort of incorporating it all together.”

“The design means a lot to me to have included it in this logo as it is has such a strong and important meaning, I want others to see it and make them want to learn more of Aboriginal culture.”

With the Small Fries competition not set to start until January, Miss Bolton said she is still in disbelief of the honour.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said.

“When I first saw the final vectorised design I was like, wow, this is actually like, it’s going to be seen by people.”

The opportunity was initially prompted by Taj Burrows himself, who hosts a surfing school as part of the school’s Waalitj Kaaditjin Academy program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The former pro surfer mentioned they were looking for a new logo and the school put Tiana forward for the design.

He said he is glad to be keeping it local.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with the artwork for next year’s event and it’s even better coming from a local student from Busselton SHS,” he said.

Only recently new to art, the Year 11 student said she properly started focusing on art three years ago, with support from her art teacher Cam Snow.

“Since I’ve started at Busselton, I’ve been getting more into it (art) because the art program is really good.

“Year 9 was my first class in Mr Snow’s class and he really got me into like, learning about my Indigenous art, and teaching me about all of the symbols and stuff.”

She said she is proud to be giving these traditional artforms such large-scale exposure.

“It gives Aboriginal artists an opportunity to share their talent and also tell their stories through their pieces,” she said.

“I’m hoping with more Aboriginal art and stories being shared it will motivate the present and emerging Aboriginal artists to share their work and to be proud of who we are and our culture.”

The 2022 Taj’s Small Fries event will kick off with an opening ceremony on January 13 at Yallingup beach, with competition running from the 14th to the 16th.