Sense of Unity, her year 12 piece, is one of 49 chosen from 3000 VCE artworks to appear at the StArt Up: Top Arts 2014 exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.

“I have been going to the exhibition every year since I was young and I used to think how amazing the artworks were and how awesome it would be if I could get into it,” she said.

When in year 12 at Catholic College Wod-onga last year, her goal was create an artwork worthy of the exhibition.

“I put passion and effort and a lot of hours into my piece,” she said.

“I didn’t think I had a chance and, when I got shortlisted, it was so great I thought I could die happy.”

Her work is a collage of rolled used teabags.

“Teabags represent humanity and us as individuals and how we have the same insides, we all have a heart and a brain,” she said.

“But each used teabag has a different characteristic and appear in different tones.

“I’ve put each teabag together to represent unity and how we all come together in the end.”

Ms Saylak, who is studying a Bachelor of Education at Victoria University, hoped the exhibition would make her more employable in future.

“Having this on my resume shows I am passionate and committed to my work,” she said.