Artists Lily Gibbs-Hughes and Ebony Barnes have works displayed at Manjimup Art Gallery ‘Introducing’ exhibit

Two of the Lower South West’s young aspiring creatives have their best works on display at the Manjimup Art Gallery after finishing first in a prestigious prize in recent years. Cherry Harmony Festival 2019 Young Artist Award winner Lily Gibbs-Hughes and Ebony Barnes, who received the same accolade last year, have an assortment of their finest works hanging in the venue as a part of the new exhibit, titled Introducing. The exhibit was a part of the prize from the Cherry Harmony festival which allowed the young artists to show off their best work. Ms Gibbs-Hughes has eight pieces on display, which includes both paintings and her great passion in sewing. “I actually sew, so making clothes and garments and when I was at school I did art through my whole school,” she said. “I was trying to create a style that was combining in my enjoyment of sewing and things like that.” Ms Barnes, who has 13 designs on display, said her mother is also an artist and this was where she developed a passion for creating and painting. “My mum is an artist so I was kind of forced into it,” she said. “About a year ago, no two years now, I had to do a painting at school and decided I liked painting and then that was the painting that won the exhibition and I have just kind of kept doing it.” Both artists said they were keen to continue honing their trade over the coming year and were excited to have their work available to the public. The display will be on show until the end of January.