Some of Wodonga's most talented young creatives will showcase their works in a special exhibition at Hyphen - Wodonga Library Gallery this month.
Artistic License celebrates the creativity of year 12 students exploring ideas as diverse as identity, fast fashion and dreamscapes.
Two of the exhibitors are sharing musical creations that will be played within Hyphen while the other works use media such as digital art, acrylics and textiles.
Hosted for the first time at Hyphen, the exhibition features works by students from Wodonga Senior Secondary College, Victory Lutheran College and Catholic College Wodonga.
For Clio Waldegrave-Knight, the development of a grid technique was central to the work Turmoil in Red.
The acrylic on paper work explores abstraction, a movement that has now become a passion.
"I chose large-scale abstract painting because I felt there was a freedom to it that I was uncomfortable with it and I wanted to get better at it," Clio said.
"It's a grid technique that I developed over the year that uses paint and tape to leave areas of deliberate blank space which is contrasted to the subject matter."
Victory Lutheran College student Jessica Jarald has two self-portrait works in the exhibition which explore how her ethnicity both contrasts and complements her nationality.
Mix of Culture and Symbolic Silhouette explore how the artist's Indian heritage and culture have shaped her identity.
"With art, I wanted to explore who I was again and show everyone who I actually am, showing my culture of Indian and Australian together," Jessica said.
Jessica said being part of the exhibition and having her work on display was a surprise but felt very special.
Curator Bronwen Garner said Artistic License gave young artists in our community the opportunity to exhibit their work in the context of a significant public gallery space.
"The community of Wodonga and Albury really loves exhibitions of work by young artists. It's something they can connect with because they might know the kids or have something to do with what the art is about," Ms Garner said.
"I think for young kids to come into Hyphen and see work by young artists on the walls is incredibly inspiring and to think that they might go to a secondary school here and make work of a high calibre that's worthy of being on public display is terrific.
"It's always really gratifying and interesting because the work of young artists is always very fresh and connected with what's happening in popular culture and new ideas and that makes it a very important type of work to present."
All the works featured in the exhibition were selected through an application process.
Artistic License is on exhibition in the Hallway Gallery until February 7.
