The Lester Prize Youth Awards

The Lester Prize Youth Awards exhibition was held in the Old Goal building at the Western Australian Museum Boola Bardip from 2 May to 20 July 2025.

See the pre-selection and judging panel here.

2025 Winners

Years 11-12 Winner

Anaia Kakulas, The way forward, pastel and plaster on strawboard, 80 x 70 cm. Year 11, Methodist Ladies College, WA.

Years 11-12 Highly Commended

Lottie Ercleve, ‘Little one, don’t you cry’, coloured pencil on paper, 42 x 50 cm. Year 12, Shenton College, WA.

Years 9-10 Winner

(Yutang) Angela Shao, A rare trip, oil on canvas, 70 x 100 cm. Year 10, Nossal High School, VIC.

Years 9-10 Highly Commended

Ruby Bieundurry, Tjapanangka, conte on paper, 60 x 45 cm. Year 9, Parkerville Steiner College, WA.

Years 7-8 Winner

Ethan Zheng, Dreams between the pages, acrylic on canvas, 69 x 96 cm. Year 7, Vermont Secondary College, VIC.

Years 7-8 Highly Commended

Jessie Boog, Summa whumma, acrylic on canvas, 53 x 43 cm. Year 8, Rehoboth Christian College, WA.

2025 Winners: Starlight Livewire

Winner

Samual Volich, I am, pencil and pen on paper.

Highly Commended

Jessica Loader, Me, paint pen on canvas.

2025 Finalists

Max Audsley (NSW) • Katie Barton (WA) • Ruby Bieundurry (WA) • Jessie Boog (WA) • Zoe Chen (VIC) • Happy Chen (VIC) • Amy Deng (VIC) • Lucy Dunningham (QLD) • Lottie Ercleve (WA) • Rafael Frietas Salazar (WA) • Thenumi Hewafonsekage (NSW) • Zhiqian Huang (VIC) • Anaia Kakulas (WA) • Beatrix Lee (WA) • Lucas Liu (VIC) • Isla McGregor (WA) • Lilli Mitchell (WA) • Laura Niu (WA) • Harriet Noske (WA) • Bianca Petsos (WA) • Olivia Ren (WA) • Tasha Rogoff (NSW) • Vanessa Rucci (WA) • Isla Russo (WA) • Angela Shao (VIC) • Kiara Stofberg  (WA) • Emily Zhang (VIC) • Qiyan Zhang (WA) • Tian You Zhao (VIC) • Ethan Zheng (VIC)

Max Audsley, Hopeful prosperity, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 80 cm. Year 12, Marrickville High School, NSW.
Katie Barton, Mask, oil on board, 84 x 59 cm. Year 10, Bob Hawke College, WA.
Ruby Bieundurry, Tjapanangka, conte on paper, 60 x 45 cm. Year 9, Parkerville Steiner College, WA.
Jessie Boog, Summa whumma, acrylic on canvas, 53 x 43 cm. Year 8, Rehoboth Christian College, WA.
Happy Chen, The goddess woman, watercolour on paper, 65 x 45 cm. Year 9, Melbourne Grammar School, VIC.
Zoe Chen, Unidentified, acrylic on canvas, 41 x 35 cm. Year 8, Highvale Secondary College, VIC.
Amy Deng, The girl, pencil on paper, 81 x 63 cm. Year 7, A.M Art, VIC.
Lucy Dunningham, Specimen no: 22, pencil on paper, 42 x 42 cm. Year 12, Dunningham Residence - Homeschooled, QLD.
Lottie Ercleve, ‘Little one, don’t you cry’, coloured pencil on paper, 42 x 50 cm. Year 12, Shenton College, WA.
Rafael Frietas Salazar, Brother, oil on canvas, 30 x 25 cm. Year 8, John Curtin College of the Arts, WA.
Thenumi Hewafonsekage, Portrait of Thenumi Hewafonsekage, charcoal on paper, 42 x 30 cm. Year 8, Hornsby Girls High School, NSW.
Zhiqian Huang, Outrunning my problems, woodblock print on paper, 78 x 78 cm. Year 8, Haileybury Girl’s College, VIC.
Anaia Kakulas, The way forward, pastel and plaster on strawboard, 80 x 70 cm. Year 11, Methodist Ladies College, WA.
Beatrix Lee, Lunch in the city, oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm. Year 10, La Salle College, WA.
Lucas Liu, My friend Praneeth, acrylic on paper, 56 x 43 cm. Year 7, Tamm Art Studio, VIC.
Isla McGregor, Beneath the surface, lino print and watercolour on paper, 52 x 42 cm. Year 7, Iona Presentation College, WA.
Lilli Mitchell, House of cards, biro pen on card, 42 x 60 cm. Year 11, Mercedes College, WA.
Laura Nui, Uncle Lee, soft pastel with pastel pencils, 80 x 40 cm. Year 7, Rossmoyne Senior High School, WA.
Harriet Noske, Tinned identity, oil and acrylic on board with resin, 90 x 60 cm. Year 11, Santa Maria College, WA.
Bianca Petsos, 9 578545 200531, oil on board, 59 x 59 cm. Year 12, John XXIII College, WA.
Olivia Ren, Face painting, oil on canvas, 45 x 33 cm. Year 11, Penrhos College, WA.
Tasha Rogoff, The lioness, acrylic and tulle on paper, 42 x 30 cm. Year 10, Reddam House, NSW.
Vanessa Rucci, Alex, acrylic on canvas, 90 x 60 cm. Year 9, Warnbro Community High School, WA.
Isla Russo, Nonno, oil on canvas, 25 x 30 cm. Year 8, John Curtin College of the Arts, WA.
Angela Shao, A rare trip, oil on canvas, 70 x 100 cm. Year 10, Nossal High School, VIC.
Kiara Stofberg, In the fold, oil and thread on canvas, 51 x 50 cm. Year 12, Presbyterian Ladies College, WA.
Emily Zhang, Paper veil, graphite on paper, 81 x 58 cm. Year 9, Haileybury Berwick, VIC.
Qiyan Zhang, Teatime, oil and acrylic on board, 102 x 72 cm. Year 10, Perth Modern School, WA.
Tian You Zhao, The humans, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 50 cm. Year 7, A.M Art, VIC.
Ethan Zheng, Dreams between the pages, acrylic on canvas, 69 x 96 cm. Year 7, Vermont Secondary College, VIC.

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