Lismore artist Emily Imeson has been awarded the 2019 Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize for her painting Alive in the dead of night.

Emily, who studied arts at Southern Cross University, will receive $15,000 and her work will be acquired by the Macquarie Group Collection.

The Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize, now in its eighth year, supports and recognises emerging Australian visual artists.

Emily's practice explores the primordial connection that humans have with their natural environments and reflects on the natural phenomenon of life.

Judge and artist Nike Savvas said: “The exceptional quality of the finalists’ works reflects the significant depth of talent to be found among Australia’s next generation of promising visual artists.

"From an outstanding field of nominees, Emily’s work was selected as the recipient of the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize as it represents a distinct style and skilfully encapsulates the theme of the Macquarie Group Collection, The Land and its Psyche.”

Emily, who is from Lismore and graduated from Southern Cross University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts, is currently travelling. Her work is being featured in the University's 25 Years 25 Artists exhibition which runs until September 1.

The Macquarie Group Collection has been supporting emerging Australian artists for more than 30 years. Artists in the early stage of their careers were invited to enter an original work – or works – that reflect the theme The Land and its Psyche for the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize.

The prize was announced earlier this month in Sydney.

Members of the public can see Emily Imeson's Alive in the dead of night, along with other works by the finalists for this year’s prize, at space at 1 Shelley Street, Sydney. The exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 3 pm until 5 September. All entries, other than the winning artwork and those purchased at the event in Sydney, are available for sale.