A new exhibition featuring six local artists is set to open in February.

Presented by Manx National Heritage, the ‘6’ exhibition in Peel features a collection of some of the most well-known artists currently working in the island.

Through media as diverse as painting, stone carving and ink, each artist, influenced by the heritage, history, culture and beauty of the island, has produced a body of work which ‘interprets and reflects their sense of place within the island’.

The six featured artists include Ellie Baker, Sally Black, Helen Faragher, Petrina Kent, Ella Magee and Ongky Wijana, with there being a total of 107 pieces of artwork on display.

Talking about the display, Sally Black commented: ‘It’s hard to imagine in these dark winter days that the Isle of Man was often referred to as the “Venice of the North” - not because of its abundant canals (there aren’t any) but for the clear, clean light which provided inspiration to generations of artists.

‘Away from the industrial north, the Isle of Man was (and to some extent still is) a calm respite from the rapid development and growth of the mainland towns.

‘Each artist in this exhibition has a unique response to the world around them and in particular to this beautiful island on which we live.

‘My response is not to paint the landscape (though it is beautiful) but to take elements that stimulate my creativity and paint anything that takes my fancy whilst incorporating those elements into the art.

‘These tiny sparks may be a flash of turquoise in a raft of grey sky, the sudden surprise of gorse blossom on a dull day or a tray of herring lined up in the fish shop window.

‘This island is unique - our land, sea and coastline are very special habitats and our precious Biosphere status ensures caretaking of this. Our job as artists, and this includes music, dance, drama and literature, is to show and maintain this very special place.’

Ella Magee, talking about her own specific pieces of work, said: ‘My artwork is ethnographic and anthropological. It often exists with an allegorical twist, as pictorial story telling is one of our earliest forms of communication.

‘The biggest influence is the space and environment in which I live, like an ecological visual memoir.

‘I consider the complexity of what it means to be human, as well as orders, rituals, cultural practices and systems of the land, and the various protected characteristics. My artwork also considers patriarchal normative social systems and how such systems can marginalise.’

Another contributing artist, Ongky Wijana, added: ‘From the time I first came to the island, the history, ancient culture, and use of natural stone have fascinated me.

‘I love knowing that the old churches, cottages, castles and walls of the island were built by hands not unlike my own, the builders choosing a piece of stone for its various qualities just as I do for my sculptures.’

The exhibition will be at the House of Manannan in Peel from Saturday, February 15 to Sunday, April 27.