Pixie O’Harris was born in 1903 and came to Australia from Wales with her family in 1920. She wrote and illustrated many now famous children’s stories over her lifetime. Her works include ‘The Babes in the Wood’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘The Pixie O’Harris Nursery Rhyme Book’.

Later in her career, O’Harris put her artistic talents to work brightening the atmosphere of hospitals, nurseries, health centres and even schools around NSW. O’Harris did this by designing and creating a series of fairy-style murals. Before O’Harris used boards, she painted on the walls. Sadly the wall murals have now been painted over or destroyed.

The works had once been displayed on the walls in the Manning River District Hospital in Taree. They have now been found in an old storeroom behind some old filing cabinets.

The annual Pixie O’Harris Award continues to honour the artist and author’s legacy. O’Harris’ illustrations of fairies and elves still enchant children today and inspire those working in the field of children’s literature.