Collection: Through the Small Window | Lesley Andersen

East Wall, Belconnen Arts Centre | 28 March - 18 May 2025

My series Through the Small Window is an expression in both abstraction and stylized still-life works. Responding to patterns found in ordinary household textiles often associated with routine tasks (tablecloths, tea towels and the like), these small works evolve through the methodical and rhythmic process of piecing together shapes, colours and textures built from hand-made oil and cold wax papers.

My still-life works on the other hand, develop through a combination of layering and subtraction techniques nurturing exploration and experimentation. This process in oil and cold wax medium achieves a tactile richness, allowing the works to transcend the ordinary and become something more introspective.

The notion of a ‘window’ as a physical and metaphorical object emphasizes not only the act of observation but also the idea of framing one’s perspective. This duality—of looking ‘inward’ while also observing the world external to ourselves but within a place of comfort—creates a unique dialogue that invites us to appreciate beauty in the small everyday things.