18 November – 12 December 2026
“Pale Mantle- Storm Bay” 2026 Oil on Linen 122 x 137 cm
Despard Gallery is pleased to host solo exhibition by established Tasmanian painter Stephen Lees.
Currently based in Leslie Vale, Tasmania, Lees has forged a highly distinguished career which remains peerless within the Tasmanian landscape genre, having an acute awareness of art history, including the principles that govern traditional painting techniques,
Slowly built up through both opaque and transparent layers, Lees’ process honours techniques that defined painting from the 17th and 18th century. Underpinning Lees’ practice is a deep appreciation for how light and form define the aesthetics of the painted image, including how elements can coalesce in a rich and layered surface. Through this careful use of paint, we see an unmistakable admiration for nature, honouring its subtle complexity, receding depth and shifting tones. Distinctive to each composition is a seamless shift between both recognisable and imagined spaces. Here, representation is only a suggestion and quickly fades to reveal something more knowing, where Lees reveals the temperament of the landscape and how it is experienced.
As part of his intuitive approach, Lees’ work has a natural inclination towards impression, over description. These seemingly amorphous spaces, often cloaked under a soft haze, reflect the enigmatic qualities of nature, as well as the evasiveness of logic behind our emotional connections to the natural world.