The Art of: Awe #

with landscape artist, Carly LeCerf

The Blue Mountains have long captured the hearts of artists, with their wild beauty, dramatic landscapes and illusive blue hues inspiring and enticing painters for centuries. Tucked up along the ridge-line of the Bells Line of Road is where I had the privilege of meeting landscape artist, Carly LeCerf. Carly hails from a small coastal town in Western Australia on Wagyl Kaip and Southern Noongar lands, and was spending time at the BigCi Artist Residency in Bilpin, NSW on Dharug country. Her journey to the Blue Mountains was made possible by a Quick Response Grant from the Regional Arts Fund, an initiative that supports the creative endeavours of regional artists across Australia. 

BigCi (Bilpin international Ground for Creative initiatives) is an artist residency nestled in the UNESCO World Heritage Blue Mountains. It was founded by Rae and Yuri Bolotin and has become a haven for artists of various disciplines seeking to immerse themselves in nature and pursue creative projects inspired by the natural environment. The BigCi residency, provided the perfect backdrop for Carly to immerse herself in new landscapes alongside 2 fellow artists. Tucked away in a quiet nook of bushland in a stunning stone and glass building with a large central, communal studio space, together they lived, cooked, slept and created within the BigCi residency space.

For Carly, who typically finds inspiration in the vast, untamed desert landscapes of the Pilbara and southwestern Western Australia, the Blue Mountains residency introduced her to a different kind of wilderness. Surrounded by rugged cliffs, ancient bushland, and diverse ecosystems, she encountered an entirely unfamiliar colour palette. Despite having pre-ordered and shipped her painting supplies to BigCi, the dramatic escarpments and vistas revealed textures and hues she hadn’t anticipated. This led to a last-minute trip to Sydney to purchase new paints that could truly capture the essence of this striking landscape.

Carly’s deep connection to both art and nature is evident in every piece she creates. She shared how her creative process begins with ‘chasing the painting’—a pursuit that often sees her wandering the dusty red deserts of the Pilbara for hours, waiting for that perfect moment of awe to strike. It’s this profound sense of wonder that Carly so masterfully captures in all her works. Whether portraying the dramatic red deserts or the rugged Blue Mountains, Carly’s paintings invite the viewer to feel what she feels in those awestruck moments —when our perspective shifts, and we surrender to the vastness of the natural world - our fleeting human lives a mere blip within the ancient, enduring beauty of these landscapes.

Carly’s time at BigCi cultivated in an extraordinary series of new paintings, including ‘On the Edge – Feeling the Spirit’ and ‘Defying Perception’ that were shown at the Sydney Contemporary Art Fair at Carriageworks in September 2024. 

She also produced a breathtaking panoramic triptych depicting the bush-carpeted Walls Lookout.

“Brought to life in her signature style with sweeping gestural markings in lushly textured encaustic paint, this new work by Le Cerf beautifully captures the topographic drama of the Blue Mountains region and translates the feeling of awe instilled in the artist by her immersion in the region’s landscapes.”

Our conversations at BigCi touched on the importance of regional arts funding and how transformative it can be for artists. The Quick Response Grant Carly received enabled her to take this opportunity to travel, engage with new communities, experience new environments, collaborate with other artists and engage in creative exploration that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. It wasn’t just the physical space of BigCi or the materials she gathered, it was also the chance to engage with other creatives and the local community, forging connections that would inspire her long after she returned to Western Australia.  “Being an artist can sometimes be a pretty lonely road, so seeking and pursuing opportunities that brings our creative practices together is so valuable. Everyone benefits.”

Beyond a collection of stunning new work, Carly’s time spent at BigCi has given her a deeper appreciation for the delicate interplay between art, environment, and community—a balance that is often at the heart of regional arts practice. Carly’s journey is a testament to the power of programs like the Regional Arts Fund's Quick Response Grant, which enable artists to step beyond their usual environments and find new avenues for creativity. Her work will no doubt continue to inspire, reminding us of the profound connections between art, place, and the natural world.

You can hear Carly share more of her story in this podcast episode: 

The Creative Kind Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/carly-le-cerf-finding-inspiration/id1738378716?i=1000672882905

View more imagery from Carly’s BigCi residency here:  https://michaelreidmurrurundi.com.au/argus/argus-xli/

About Carly:

Carly LeCerf, based in Mount Barker, Western Australia, on Wagyl Kaip and Southern Noongar lands, is an artist whose work centers around the rugged beauty of Australia's interior landscapes. Her creative process involves annual two-week immersive journeys where she documents the environment through meditation, recording sounds, capturing videos and photos, writing, and painting. Back in her home studio, she uses encaustic wax and oil painting techniques to bring these landscapes to life, emphasizing the texture and depth of the land.

https://www.carlylecerf.com/


Photography credits: Daniel Soma, director Michael Reid Gallery 
Words by: Amy Firth, Comms Lead, Regional Arts Australia

The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government program that supports sustainable cultural development in regional and remote communities in Australia. The program is managed by Regional Arts Australia and organisations in each state and territory.