Harmony of Light

Currently exhibiting at Margaret River Region Open Studios 2026, Flametree Wines, Dunsborough. PLEASE NOTE: This artwork will remain on exhibition until 27 September 2026. Purchased works will be available for collection or delivery following the conclusion of Open Studios. 2026 Mixed Media on Canvas Panel (Acrylic and vintage music sheet paper) 45 cm (W) × 45 cm (H) framed Professionally framed and behind non-reflective glass Harmony of Light is a reflection on inner balance, acceptance and the quiet sense of peace that can emerge when we stop resisting the seasons of change in our lives. With her eyes gently closed and her hands resting open before her, the figure appears suspended in a moment of complete stillness. There is no sense of reaching or holding on. Instead, her open palms suggest surrender and trust, an acceptance that we do not always need to know what comes next in order to meet it with grace. Her gesture speaks to a different kind of harmony: not a life untouched by uncertainty, but the ability to find a place of steadiness within ourselves while everything around us continues to shift and change. Her flowing white hair suggests wisdom shaped through lived experience, while her richly patterned gown brings warmth and depth to the composition. Layers of muted terracotta, deep red and antique gold are built from thousands of individual painted dots, following the folds of the fabric and creating an intricate, almost meditative rhythm across its surface. That sense of rhythm continues through the vintage music sheet paper beneath the painting. Fragments of musical notation remain visible through her face, chest and open hands, becoming part of her rather than simply sitting behind her. In Harmony of Light, these traces of music take on particular significance - suggesting the many different notes, experiences and chapters of a life that, together, become part of something whole. Around her, layers of warm ochre, parchment and timeworn texture create an ethereal, almost ageless space. Against this richly weathered surface, her quiet figure seems to emerge from somewhere between memory and possibility, the past still present within her as she remains open to what is yet to come. Natalie has long affectionately referred to the female figures within her paintings as “my girls.” Although not portraits in the traditional sense, each seems to take on her own personality as she emerges - delicate yet strong, confident yet sometimes shy, deeply sensitive yet quietly resilient. Perhaps this is because there is a little of the artist woven into each of them: the contradictions and complexities that exist within all of us, and the understanding that vulnerability and strength do not need to be opposites. Harmony of Light forms part of Natalie Briney's 2026 collection Light Between Two Worlds, a contemplative body of work exploring thresholds: those spaces between past and future, fragility and strength, the seen and the unseen. Each work begins with vintage music sheet paper, forming a subtle textural foundation beneath layers of acrylic paint and intricate pointillism. Warm parchment tones, muted ivories and softened, earthy colour create luminous, layered surfaces that invite the viewer to slow down and look more closely. While deeply personal, Light Between Two Worlds speaks to universal experiences of change, vulnerability, endurance and hope. At the heart of the collection lies a quiet question: how do we move through life's transitions with grace instead of fear? In Natalie's words: “This body of work is about honouring the space in between. Where we are no longer who we were, but not yet who we are becoming. It’s a place of reflection, surrender, and light.” PLEASE NOTE: Images are provided for styling, framing and interior inspiration only and may not be to exact scale. Please refer to the listed dimensions before purchasing. This artwork is signed and dated on the reverse and comes with a Certificate of Authentication. ABOUT THE ARTIST Natalie Briney is a Western Australian artist living and working on her family’s farm south of Margaret River. Surrounded by bushland, open skies and the rhythms of country life, her work is deeply influenced by nature, stillness and the quiet strength found in the everyday. Her paintings are held in private collections across Australia, the United States, Europe and Asia.