You are invited to the opening of
SO CLOSE TO HOME
by Susannah Bond
OPENING EVENT
Sunday 19 July
12-2pm
Lon Retreat, Point Lonsdale
An exhibition of contemporary oil paintings on the walls of Lon
Refreshments & Grazing for All Guests
5% of proceeds from any art sales on 19 July will go to ReachOut Australia - the leading online mental health service supporting young people, their parents & carers & schools.
"So Close to Home represents my love of Pt Lonsdale and the Bellarine; the tug of the ocean and whispering Moonahs, the monumental lighthouses, salty air and sweeping landscapes, space to breathe and time to immerse myself in the healing magic of this special place. Painting the dunes, the trees, the coast, instantly transports me to a memory or a moment cementing itself in my heart so it’s never far from my thoughts. That’s why it feels so close to home."
EXHIBITION DATES" 16 JULY - 6 SEPTEMBER 2026
Lon Gallery is open daily. Refreshments & Grazing Available.
Susannah paints from her home in Melbourne but loves to escape to the coast at every given opportunity which is where most of her inspiration is from; the surf, the ocean, the endless beaches and rugged landscapes that lead her there. Exploring depth of colour and texture mostly through oil and cold wax, mixing shades and tones, softening or grazing the edges and getting lost in the layers. This process helps her reveal organic and abstract shapes from the original reference as it unveils something new, perhaps unusual, joyful or contemplative.
Most of Susannah’s paintings are evocative of a memory or a moment of still observation and through layers and adventurous use of colour and colour harmony she enjoys the transformation of each piece. Inspired by 20th Century artists such as Henri Matisse, Nicolas de Stael and Bernard Cathelin and their confident application of paint and unique colour palettes, she likes to test her curiosity and push her own abilities as she studies the works of these great artists.
Susannah travels widely, accumulating an abundance of new ideas, inspiration, different ways to apply composition, form, shape, line and colour harmony on the canvas and is practicing a shift from traditional to conceptual art, moving reality of form in her work to an abstracted reality.
