STILLNESS: a new exhibition by Lauren Layton
Opening Event: Sunday 8 November 2026, 12-2pm
Lon Retreat, 25 Gill Road, Point Lonsdale
Refreshments available with proceeds to the Borough CoastCarers as part of the Bellarine Catchment Network.
No need to RSVP. All welcome.
All works in this exhibition will be available to view and purchase through Lauren's website here
Lauren Layton is a contemporary painter based in Ballarat, Victoria, whose practice is deeply connected to the landscapes and ever changing energy of the ocean. Working primarily in acrylic on canvas, she explores the relationship between land, sea and sky, capturing fleeting moments of light, movement and atmosphere through expressive brushwork, vibrant colour and layered paint.
Through her practice, Lauren invites viewers to pause, reflect and find their own connection to the landscapes, moments and natural rhythms that shape our experience of the world.
As Artist in Residence at Lon Retreat & Spa, contemporary painter Lauren Layton has returned to Lon across the seasons, exploring the ever changing landscapes of the property and its surrounding coastline at Point Lonsdale. From the dunes, lakes and moonah forests to the sweeping beaches and expansive skies, her paintings capture the subtle beauty of this special place at different times of the day and throughout the changing seasons.
Stillness explores our connection to place and the natural world, inviting us to pause and notice the beauty that often exists in the quietest moments. Through expressive brushwork, layered paint and a shifting palette of blues, greens and earthy tones, Lauren captures the movement of the ocean, the textures of the landscape and the changing light across land, sea and sky.
Some works look out across the landscape from the Cumulus and Nimbus suites, while others follow the winding paths through the dunes towards the private beach. Together, they reflect the restorative qualities of nature and its ability to ground us, quiet the mind and bring us back to the present.
At its heart, Stillness is an invitation to slow down, breathe and reconnect: with nature, with place and with ourselves. Through these moments of observation and reflection, Lauren reminds us that stillness is not simply the absence of movement, but an opportunity to feel more deeply connected to the world around us.
"I hope these paintings invite people to pause, take a breath and find their own moment of connection with the beauty and stillness of nature."
The exhibition opens on Sunday 8 November, from 12 to 2pm, and continues at Lon Retreat & Spa until early January 2027. Original artworks are available to purchase at Lon and through laurenlaytonart.com, with prints available online.
