Lemons and Limes | Lily O’Toole

Working from regional New South Wales, Lily draws her subjects from the world immediately around her: shared meals, table settings, bottles and glasses, the food and drink that gather people together. The dinner table in particular has become a recurring motif in her work.

Through bold colour, considered light and confident brushwork, Lily elevates ordinary scenes into something reflective and celebratory. A plate of citrus, a half-finished drink, a table left after company has gone — these become visual markers of the moments that sustain us.

From Bathurst locals gathering at the RSL, to factory workers heading to the Oberon Leagues Club on a Friday afternoon in their hi-vis uniforms, or a neighbour finishing the day with a Tooheys New after mowing the lawn, these are the moments Lily feels compelled to capture before time inevitably reshapes them.

Her donated work, Lemons and Limes, is a still life that reflects this sensibility. The composition centres on a simple tablescape, where lemons and limes rest in a palette of cool greens, soft blues and gentle yellows. The colours feel fresh and calming, as though a summer breeze has just passed through the room, easing the heat of the day.

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