Lemons and Limes Mini | Lily O’Toole

For emerging artist Lily O’Toole, painting begins with the moments people often overlook, the rituals of daily life that quietly shape connection and memory.

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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