SHELLEY McLEAN | WHISPERS AND TEMPESTS
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - Sunday, March 8, 2026
Frances Keevil at Studio W - 6 Bourke St, Woolloomooloo Wed - Sun, 11 - 5
TO BE OPENED BY MICHELLE HISCOCK ON SATURDAY 28 FEBRUARY, 5 - 7PM
My work is a celebration of the Australian landscape — its vastness, moodiness, and quiet poetry. I’m drawn to the ever-changing light, the shifting atmospheres, and the subtle details that reveal themselves when you pause and truly look.
Being immersed in nature brings a deep sense of peace and awe, yet it is often juxtaposed with the untamed wildness of the landscape and the unpredictable energy of the weather, creating a fascinating tension between calm and powerful, gentle and fierce.
In addition to light, colour, and form, I seek to portray this tension as well as non-visual experiences — particularly of sound, fragrance, emotional responses, and my sense of wonder in the natural world.
Each work is an invitation for the viewer to move from mere observation of the colours and forms towards a reconnection with their own experiences of landscape, and through the artwork itself, towards new perceptions and deeper meanings.
I work with a range of mediums including soft pastels, acrylics and oils. Pastels remain my favourite medium as they allow me to create varying textures depending on the subject and the mood or effect I am trying to achieve. This is further influenced by the choice of surface — from textured fine-grit papers to smoother varieties —each enabling the gradual build-up of multiple layers, or subtle marks that allow the underlying surface to show through.
Shelley McLean
Weathering the Storm
soft pastel
51 x 71 cm / framed 72 x 92 cm
Weathering the Storm
Capturing the dramatic contrast between a sunlit Australian landscape and a moody, stormy sky above, reflects my long-standing fascination with the power and unpredictability of the weather. For many years, my friends and collectors of my work have referred to such skies as a “Shelley Sky.” The deep, dark intensity of the clouds, set against the brightness of the land, explores the coexistence of light and darkness, calm and intense. Wherever these moments appear, I am drawn to them. This view was captured on a friend’s property where the open landscape allowed the storm building overhead, to command attention.
Shelley McLean
Peace Like a River
soft pastel
43.5 x 61 cm / framed 64.5 x 82 cm
Peace Like a River
I wanted to capture the subtle movement of the water, where gentle ripples create a calm, soothing rhythm. The slow flow, with its soft sounds, brings a deep sense of peace. While the solidity of the large rocks along the edge, ground the scene. Through this piece, I hope to convey the calm and tranquillity I experience, when connecting with nature.
I want to invite the viewer to feel the same.
Shelley McLean
The Edge of Stillness
soft pastel
66.5 x 96 cm / framed 89.5 x 119 cm
The Edge of Stillness
This artwork is the largest pastel painting I’ve ever created. I chose a large scale to convey the grandeur of the scene, with layers of mountains stretching into the distance. A place close to my heart since childhood, the Blue Mountains continue to captivate me with their breathtaking scale, rugged beauty, and the quiet power of the majestic cliffs and rock formations. Whether clear, cloudy, or hazy skies, the changing light subtly alters the mood of the landscape, highlighting different aspects of the mountain panorama
Shelley McLean
In Between
soft pastel
71 x 51 cm / framed 92 x 72 cm
In Between
This view towards Pulpit Rock Lookout was inspired by a late afternoon walk at Govetts Leap near Blackheath in the Blue Mountains. As the sun lowered, deep blue shadows moved across the cliffs and tree canopy, hiding details in mystery and shifting the mood of the landscape.
Shelley McLean
Rippled Reflections
soft pastel
43.5 x 31.5 cm - image size
64.5 x 52.5 cm - framed
Rippled Reflections
The surface of the river is always shifting, with reflections that move and change in mesmerizing patterns, catching the summer light of the Australian bush. The Potholes Reserve and Bargo River, Tahmoor, are places I often return to. This painting invites quiet reflection and a gentle moment of calm.
Shelley McLean
The Sound of Refreshing
soft pastel
51 x 36 cm - image size
72 x 57 cm - framed
The Sound of Refreshing
Flowing with soft rapids, white water, and a few reflections shimmering on the surface, the Bargo River is surrounded by native bushland, usually sprinkled with red bottlebrush blooms in spring. A few years ago, a flood swept through. A high and raging torrent that transformed the landscape.
The return of the blooms reflects the resilience of nature. Calm in this moment, the scene is both soothing and refreshing, while also a reminder of the delicate balance of nature.