Narelle Higson, Australian oil pastel artist, process shot, The Corner Store Gallery.

Narelle Higson - Where the Light Breaks Through

Exhibition Dates: June 5th - 14th

Online Sales Launch: 8pm June 4th

Opening Night: Friday June 5th 6pm

Narelle Higson is a contemporary Australian artist known for her expressive oil pastel drawings. Working intuitively, she layers oil pastel with cold wax to create rich texture, depth, and luminosity, revealing intricate surfaces through a process of layering and scraping back.

Inspired by the Australian landscape, her work explores the interplay of light, colour, and movement across grasses, bushland, flora, and water. After a career in health and children’s television, Higson returned to full-time art practice, developing a distinctive style that has gained national recognition. She has been a finalist in several juried exhibitions, with works held in private and civic collections in Australia and internationally.

My studio is my sanctuary, albeit a messy one. Drawing with oil pastels feels like a form of meditation—especially when the outside world feels uncertain or overwhelming.

“Where the Light Breaks Through” is inspired by childhood memories of long car trips with my mum, travelling through the Australian landscape in search of wildflowers. Those journeys taught me to slow down, embrace solitude, and find beauty in the smallest details.

I’m particularly drawn to the shifting light at the end of the day—how it warms some areas while cooling others. In this body of work, I explore that quiet interplay of light and colour, creating a sense of calm, balance, and reflection.

Narelle Higson, Australian oil pastel artist, The Corner Store Gallery.