Pre-sold. Available to view during Margaret River Region Open Studios 2026. 2026 Mixed Media on Canvas(Acrylic, oil, vintage music sheet paper and gold leaf) Unframed, sides are gallery-finished and ready to hang50 cm (W) × 50 cm (H) 'Where the Light Rests' forms part of Natalie Briney's 2026 collection - 'Light Between Two Worlds', a contemplative body of work exploring transformation, resilience, and the quiet threshold between what has been and what is yet to come. With her eyes gently closed and her head inclined in a moment of stillness, the figure appears entirely at peace. Her open hands rest before her, neither reaching nor holding, while a single butterfly settles quietly between them. There is a sense that nothing is being asked of this moment. She is simply allowing herself to be still. 'Where the Light Rests' reflects on the idea that light does not always need to be sought. Sometimes it is found when we stop searching - in the quiet spaces where we allow ourselves to rest, soften, and trust what is already present within us. The butterfly becomes a gentle symbol of this surrender. Traditionally associated with transformation and renewal, here it has completed its flight and come to rest. Its presence suggests that change does not always require movement; there are times when becoming asks us simply to pause and allow what has already changed within us to settle. Her flowing white hair speaks of wisdom shaped through lived experience, while the soft dusty rose of her gown brings warmth and tenderness to the composition. Intricate lines of pointillism move across the fabric in rhythmic patterns, drawing the eye inward toward her open hands and the small butterfly held within the quiet space between them. Each work begins with a foundation of vintage music sheet paper, creating a subtle layer of memory and history beneath the painted surface. In 'Where the Light Rests', fragments of the original notation remain particularly visible through the figure's face, shoulders and hands - traces of what has come before remaining present beneath the surface. Delicate passages of hand-painted pointillism build rhythm and movement throughout the composition, while successive layers of acrylic and transparent oil glazes create softness, luminosity and depth. Areas of distressed gold leaf emerge behind the figure, their imperfect and fragmented surfaces suggesting light not as something pristine or untouched, but as something discovered through the layers of experience. The restrained palette of warm parchment, antique gold, ivory and dusty rose gives the work a sense of softness and timelessness. Against the intricate movement of the gown and hair, the figure herself remains deeply still, creating a gentle tension between movement and rest, transformation and acceptance. While deeply personal, 'Where the Light Rests' speaks to the moments in life when we realise we do not always need to keep striving toward the next thing. Sometimes there is strength in becoming still long enough to recognise what remains and to trust that the light we have been searching for may already be with us. In Natalie's words: "I think there are times in our lives when we become so focused on moving forward that we forget there can also be meaning in simply being still. As I painted 'Where the Light Rests', I thought about that moment when we stop searching for answers and allow ourselves to trust what is already there. The butterfly resting between her open hands became a symbol of that for me - transformation followed by stillness, and the gentle reminder that sometimes the light we need is already within us." Each piece within 'Light Between Two Worlds' offers a calm and grounding presence, inviting viewers to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the strength that already exists within themselves. PLEASE NOTE: Images are provided for styling, framing, and interior inspiration only and may not be to exact scale. Please refer to the listed dimensions before purchasing. This artwork is signed and dated on the reverse and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. Created on a 40 mm frame-wrapped canvas, sealed with fixative and finished with a triple gloss protective coat. This artwork has pre-sold and will remain on display at Flametree Wines throughout Margaret River Region Open Studios 2026. ABOUT THE ARTIST Natalie Briney is a Western Australian artist living and working on her family's farm south of Margaret River. Surrounded by bushland, open skies and the rhythms of country life, her work is deeply influenced by nature, stillness and the quiet strength found in the everyday. Her paintings are held in private collections across Australia, the United States, Europe and Asia.
