Exploring colour, expression and the landscapes behind the view
We recently visited the Belconnen Arts Centre to meet with the wonderfully talented Cassandra Dove, recipient of the home.byholly Capital Arts Patrons Organisation Grant. Her exhibition, Behind the View, adorned the gallery walls over November, a captivating celebration of colour, movement and the quiet moments held within the natural world.
Cassandra is an abstract landscape painter, drawing inspiration from time spent immersed in nature and on her travels. Her works are instantly recognisable: expressive compositions layered with energetic brush strokes, bold palettes, and a tactile richness that invites you to step closer. Each piece feels like a memory alive, vibrant and deeply felt.
“I paint very expressive paintings inspired by time I spend in the natural landscape and travelling. My work is characterised by very vibrant colours, expressive brush marks and texture.”
— Cassandra Dove
As part of receiving the home.byholly Capital Arts Patrons Organisation Grant, Cassandra will soon embark on a five-day art camp with acclaimed Canberra artist and educator Lynne Flemons. This immersive experience will take her deep into the landscape to explore new techniques, new rhythms, and new ways of seeing.
For Cassandra, the opportunity is both creatively expansive and personally meaningful.
“We’re going to be going into the landscape and learning new techniques, which is going to provide me with a lot of new inspiration… and then have the opportunity to come back and continue painting into the evening, which I don’t usually get as a busy mum.”
The residency-style retreat offers something rare: uninterrupted time to move directly from inspiration to creation. No pause, no shift back into daily life, just openness, exploration and energy flowing straight onto the canvas.
“It’s going to be a really lovely experience, to go straight from the inspiration to the painting.”
We are incredibly proud to support Cassandra through the Capital Arts Patrons Organisation Grant and excited to watch this next chapter unfold. Her exhibition, Behind the View, is a beautiful testament to her talent, vision and dedication, and we cannot wait to see how this upcoming experience shapes the work that follows.