Biography
For many years Canberra based artist, Lesley Andersen has run a successful screen printing partnership specialising in Canberra themed textiles. Her pieces are represented in gallery and retail shops in both the ACT and Victoria. To further expand her practice, Lesley studied at the Canberra Institute of Technology exploring other forms of printing, digital design, sculpture and painting. In 2019, Lesley created ‘Mirror Bus’ as part of the Orange Wolves festival in central Civic. Led by Lesley, a team of Visual Arts students transformed a decommissioned bus into a sparkling, light-catching and kinetic sculpture recycling 5000 discarded CDs in the process. The project highlighted the environmental impact on the endangered Bogong Moth attracting both media and public attention. Lesley’s next project was dictated by pressing environmental needs. She and a team of women designed and made pouches for wildlife orphaned by bushfires and created face masks for frontline health workers fighting COVID19.
Artist’s Statement
I came to art in a circular fashion, my creativity seemingly buried under life – making a living and raising a family. Finally I decided that it was time to make art my priority. My approach to art is methodical. I do a lot of research, making sketches and exploring the work of other artists. My ideas generate and evolve. I am careful and considered in my practice. I treat each work as if it were a final draft paying homage to the materials as if they were precious friends. For me, art is an external expression of what lives in me. It is about finding balance between that and my materials, the aesthetic. I love the clarity of minimalistic images, both in Graphic Design and my art practice. The line between the two is permeable. Each stroke, each line, each colour is as important as the other. Removing the ‘noise’ allows people to see things more clearly. My main interest is printing. I love the process and the different possibilities provided through repetition. There is nothing more satisfying than creating an image, setting it onto the screen and finally seeing my design come to life when the screen is lifted. I have a passion for learning and creating so I am continually developing ideas and exploring new processes. Standing still for me is stagnating.
Contact: lesley.andersen1159@gmail.com
Instagram: lesleyandersenart
Lime Flamingo Collective 