Solstice

Following a strong training in figurative art at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Lesley Dumbrell began teaching there where, in 1966, she met the American colour-field painter, James Doolin. Through Doolin she was introduced to the new medium of acrylic paint.

During this period, Dumbrell also began her investigations into the international Op Art movement of the 1960s, saying: ‘Every artist starts by following the work of artists they admire. For me it was the discovery of Optical Art, particularly the work of Bridget Riley and Jesús Rafael Soto. Optical Art is a way of exploring visual perception, for me it was like discovering a new language. Optical Art was a style that resonated deeply with me, and it was the starting point for my studio practice and my career as an artist.’

In ‘Solstice’, painted in 1974, Dumbrell has incorporated the retinal effects of Op Art – the dazzle and afterimages produced by geometric pattern and contrasting colour. Vertical blue lines overlaid with a repeated pattern of orange, pink and green triangles laid out with mathematical precision, combine to give an impression of movement and produce a hypnotic effect, a near-moiré dazzle.