Familiars
Tali Steer
11–26 JULY
A Witch’s Familiar is said to be a magical companion, assistant, spiritual guardian, or messenger in animal form. During the bushfire haze of midsummer 2026, Tali Steer began creating studies of wild and domestic animals around her home in the Australian bush. Through repeated encounters, shared spaces, and strange synchronicities noticed by Steer and friends camping around her home, these creatures revealed themselves as familiar presences — intuitive companions carrying a sense of omen, protection, and the feeling of watching over one another.
These studies later evolved into symbolic, dreamlike paintings where animal forms dissolve into layered landscapes of smoke, symbolism, and intuition. Blending figuration with abstraction, the works explore the quiet exchange between animals, humans, and the environments they inhabit together.
Join us on Saturday 11 July to celebrate the opening of Familiars (6–8PM).
Tali Steer is an emerging artist based in Victoria’s Alpine region. Her self-directed and experimental practice is rooted in an intuitive approach to art-making.
Drawing inspiration from transcendental art, meditative visions, the Australian bush and folk symbology, her work merges abstraction with a sense of familiarity.
Tali's process involves layering paint to create dynamic compositions. Some areas are delicately underworked with translucent oil washes, revealing subtle details beneath, while others are built up with heavy textures that lend a sculptural quality. Through her exploration of colour as form, she uses sometimes unexpected, dissonant combinations to evoke a complex emotional response, balancing tranquility with a sense of unease.