Christopher Lees’ ethereal landscapes transcend the boundaries of reality, not merely because they are works of fiction. His ability to capture both the essence and diverse facets of Australia’s natural composition makes the regional Victorian artist’s work eerily otherworldly.

Lees’ masterful depictions of plunging cliff faces, mossy islands, and littered mountainsides morphing into gigantic iridescent animals captivate the viewer with the skill of a seasoned illusionist. His paintings are both surprising and convincing, with monolithic amalgamations of flora and fauna merging so seamlessly that they appear to be a recounting of fact rather than fiction.

It has been said that “Lees captures the sacred essence of natural forms with a fluidity and mastery of technique.” Indeed, Lee draws inspiration from his daily interactions with the natural landscape. His process is uncomplicated, almost “old-school,” beginning with a sketch to establish composition and then moving onto canvas for painting—a simple process that belies the complexity of the resulting work: landscapes that are distillations of both the ancient and supernatural.

Quite the enigma, Lee manages to transform the rugged into something beautiful. As Lees explains: “Although I have travelled to many places in Australia, the paintings don’t depict a specific place…The Australian landscape is an enigma of nature’s imagination. I try to illustrate this concept in my paintings. In my canvasses, there are no picturesque European gardens or manicured lawns, but gnarly, craggy, primeval escarpments that plummet into the abyss. The landforms are not easily accessible, viewed only by floating on the deep black liquid with no floor, or birdlike, hovering over this strange land in a dreamlike trance. There are no sounds, no winds or signs of life, but fragments of familiar motifs such as boulders, trees and occasionally fence lines that suggest enigmatic past habitations. I try to represent the Australian bush with emotions that can’t be written down. I want the viewer to feel alone, at peace, and privileged to behold this surreal landscape.”

Lees is an accomplished artist who has held numerous sell-out shows over twenty years. He has been represented in galleries in Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Demand for his work is now driven by overseas and local collectors. Lees’ work is currently represented in numerous significant private and corporate collections in Australia, Asia, the U.S.A., Europe, and the U.K.