Carte Postale en Pastel
Pastel Postcards from France

As Canberra turns to gold in autumn 2026, award-winning multidisciplinary artist Melissa Hammond will present her first solo exhibition, Carte Postale en Pastel — an intimate series of A5 oil pastels inspired by her time in France.

In this collection, viewers will be invited to step closer and explore each artwork like reading a personal postcard or peering through a tiny window of a polaroid opening a portal into France — revealing moments both everyday and extraordinary.

Within each of the miniature artworks, light and memory blend together with creamy, buttery oil pastels, offering both a personal visual diary and a universal invitation: to see, to feel, and discover the timeless beauty and captivating charm of France.

Celebrating Melissa’s enduring connection to France, this exhibition captures moments from her recent travels to the Chateau d’Orquevaux artist residency and Studio Escalier art school in Paris, made possible through the Match Lab grant via Creative Australia, the ACT Government, and her generous donors and supporters.

The exhibition will be on show at the Gallery of Small Things from the 26th of March to the 6th of April. The gallery is open from 11am to 5pm, Thursdays to Mondays or by appointment.