Hannah Nowlan is on the precipice of a new era in her career. The Melbourne artist has built a reputation for her abstract landscapes, but over the last two years, she’s taken an ‘unintentional sabbatical’ to transform a steel barn in Red Hill into a brand-new gallery, now called Lander—Se.

This mammoth project involved an equally major renovation, helmed by Hannah and her partner Tim. The couple lived onsite in a swag most weekends — with only an outhouse and camping shower at their disposal — to bring Hannah’s vision to life.

Together, they painstakingly plastered the soaring walls beneath the barn’s five-metre-high pitched roof; built a bathroom and a bedroom; and double-glazed the glass doors that perfectly frame views of the surrounding landscape.

‘We’re honoured to be the caretakers of this rural site and we’ve dedicated our space to artists exploring landscape-based themes, broadening awareness of our beautiful Australian environment,’ Hannah explains.

And in a bit of a full circle moment, she says The Design Files had a small hand in inspiring this next chapter.

‘In 2019, I had a solo exhibition with The Design Files. I remember asking Lucy Feagins for some advice after the show and she said: “Think about where you want to be in five years, and start saying yes to projects that lead you there.”’

Hannah recalls, ‘In this moment, I decided I wanted to create an artist-run gallery to support my own practice, but also to support other emerging artists.’

Inspired to ‘diversify’ her career, Hannah designed the gallery space with a multifunctional floor plan. Equipped with a kitchen and bathroom, Lander—Se can host events, exhibition openings and creative workshops, while the mezzanine provides space for a stockroom, art supplies storage, and a bedroom that can be used for photoshoots and a future artist-in-residence program.

‘Now that Lander—Se is open, I’m juggling being an artist, stylist and gallery owner/curator. It’s a full brief, but I’m loving it,’ Hannah says. ‘After working mostly on my own for the past eight years, I’m loving the variety, networking and the connections I’m creating.’

The space officially opened in April 2024 with a new exhibition of Hannah’s own works inspired by the raw slate and materials unearthed during the site’s renovation.

More than 200 visitors attended the opening weekend, empowering Hannah with a newfound sense of freedom, which she’s already started carrying into her ethereal painting practice.

‘It’s actually been quite freeing being able to exhibit my first self- presented body of work, on my own terms, in a space that feels as much like a work of art as the paintings I’m hanging on the walls.’

See Lander—Se’s latest exhibition SCAPE on show until November 5.

This story originally appeared in Issue 01 of The Design Files Magazine.