Brushes with Destiny

Can you tell us about your early experiences with art and what drew you to abstract expressionism specifically? 

As a child, I always felt a strong connection to art and knew I had an artistic voice inside me. The main catalyst for beginning in earnest was my strong yearning to paint in the lead-up to a brain tumour operation 11 years ago. The overwhelming emotional and physical experience of 'letting go' as an expressionist was such a powerful force. I began to understand myself at last and haven't stopped exploring ever since. 

How do you balance your roles as an artist and a studio director, and how does each role inform the other? 

I am quite an ambidextrous person, both physically and mentally. My former corporate life offers so much by way of left-brain functionality, so I really enjoy the business and people side of day-to-day gallery life. When the emotional urge to paint comes, I'm never far away from my studio here on our farm. I have endless materials at the ready and love the privilege of balancing farm, gallery, and art studio life! Being so happy and grateful feeds my artistic well. 

In your experience, how has the role of art in home staging and interior design evolved over the years? 

No longer is it adequate to simply declutter a home for sale. It's become quite an art form in itself to curate, zone and reimagine a property to specifically appeal to the desired target market. 

What advice would you give to homeowners or real estate agents about selecting and displaying art to enhance a property's appeal? 

I feel it's vitally important to consider seeking help from a stylist. Check their social media and go with an approach that has success stamped all over it - the good ones stand out! Be brave with the scale of artwork; go big! Make your home memorable, don't hold back with colour and texture, and consider the photographic aspect. Ask yourself, will this artwork command attention to start the inspections flowing? Definitely edit your own artwork, take down family photos and make sure the hanging height is correct. 

What emerging styles, subjects, or techniques in art do you think will gain prominence in the near future? 

We're seeing the re-emergence of rich neoclassical narratives and styles, and the appeal of landscapes and textured, tactile artworks has increased. 

What directions in the way art is created, exhibited, or consumed do you anticipate in the next decade? 

The NFT market came and went, although the lingering usage of the digital blockchain to record the provenance of artworks is a huge leap forward. Art fairs continue to grow in popularity and with good reason. People, in general, are so time-poor that they can take in so much variety in one sweep. Art has become so much more globally focused, and to that end, we at Studio Gallery will be participating in some international fairs in the next 12 months to grow our strong collector base even further. 

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