I'm probably taking things a little too far if I call myself a patron of the arts, but I've just purchased my fourth painting. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading $ 0 / $ NaN /year All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue She's beautiful, my Hana, from Tracy Page, an artist based in rural Victoria .
Hana just popped up in my Instagram feed and I fell in love with her, all pink and blue. Page's portfolio is full of colour. She paints on her farm outside Bendigo, abstract shapes, florals and, of late, a run of fascinating painted ladies, Hana, but Lola and Cookie, Toto, Christabelle and Jane.
I like to think I've given Hana a good home. Hana and Jane, by Tracy Page. Picture Instagram My first paintings came from a far North Coast artist, Michelle Phillips.
We were on a holiday at a resort in Kingscliff and her art was on the wall. We discovered she literally lived around the corner so we went to visit her studio and came away with our first commissioned pieces. Her style is very contemporary.
Seascapes in tones of muted blues and tans. My favourite is a long horizontal beachscape, deep purples and blues. It's over my bed and I like to wake up and pretend it's my view.
Close to the ocean, where I could reach out and dip my toes. It's moody, and I can be sometimes, too. It reminds me that even in the darkest days, there is always a calmness.
I love it. It's the way another recent purchase makes me feel. I've known local artist Jenny Blake for ages.
We must have been teenagers when we first met. It's a little canvas that sits near my front door. A snapshot of Lake George.
Blake once painted a portrait of former work bestie Bree Element for the Archibald Prize. While I love you Breezie, I love this little landscape more. I bought this piece during lockdown.
The pandemic made me think about how important it was to support local makers. Whether they were growing vegetables or producing honey or offering ready-made meals direct from behind the closed doors of their restaurants and cafes. People making stuff to make a living needed our help.
Artists, too, were hit hard. So I did what I could. I bought vases and platters made by local ceramicists, I bought handmade clothes from small businesses where the sewing happened in their back rooms.
A while back I did an introductory ceramics class at the Canberra Pottery Centre and it gave me a whole new insight into how talented these artists are. If I'm buying homewares now, it's from markets and small makers. I don't need more salad bowls but if it helps put dinner on someone else's table, I'm here for it.
We forget in this day of mass-produced goods, every little bit helps. I do a lot of gift shopping at the Handmade Markets and I duck into Trove at the Dickson shops every chance I get to see what's new on the shelves from local makers and producers. One Christmas, everyone got hand-blown glass baubles.
Best presents I ever gave out. Do I need another tea towel from Bursaria Workshop, based out near Braidwood? No. But I do.
And how handy are her snap flex glasses cases. And those wombats, so cute. Bursaria fabrics are my kryptonite.
Indeed, do I need anything new? Not really. I have to check myself occasionally and stop before I hit the checkout button. My home is close to complete.
I need to fill it with other things. Not stuff. But the way I sometimes justify it is if I know the person who made it, or get to know them, know their story, then that's so much more doable.
Keep it local. Keep it handmade. Keep it for yourself.
I know it brings me joy, and there have been plenty of studies to suggest that the viewing of art is good for our mental and physical health. When we see works we enjoy, or challenge us, our brain releases dopamine and endorphins that boost our mood. Art can also trigger feelings of appreciation and nostalgia and other positive emotions.
Who doesn't want that? Who hasn't spent hours just wandering through a museum or gallery? It's time never wasted. Even if you can't understand it, it makes you think about the world in a completely different way. And in this current state of the world, that's not a bad thing, either.
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