The Manly Gallery is in the perfect spot in my opinion. If I don't have anything on of a Sunday…read moremorning, my favourite sequence of events is to grab a coffee from the Celtic Corner, wander through the Manly markets and admire the artwork on display in the Manly Gallery, looking out for new pieces on display. And all this practically on the same block, right on the harbour. The gallery has on show and for sale, artwork, paintings, sculpture and various other bits and pieces from local artists. Although there is a range of subjects, the overall feel of the gallery is local and water themed, making it a one of a kind in my opinion. Artists vary but include Christopher Pope, Pat Tolcher and my favourite, Karen Atkins.

I love small galleries which support and help nurture local talent. I realise it's not all…read morealtruistic, but there's a love for art emanating from small galleries and this one's no exception. Not too pretentious, Manly Gallery has some lovely works by local artists, some of whom have been creating fabulous littoral works in the Bayside for years. It's not all about the ocean, though; there are some lovely prortraits, sculpture and jewellery to check out too. This gallery has recently changed hands and I'm sure the enthusiasm to keep it relevant and vibrant is as strong as ever. Why not combine a weekend browse through the gallery with a visit to the Manly markets, brunch or fish and chips by the harbour?

This is a fabulous little tucked away place. Next to the Indooroopilly Laundromat in Hillsdon Road…read moreCentre, you probably wouldn't know it's there! It's a skinny little shop, but inside it's full of wonderful art, crafts and gift ideas! It's a gallery and studio for local artist Leesa Bradford and she sells her works and other artists works and jewellery. Lots of lovely and changing art pieces, good value too. And the jewellery is wonderful. If you are doing your laundry, popping in to the Corner Store of having a Coffee in the Courtyard around the back....stop in and have a browse. You may just find something you HAVE to have....like I did!

From the owner: I am an artist who paints and draws as the mood takes me.read more

OK I haven't been into the studio for a long time, but have bought some of Trevor's silver…read moreAustralian themed gift ware for friends overseas. I have been a fan of the paintings for years and aspire to attend one of the art classes in either acrylics, oils or watercolour at the Wynnum studio. There are also other artists at the studio who offer classes in drawing and pastels, drawing for kids and mosaics... one day.

I never realised Philip Bacon Galleries is one of the posh commercial galleries in Brisbane. I use…read moreto just wander through in my naive, student days because it was a modern air-conditioned building, it had gorgeous art work and the staff liked to talk about their collection a lot in clipped voices with lots of hand gestures. It was just as well I was so naive otherwise I would have been intimidated and then I would never have seen the paintings of Margaret Olley, Garry Shead and Arthur Boyd (Oh what would I give to own a Garry Shead painting!) If you're an art lover too, then this gallery is definitely worth checking out. Don't worry if you can't afford to buy anything. I've always visited commercial galleries as I would public galleries even though I have no intention of buying, but simply because art exists to be admired.

From the owner: Exhibiting many of the country's most celebrated established and contemporary artists.read more

Until recently I never know the Pine Rivers Art Gallery existed. It is located on Gympie Road in…read moreStrathpine across the road from the local library and although it is nowhere near as fancy as GOMA it is worth a visit. Inside, you will find a myriad of artistic creations from talented local artists. The Gallery hosts regular art workshops which are very inexpensive - in fact, most are free. They also run themed art classes for kids during the school holidays - we will be heading down tomorrow to check out the Crazy Animal Connections Workshop. The exhibits are changed regularly and there is always new artwork to discover at different times throughout the year. The current theme is Forever Young which runs until January 21 and includes exhibits about freedom, festivals, love, summer, youth culture, fashion, sunshine and nature. If you are looking for some free fun head down to the Pine Rivers Art Gallery for some imaginative entertainment - you might discover a hidden talent!

A few weeks ago I wanted a cruisey Sunday morning. My partner and I drove down towards Cleveland…read morePoint, as we have done several times, each time commenting on School House Gallery. We always said "We should stop there one day". This particular Sunday we finally did. The old school house has a historic ambience and couples nicely with displays from local artists. Tucked away to side of the road, surrounded by the native bush at the back. I loved it and it was the perfect lazy Sunday activity. We saw an exhibition by photographer Mike Scott and sculptor Gary Field. Other artists on display more regularly include painters Gail Higgins and Greg Hughes. The overall range of artists is fantastic in the space and I got a real sense of the local area and an Australian feel.