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

Redland Art Gallery is a great place to have a wander through on a lazy Sunday in Cleveland. If you…read morevisit the markets on a Sunday it's a must, as it's right on the corner of Bloomfield Street in the heart of the downtown. The gallery is modern and has a numbr of exhibtiion spaces. Sometimes the an exhibition is curated from the Redland City Council's own collection, but fsr more often than not an excellent travelling exhibition will find a home for a few weeks in this modern and well equipped little gallery. Check the website for details of upcoming exhibitions. Oh, and it's free. A word of caution, don't go on Saturday as there will be no-one there. Even the lovely volunteers deserve a day off.

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!

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

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.

In another lifetime I use to be a ceramic sculptor so I'm a huge supporter of Monte Lupo. This mob…read morehas been around for around twenty years - I remember when they had their shop had Garden City but then they expanded and moved out to Eight Mile Plains. Monte Lupo is an initiative of Multicap to assist people with a disability learn the skills to become professional artists. You need to check out their gallery because damn - their work is GOOD. If ever you're looking for an original tea set or a unique sculpture for your house, check out this place before going to the fancy galleries in town. Not that the galleries in town focus on ceramics anyway - the only other ceramic gallery in Brisbane Fusions was 'temporarily closed' the last time I checked in December. The ceramic pieces here are brightly coloured which may not be to everyone's taste. I personally prefer raku, celadon and the more Japanese inspired glazes. The artists do accept commissions though if you want a made-to-measure. Monte Lupo is one of those places that make me proud to live in Brisbane. NB Monte Lupo is usually open on Saturday mornings but they are closed on Saturdays for the next month. Call to confirm before making a visit on a weekend.

From the owner: Providing unique art, giftware and pottery with individual, commissioned, and corporate gifts.read more

I headed to Jan Murphy Gallery for a "drinks with the artist" evening on a Thursday night. The…read moregallery is open late on a Thursday and if they've got a new exhibition in, they sometimes host an evening similar to this. People are invited to come to the gallery between 5pm and 7pm and to enjoy the works over a drink and to have a chat to the artist. The laid back event was extremely accessible. I walked in and was greeted by a friendly staff member and the smiling faces of around 15 people. I was offered a drink (which I of course accepted) and walked around, taking in the wonderful artwork that surrounded me. The artwork was beautiful. The oil paintings were a mix of still life and landscapes and were exhibited with a great amount of skill. I chatted to the artist, the gallery manager and a couple of other people for the 45 minutes I was there. Having the chance to talk to the painter about his works gave the pieces much more dimension and I was impressed with his process. As I walked around, I brainstormed event ideas, as I know it can be used for private hire if the concept it right. The gallery itself is a beautiful space. It's small, but it's white walls and high ceilings gave me a feeling of being close to the art, something that is often lost in larger galleries.

It's not easy being an art gallery in Brisbane. We unfortunately don't seem to buy enough art…read morewhich is a real shame as there are some amazing local artists here. What that translates to is a fairly transient gallery scene. It takes a real gem to survive for any substantial amount of time - and one of those gems is Jan Murphy. Her gallery has been in it's Brunswick St location since the early / mid 90's and it has survived due to its clever exhibition mix of cutting edge, cool and classic. No matter what's on show there's always something beautiful, something kooky and something thought provoking - so essentially something for everyone.