After making waves with its Australian debut in Melbourne back in 2019, the Affordable Art Fair is finally returning in September!
Dedicated to shining a spotlight on emerging and established artists, the global event will bring together 40 galleries from across the country to break down the financial and social barriers of the conventional art world.
The four-day fair will take over the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre with stalls, interactive activities, and plenty of amazing artworks for sale, priced between $100 and $10,000.
With so much to see and do, we’ve compiled 12 of our favourite artists and their respective galleries from the fair’s line-up below!
Plus, scroll on to enter our giveaway to win VIP Four Day Passes to the Affordable Art Fair for you and a friend, along with an exclusive director’s introduction and a bottle of bubbles!
Portrait image above: Wiradjuri woman and artist Amanda Hinkelmann. Artwork:Waagan by Amanda Hinkelmann.
Photo – Benito Bartin.
Represented by Jumbled
Wiradjuri woman and artist Amanda Hinkelmann uses her art to tell stories of connection, Country and experience.
Her paintings feature soft and earthy colours in their intricate designs, inspired by her family and life spent on Wiradjuri Country – which is also where Amanda now raises her own four kids and creates her beautiful artworks.
Left: Earth Elements by Sarrita King. Right: Lightning by Sarrita King
Gurindji woman and artist Sarrita King.
Represented by Wentworth Galleries
Gurindji woman and artist Sarrita King lives in Darwin, Northern Territory, where she spent most of her youth. Today, the NT continues to inspire her works along with the stories her father, renowned influential indigenous artist, the late William King Jungala.
Sarrita has combines cultural practices with contemporary techniques to develop a new style of Indigenous art, capturing elements of Country in her pieces – from a crack of lightning to stories of Aboriginal culture!
Artwork by Berny Bacic.
Represented by Sibu Gallery
Leading graphic designer, art director and artist Berny Bacic uses a mix of painting, prints and textiles in her unique style of ‘design art’.
She’s been in the industry for more than 20 years and has her own brand design studio, Barrow, but her visual art practice has a distinct focus on geometric shapes and bright colours. We think they’d make the perfect addition to any contemporary art collection!
Cicada by Kate Nielsen.
My Mothers Orchids by Kate Nielsen.
Represented by Studio Gallery
Kate Nielsen is an award-winning Sydney based artist who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in Painting from the National Art School. She exploring what ‘place’ means through landscape and interior painting, capturing peaceful vignettes of everyday life.
Left: Finding Flinders by Kate Nielsen. Right: View From the Boat, Portsea by Kate Nielsen.
Represented by Wentworth Galleries
Emily Persson paints landscapes with an astonishing sense of realism. The multi-generational artist spent her childhood camping off-grid in regional Queensland and New South Wales.
She intuitively paints her detailed memories of the vast Australian country from her South Yarra studio but immerses herself in the natural world during regular cross-country journeys! She also expertly showcases the importance of conversing the environment through the beauty of her untouched landscapes.
Ceramics by Kristy Hussey.
Represented by Antoinette Ferwerda Gallery
Science and art come together in Melbourne ceramicist Kristy Hussey’s creations. Interested in the geology of clay bodies and the chemistry of her glazes, she experiments with her medium to break the traditional pottery rules with her vessels and sculptures.
This means that all the pieces that survive her ‘trials’ are enduring and one of a kind.
Artwork by Alice Oehr.
Artwork by Alice Oehr,
Represented by Young Talent VIC
If you’ve been reading TDF for a while, you already know we’re big fans of Alice Oehr. The Melbourne-based graphic designer and artist is known for her playful style that incorporates pattern, drawing and collage.
She participated in the fair back in 2019, and now she’s been selected to return as a previously featured artist. Think fun prints of food and happy, colourful still life imagery!
The Perec Of 4856 by Donina Asera.
The Vast Plains Of Tundra by Donina Asera.
Represented by Art to Art
Donina Asera is a Melbourne-based visual artist with a ‘minor obsession’ with the interaction of shapes and lines. Following in her grandfather’s footsteps who was a still-life and landscape artist, she uses many of his old paintbrushes and his easel, which he handmade in the 1960s.
Her current body of work focuses is equal parts surreal and playful, telling stories of imagined worlds and their quirky occupants!
Right: Photo – Courtesy of Wodonga Council. Right: Floral Bouquet 11 by Alison Percy.
Represented by Greenbridge Gallery
Alison Percy draws on concepts from traditional Japanese calligraphy for her fluid paintings of flowers, the land and nature. She describes her work as ‘clean but lyrical’, inspired by her previous career as an illustrator!
Since her first solo exhibition in 2015, Alison has been exploring vibrant and muted colours from her Albury studio.
The Lamp Post that isn’t Nocturnal (II) by Mitchell Cheesman.
The Lamp -Post That isn’t Nocturnal (I) (A Circus Act) by Mitchell Cheesman.
Represented by The Gallery Eumundi
Emerging artist Mitch Cheesman is a painter from the Sunshine Coast, who works from his garage studio.
Thick layers of paint characterise his abstract works, often hiding florals in the explosions of colour. Inspired by eclectic artists in history and his own musical heroes, the self-taught artist is one to watch!
Artworks by Carla Zammit.
Represented by M Artist Collective
If pastel colours and expressive abstract art is on your wish list, you’ll love Melbourne painter Carla Zammit’s beautiful paintings. She initially worked a floral designer and in the fashion industry for almost two decades.
Now, her works echo her knowledge of fresh flowers, fashion, photography and interior spaces!
Elevé, Échappé, Fouetté by Rowena Martinich.
Represented by Martinich & Carran
Rowena Martinich has made a name for herself with her dynamic artworks. You might recognise her distinctive aesthetic from a number of public art installations, murals or major brands like Nike and Mecca Cosmetica, who’ve commissioned her for her spectacular and luscious colour-scapes.
Vivid and spontaneous in her expert composition, Rowena’s works are worthy of being on any art-buyers wish list!
Buy tickets to The Affordable Art Fair Melbourne (on September 1 -4) here, or enter our giveaway for your chance to win VIP passes below!
Please note this competition is now closed. The winner was drawn and notified on Tuesday 16th August via email. See here for the T&Cs.
