Our Team’s Must-See Artworks at the Melbourne Fair
From bold statements to quiet beauties, discover the artworks our team can’t stop thinking about ahead of Affordable Art Fair Melbourne 2026.
Paige Spurrell
Tuesday 11 August, 2026
One of the best parts of putting together Affordable Art Fair Melbourne is discovering the incredible artworks that stop us in our tracks. With 70+ galleries and thousands of original artworks arriving at the Royal Exhibition Building this 27-30 August, choosing where to start can be a challenge.
So, I asked the team to do the impossible: pick the one artwork they’d most love to take home. From bold contemporary statements and richly textured paintings to playful characters, striking photography and atmospheric landscapes, their selections offer only a glimpse into what awaits at the Fair.
Whether you’re searching for your next art purchase, looking for inspiration, or simply curious to see what caught our eye, consider this your unofficial guide to some of the hidden gems waiting to be discovered.
Georgia Huestis – Fair Director
Georgia brings a sharp, contemporary eye to the team with years in the art world behind her. Georgia’s first pick is Brunswick Street Gallery’s Jessie Hartwig Boutkan, ‘Old Red and Me’. Jessie is an emerging figurative artist living and working on Saltwater people’s Country in Margaret River. Her work draws inspiration from the quiet beauty of the Australian landscape and the people who inhabit it, playing with composition and scale to bring her contemporary paintings to life.
“Jessie’s work draws you right in. What seems like simplistic figures is actually painting layered with meaning and feels reflective of a deep connection to the earth”.
Georgia’s second pick is Good Work Gallery’s Claire Mooney. Claire creates geometric patterns and colours through paint and textile artworks. She uses collage as a starting point, layering paint and thread through colours and repetitive brushstrokes to create complex, abstract artworks.
“Claire’s work is new to our fair this year, and I am so excited to see her intricate, detailed abstracts up close”.
Nikki Berriman – Fair Manager
Nikki has a wealth of experience working with galleries and artists, which have helped her to curate her own art collection. She has chosen ‘Summer Garden Sniffer’ by James Price, founder of Bandit. An unapologetically skilled storyteller, James work captures the humour, humanity and emotion of everyday life.
“James Price’s work never fails to make me smile. This work reminds me of summer days with the family and my pup”.
Her second pick is ‘Saharan Breeze’ by Harriet Pratten. Exhibiting with Beyond Forms and new to Affordable Art Fair, Harriet is an activist, photographer and creative director based in Sydney. Harriet works internationally to explore themes of identity, belonging, and the connections between culture and place. Through her lens, she creates thoughtful works that invite reflection on the stories and experiences that shape us.
“Something about this photograph feels both striking and beautiful – I want to be transported to the moment it was captured”.
Joanne Barby – Gallery Relations Manager
Jo is our Gallery Relations Manager, with both experience across galleries and as our resident team artist! Jo’s pick is You Yangs Light by Steve Salo, exhibiting with in-land.
Steve Salo is an Australian contemporary artist known for his expressive landscapes. Drawing on a lifelong connection to creativity, craft and storytelling, Steve’s work is shaped by his early artistic beginnings and the influence that his family and local environment has had on his life.
“Steve Salo’s confident brushwork and gentle approach to capturing the landscape make him an exciting new artist to our fair this year”.
Anna Coyne – Marketing Manager
Anna may be new to the world of art, but she brings a wealth of marketing knowledge and leads with creativity and efficiency.
Anna’s pick is ‘A Fine Gentleman’, a whimsical duck artwork by emerging artist Sarah John from Aspire Gallery.
Sarah’s work brings blends semi-realism with playful touches, creating pieces that balance expressive brushwork with thoughtful detail. Through calming tones, light and contrast, her acrylic and oil works capture moments of whimsy and simple joys found in everyday life.
“I love the whimsy of this piece. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and feels like a reminder that not everything in life needs to be so serious either. Sometimes the artworks that make us smile are the ones we want to live with most.”
Paige Spurrell – Marketing Coordinator
I can’t help but feel called to Heidi Lai’s expressive painting ‘The Expectant’. Exhibiting with LOAM Gallery, Heidi draws inspiration from her upbringing in Hong Kong, capturing the quiet moments and interactions between people and their surroundings.
Heidi’s artworks always draw me into her world so beautifully, and I feel like I can connect this painting to so many memories, travels and moments in my life.
My second pick is ‘Nguru Yurntumu-wana (Country around Yuendumu)’ by Josalyn Pula Sandover. Warlukurlangu is one of the longest running Aboriginal Art Centres in Australia, showcasing vibrantly coloured artworks that celebrate a deep connection to Country. I have had the opportunity to purchase a few pieces from them at our fairs, and I always get excited to see what work they bring next!
Sam Chong – Fair Coordinator
Sam is our Fair Coordinator, a true multi-tasker who wears many hats with a calm and relaxed approach.
Her pick is this vibrant beach painting, ‘Blue Umbrella’ by Mia Oatley, who will be showing with REBIRTH Arts Collective.
A Sydney-based artist with over 20 years of professional practice, Mia’s work has been exhibited across Australia and internationally and selected for prestigious awards including the Archibald Prize.
“This work takes me back to summer moments, spent with friends and my husband relaxing in the sun.”
Ron Liao – Graphic Designer
Our newest team member, Ron, is our graphic designer who keeps our ship sailing behind the scenes. His pick is Cookies by Cameron Forsyth, showing with Mynt Gallery.
With a background in sound engineering, photography and music production, Cameron brings a unique multidisciplinary perspective to his art, capturing the fun, unexpected and imaginative elements of life.
“Forsyth’s Cookies has a certain playfulness and nonsensical feel that resonates with me as a person. Additionally, as someone whose job works across both physical and digital mediums, it’s a work that I feel can embody.”
Ping Tan – Operations Manager
Ping pieces together all the intricate details that brings our fairs to life as our Ops Manager. Ping has chosen this expressive, abstracted landscape by Rebecca Trinca from Gallery Swan.
Rebecca’s lyrical, semi-abstract works explore places and spaces through vibrant marks, colour and contrasting textures.
“I am drawn to the sense of calm and serenity that this artwork evokes.”
Emily Short – Melbourne Intern
Emily is our Melbourne Intern, bringing experience in galleries and arts events as she immerses herself in the Affordable Art Fair world. Her pick is a work by Plume Gallery’s Thom Kadera, whose coastal paintings capture the energy, stories and unique perspectives found in iconic surf locations. A renowned Surf Coast artist, Thom’s love for the relaxed beach lifestyle shines through his vibrant depictions of crowded summer days and coastal moments. Inspired by his life in Torquay and Jan Juc, his work celebrates the beauty, connection and character of Australia’s coastline.
Feeling inspired to find your own perfect piece of art for your walls? Join us at Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, 27–30 August, and immerse yourself in an inspiring collection of artworks designed to suit every taste and budget. Discover new artists, find a piece you love, and start your own art collection. Grab your tickets now!
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