Half of it's a bookshop and the other half is an art supply shop, then the third and final half of…read morethe shop is a studio and educational institution. It's one and a half shops really. With a wide selection of all the latest 'got to have' books from hot authors and less attractive ones, the right side of Art on King is dedicated to books on any subject, not just the artistic. Then, if you turn your body to the left in a kind of left turning movement, you'll see, if you haven't already, all of the art supplies. Paints, chalk, rulers, paper, cardboard, models, clay, plastercine, pencils, anatomical figurines and much more, all at reasonable prices and in great supply. I was surprised how cheap the acrylic paint is there, seeing as it can cost a pretty penny elsewhere. The store also holds art classes and acts as a studio in the upstairs area. Home to various lessons in life drawing, specialised arts and the like. The go to place in Newtown for art, books and art based education.

I wish I could paint, unfortunately my artistic abilities tend not to lean in that direction, I am…read morebetter with words than I am with brushes, so rarely would my have any need to enter an art supplies shop, however Art on King shares its space with adjoining shop Modern Times, so while I was there I decided to have a wander. Art on King have all your Art and stationary needs from paints, brushes, pens (what an artist would expect). They also have an extensive range of beautiful large sheets of paper, from delicate embossed papers to Nepalese paper. Also as I am seeing more often, they have a unique range of wrapping paper which would be much better suited as a wall hanging than wrapped around a box, particular note should be made of the human skeletal diagram paper and mushroom paper.

My nephew really enjoys these classes. He loves the teacher, class size, and variety of projects.read more

Studio Cee is the place to find a unique piece of art work in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. My…read morehusband and I discovered this lovely studio a week ago. We came in the shop attracted by the wonderful items shown in the window and the rest of the shop was amazing! We felt like we were at a small museum, every piece of art work tells a story. Sue, the owner of the studio is a very lovely lady and also a great artist. She is really helpful and very knowledgeable. The ideas she provided helped us to find the right painting for our apartment. I don't usually make comments on the Internet about the shops I visited, but I really think this one worth it. Thank you Sue!

Three levels of contemporary art. More museum than gallery and admission price, free! During my…read morevisit, a focus on Asian artists. Some political and satirical work. Li Wei's work, I've seen the same piece, but it's definitely more relevant during our current state of affairs. Just exchange Obama for the current presiding leader.

White Rabbit Gallery, located in the Chippendale, is a multi-level art gallery showcasing…read morecontemporary Chinese art. There is also a gift shop telling unique items and a teahouse on the main floor. Admission is free and they have free daily tours which may highlight several artworks and the artists behind them. We had stumbled upon White Rabbit Gallery while trying to find things to do in Sydney. We stopped by White Rabbit Gallery on a Sat morning. We ended up doing the free tour (about 30 min long) once we arrived as staff had mentioned this to us when we arrived. Staff explained to us the gallery and the types of artwork that they had on display, noting that the exhibits change every few months. She took us around several artworks and told us about the story behind the works and the artists, which was pretty interesting. The art itself was pretty cool - quite unique. Each artist we saw had a statement and a story behind why they decided to create such works. We definitely enjoyed our time at White Rabbit Gallery and would highly recommend if it you are in Sydney!

Traffic Jam Galleries is an art gallery featuring contemporary pieces from artists across the…read moreworld. As you enter you are submerged in colour - colour collected in all manner of styles to create works of art that cater for a broad range of tastes. I did go at a time when they were showing Rebecca Pierce's work in The Colour Exhibition - a collection of flowers and colourful abstract landscapes. Upon entering you are swiftly asked if you'd like a beverage to enjoy your art browsing. There are seats scattered around the gallery so that you can sit and appreciate each piece for as long as you desire. You can buy pieces and what I love is the galleries policy on allowing you to take works home for the evening to see if they 'fit' in your home. Aptly named the gallery is on the corner of a Military Road u turn point so it's a bit of dodge the traffic hop skip and jump to the island-like building.

Head north of the Bridge, and the abundance of galleries around Surry Hills, Paddington,…read moreChippendale and Rozelle, quickly turns into a dearth. One of the few galleries around is Traffic Jam Galleries. About each month they have a new show, usually for 2 artists at the same time, often 1 painter and 1 sculptor. I often head to the openings, which you can get notified of by their newsletter, which are either on a Thursday evening or Saturday afternoon. I particularly loved the recent exhibit by Katherine Wood, a predominantly landscape painter originally from South Africa, and would have loved to buy one of her works, if I was more cashed up. Recommended!

Oh, but anachronistic doesn't even begin to cover this place, and I mean that in the most…read morelaudatory, and not pejorative, sense. A proper old school artists studio replete with wooden floorboards, strange anatomical plaster casts and a full size skeleton, paintings by former students and luminaries decorating the walls, and all kinds of easels and oils and quit, intense art students going about their biz-biz with bit lips and furrowed brows. And a nude model relaxing on the floor with a coat over her, awaiting the next live drawing session. #LEGIT

One of the oldest, most reputable (yet strangely unassuming) Art Schools in this nation. Offers…read moreeverything from full time art courses to weekly evening classes for beginners. It carries great prestige yet its doors are pretty much open to anyone. The reasonableness of the prices given the great history of this place is astounding!

Hankerin' to do some larnin'? The WEA centre no doubt has a course for you- there are so many on…read moreoffer that reading the programme always inspires me to a bit of an "if I had more time and money" kind of fantasy. Like, "Hmmm I've always wanted to study Ancient Mandarin calligraphy and how to speak in wing-dings, maybe I'll sign up for those next year". Sadly, the courses I have partaken in have been a bit more practical- a Responsible Service of Alcohol refresher, basic Word & Excel, and a car maintenance course that I couldn't finish as I was diagnosed with whooping cough after the first class. But for most courses they offer different levels so you can go onto advanced Ancient Mandarin Calligraphy next time the programme comes out. There are venues scattered all around Sydney but the centre of it all is right in the city.

I've had the opportunity to take a watercolor class here with Fiona and really enjoyed it! Prices…read morefor the courses are affordable and I found the instructor knowledgable and helpful. I enjoyed the way each session focused on a new skill set and that the instructor provided detailed handouts and instruction throughout the course.

Current exhibition: 26 May - 6 June 2016…read more Dance For you by 'Get To Work' 'Get To Work' collaborative work by Tracy Quan, Paris Taia & Georgia Taia exploring cultural identity, through amateur dance, body & performance by 3 girls who have Chinese, Solomon Islander, Cook Islands, Samoan & European heritage who have grown up in Australia. Filmed in the pristine Solomon Islands. All members graduated from Sydney College of Arts.

A really cool art space, uniquely laid out. It's a long, tall building, with a central skylight and…read morelight-well that opens the middle section up and lets sunlight descend right to the ground floor hallway. The separate rooms downstairs make it easy to stage little micro-shows off that main hall. The larger space upstairs lets you wander amongst the art in a more typical room-into-room arrangement. Near the entrance there's a shop with some great examples of Australian craftwork, and a cafe (Klink) open during the day. I was here for an Elite Event and it was really great for that.