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!

Simply striking! The art work displayed in this small gallery is absolutely beautiful and far more…read moreoriginal than I have ever seen before. Each piece had a story and spoke for itself. I stood in front of a majestic oil painting of Japanese carp swimming in a pool of black water, looking at the strokes of the paint thinking this is incredible. The depths and highlighted colours of orange of the carp were very eye catching. Each piece of art work is displayed with importance. Soft ,spot lights rain down from above the painting. Each painting is displayed very well and of course there is a hefty price with each item. But then again...who can put a price on an individual piece of art. A number of sculptures are featured also. They also are very original and have been painstakingly made. I only wish there was more to see. I am looking forward to their evenings of special events. Book me in for the champagne, caviar and meeting the artist! My favourite word for the night will be "Charge it!" (who takes a cheque book these days! ha)

Funded by the local Council, Mosman is fortunate to have a gallery of its own. An annual highlight…read moreof the Gallery's exhibition schedule is the Mosman Art Prize, the country's oldest municipal art prize and its second highest in value. Open to Australian artists, former winners include famous professionals as well as more obscure contributors. Viewing the finalist entries is an experience - ideally, arrange to be there for a tour as there is no prescription for the works and getting a grip on the variety of paintings selected is difficult. This exhibition is held in September each year. Throughout the rest of the year, the gallery hosts different painters, photographers and artists, including professional talks and guided volunteer tours. It is free to enter, and always worth dropping in. Being a small venue, it is a good introduction for children to the experience of visiting a gallery. The gallery space is also open for rent as an event venue.

If you heart Bondi - you will LOVE Aquabumps!!!…read more This wonderful gallery features photos taken on Bondi Beach - and let me tell you - they're amazing photos. From aerial shots to in the surf, photographer Eugene Tan reminds us that every-time you visit Bondi you will see something new and special Whats also great about Aquabumps is their Facebook page and daily updates. This is my "go to" online space when I'm feeling homesick. In fact i discovered the special images whilst holidaying in Paris. Tourists - this is a great place to buy a special art piece for a friend back home. Locals, this is a wonderful tribute to our iconic beach. A must visit if you like fun, sun, colour, photography, art, beauty and something unique...

Aquabumps is one of those Sydney things that makes me smile. It captures exactly what Sydney is…read moreabout - beach culture, creativity and fun. Aquabumps, created by photographer and surfer Eugene Tan, started as a daily email sent to subscribers which captured images of mostly Bondi beach. As subscribers grew (40,000 or so at last check) so did the potential to grow Aquabumps. The Aquabumps gallery is a showcase of the most beautiful beach photography, mostly local but some international. Quintessential Bondi surf, surfers, sand and beachgoers are all beautifully captured and sold as art as the gallery. The small gallery doesn't do justice to the cult following Aquabumps has but the crowd inside on a Saturday or Sunday does. I picked up a stunning, simply framed picture of a 'Bondi Silk Wave' which I gave to a friend visiting from the US. Safe to say she loved it and it sure beats handing over Koala and a Wallaby's jersey!

This gallery is so well run by a very professional owner. The building itself is charming. The…read moreopening nights are fun and well catered. A variety of interesting artists exhibit at this space. The works are well publicised. I had an exhibition there are few years ago and it was a great experience.