The Lost Ones Gallery will this week open the Buy Art: Buy Local exhibition to encourage members of the public to consider the possibility of buying individual, original artworks for their walls.

The 11 artists cover a broad range of artistic genres from acrylic to photography, weaving to sculpture and more traditional painting and drawings.

The focus of the exhibition is pieces that can be bought, gifted or collected.

“We’re putting a focus on the importance of financial reward for the production of local artwork, and giving the Ballarat community an opportunity to experience, invest and share in the energies and efforts of our local creatives,” said gallery owner Tara Poole.

Artist Debbie Weston is part of the Evolve Ballarat group, working from her studio that was previously a vacant shop.

“Because of that space I was able to say yes to the offer of 110kg of wool from landfill,” the spinner and weaver said. “Two months later and I’m lucky to have got through about 20kg of it, but the more I get rid of the more I can save.”

Her works feature recycled materials often woven in to large rugs. One of her works is a rug made of reused baling twine and denim.

“This is a great support. We’ve got markets we can sell at but as an artist and a contemporary type person I don’t want to go to a market, I want to go somewhere that represents me and my worth as an artist,” she said.

Fellow exhibitor Kate Wise, who has a number of acrylic artworks on canvas in the exhibition, said she had bought “a bit of everything” to see what people like to buy.

“I’ve got a range of different things … which is a great opportunity to see if people like my ideas. I just love the process of painting and the opportunity to sell paintings is a bonus.

“I get in to the flow of working and painting is like my therapy, my relaxation. What I’m trying to do is create something beautiful and easy to look at. And it never ceases to amaze me what people see in my paintings.

Photographer Jon Paley’s pictures represent a darker side of nature.

“I”m originally from the north of England and my photos are more of a social documentary-type, the darker, melancholy landscapes. I’m looking for beauty in the darker side of nature.”

Other artists involved include: Kim Anderson, Tiffany Titshall, Deborah Klein, Tas Wansborough, Pauline O’Shannessy-Dowling, Alec Robinson, Claire Blake and Lisa Anderson. Buy Art: Buy Local opens on Wednesday.

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