Ballarat has a growing community of artists but this ceramicist would like to see more independent galleries.
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Ruby Pilven thinks one of the great things about Ballarat is the connection between businesses.
"Even if you aren't in the arts per se, all those small businesses communicate," she said.
"There is local and small business support."
In September, Ms Pilven opened her new permanent gallery space in Ross Creek.
It means she is able to get more of her work out to the public.
"It is fantastic, as soon as I unload a kiln I can just bring the work out here and put it on display," Ms Pilven said.
"Whereas before I would need to clear out everything ... if I wanted to have people [come in]."
It also means Ms Pilven is able to show other artists work in some of her gallery-like spaces.
"I always wanted to have the hanging rails, and we have Mum's paintings, but we can show other people's [work here]," she said.
"There are not that many places in Ballarat - we have the Art Gallery which is fantastic ... but then there's not many other places."
A social push for a growing art scene
Ms Pilven said social media had helped to make the Ballarat art community more visible.
"It's become more noticeable," she said.
"The people that have always been a part of the arts community like our parents' age, they're still there.
"They are still making artworks and having exhibitions, which is great, it's just that more people know about things."
Finding the right niche
Ms Pilven comes from a family of artists but she originally thought she wanted to study German and law.
"It was only until I had my art teacher in Year 10, Jimmy Pasakos, who now works at Federation University, said to me you should do Studio Art," she said.
"So I did and I loved it."
Ms Pilven had always created work at home, painting and ceramics.
"I just really got involved when I did the VCE three and four units," she said.
"I wasn't planning on doing a visual arts course, it just sort of happened.
"I was like 'well you only live once', I can always change if it doesn't work or do something else."
Ms Pilven went on to work in a gallery and pursue her masters, but she realised she found the most joy when she was creating art.
She realised she "just needed to change her life".
So Ms Pilven quit her masters program and her job, broke up with her boyfriend, left Melbourne and moved back to the region.
"I did my ceramics full-time, because that's what I desperately wanted to do," she said.
"I'm glad I did that, because I don't know if I would ever make that step."
Falling into the perfect path
Working with her dad and an art technician made Ms Pilven realise exactly what she wanted to do.
"I [realised] I actually preferred making my own work and teaching people," she said.
"I thought I'm going to do teaching and then the perfect job came up" - teaching ceramics at Ballarat Grammar.
"It was like it was all meant to be, like a fairy tale."