Emilya Colliver created online art gallery Art Pharmacy three years ago out of a passion to make affordable art accessible to everyone while supporting Australian artists.

Since its inception she has run pop-up exhibitions around Sydney, delved into art consulting, raised two young children and this year will run the inaugural Sydney edition of The Other Art Fair. We chat to Colliver about why she keeps her work uniform simple and classic.

Broadsheet: How would you describe your style?

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Emilya Colliver: I mostly opt for smart casual, because I work from home as well as an office. Thankfully in the arts, you don’t have to be very formal! I wear jeans with flats a lot. I usually go for a base colour, black or grey, with a splash of colour somewhere in the outfit – maybe a bright lipstick or sweater. I see people who wear a lot of colour and think, “Oh, I wish I could do that”. But you need to stick to what you’re comfortable in.

BS: What are the “uniform” items you keep going back to?

EC: Jeans, my brown ankle boots and my black overalls – you can dress them up and get away with it. In terms of make-up, I love Bobby Brown, I used their make up for my wedding and have loved it since. I recently had my hair cut at Project One Hair, it specialises in cutting curly hair.

BS: Where do you shop?

EC: I really love supporting Australian designers. I go to Neuw in Darlinghurst, I love its denim. I also like Incu and Saba. I shop at vintage shops as well. This dress was a Vivienne Westwood I found in a vintage clothes shop. I like classic pieces you can hold on to for a long time, rather than following trends.

BS: You’ve had such an interesting career – do you have any tips?

EC: Work with people you love, I think that’s my greatest piece of advice. The thing about running your own business is that you can’t stop. If you go away you still need to be online, checking in. I’ve met some great people, which has been amazing. But it’s hard work – you have to be willing to work hard and trust your gut.

artpharmacy.com.au
sydney.theotherartfair.com