COLLEEN GUINEY
ARTIST AND HOTEL CO-OWNER, DRIFT HOUSE Colleen Guiney lives in the coastal Victorian town of Port Fairy with her partner John and their two sons. Turn to page 50 to see their home. What do you love about living in the country? Being by the coast; having the wide, open expanse of space. How would you describe your style? Very casual, laid-back and functional. I used to wear my Funkis clogs a lot in Melbourne but they feel too dressed up for Port Fairy, so I stick to my Ivylee flat sandals. What are your wardrobe essentials? Most days I’ll wear a Jac+ Jack three-quarter-sleeve T-shirt and Lee Mathews linen pants that are tracky style but smart, or my J Brand skinny jeans. I usually wear them with my pink Converse sneakers and I always have my Cultiver Frankie bag. I like to accessorise with bangles, my favourite necklace or a scarf. What do you pack when travelling? A pair of bathers, just in case, and scarves to smarten myself up… as well as Burt’s Bees lip balm, an eye mask, my Robert Gordon Carousel Cup and my yoga mat. Where do you love to shop? In Port Fairy I love Penny and Reiby where you can get beautiful linen tops and skirts, and Irish knitted jumpers. I also like Mason and Francis, and Pash Collection. In Melbourne I stay in Brighton at my mum’s, so I visit Church Street and shop at Rock [now Salt Clothing]. Do you have any favourite accessories? Always a scarf… On my wishlist is an Uimi cobalt Imogen scarf in merino wool. My best friend from primary school gave me a vintage French miniature film reel on a string — I wear this most days as I think, or hope, it dresses up my very casual look. Do you have a favourite outfit for exhibition openings? John gave me a J Brand fitted denim jacket which I think is timeless. I last wore it to an opening with a Nancybird loose-style patterned skirt and my flat Ivylee sandals. What are your go-to hair and beauty essentials? Washing my hair with filtered rain water. Port Fairy water is bore water and makes my fine hair go crazy! I also love the ASPAR products we have in the Drift House suites and use them religiously. What are you reading/listening to? I love listening to Maria Stoljar’s podcast Talking with Painters when I’m driving to Melbourne. I’m also reading Port Fairy writer Jock Serong’s book Preservation. What inspires you? Since moving to Port Fairy my artwork has become a bit ethereal, which is apparent in my latest abstracted landscapes… I feel painting hugely inspires me. I often fall in love with a piece I’m working on and just want to create more like it! > Follow @colleenguiney on Instagram.