BELYNDA HENRY
ARTIST, 45 Belynda Henry lives on 16 hectares in Dooralong Valley on the NSW Central Coast with her husband Michael and their two daughters, Chloe and Milla. What do you love about living in the country? I have lived on acres my whole life and I am the type of person who doesn’t mind being alone. I love the seclusion and that feeling of isolation. As an artist I feel it’s very important to have a space with little distraction; I happen to be very lucky that this can happen once I step outside the studio, or my house. I also love that our two daughters can run free and feel completely safe to explore nature. How would you describe your style? Casual, classic and country. I may have been described as slightly conservative. What are your wardrobe essentials? I own a lot of clothes; I keep buying them and hanging them up for special occasions. I really just want to wear jeans, T-shirts, cardigans and boots. Oh, and I love a good hat. What’s your typical daytime outfit? I work alone in the studio so I wear the oldest jeans I own with a comfy old shirt and always a pair of Converse sneakers. The scruffier and more paint-splattered the clothes, the better for creativity. Where do you love to shop? I buy a lot of Saba, Seed and Country Road — I’ve shopped at Country Road consistently for more than 25 years. Also at my local David Jones store, which has so many great labels, or usually just online. Do you have any favourite accessories? Hats are my number-one accessory, then bangles. I am a big fan of Dinosaur Designs jewellery, as well as Georg Jensen and Tiffany & Co. I also love a good handbag. My latest is a Chloé handbag my husband bought me for my birthday; he’s also bought me some beautiful Louis Vuittons over the years. Do you have a favourite outfit for exhibition openings? I love a good blazer. My two favourites at the moment are an olive-green blazer from Camilla and Marc and a navy fine-pinstripe blazer from Saba — both have little gold buttons. I always plan to wear a skirt or a dress for an opening but at the last minute revert back to a pair of jeans with a pair of pointy closed-toe heels and a blazer! What are your go-to hair and beauty essentials? Jurlique collaborated with me a few years ago to paint a canvas based on a trip to their Adelaide farm. The image was used on their Rosewater Balancing Mist collectors’ edition. Since they introduced me to their products, I’m addicted. What are you reading/listening to? My favourite podcast is Talking with Painters by Maria Stoljar. My new favourite art book is A Painted Landscape by Amber Creswell Bell, which I have a chapter in. It’s a great book filled with my art heros, such as John Olsen and Elisabeth Cummings. What inspires you? Inspiration is a constant flow of images that appear on Instagram, or visiting galleries and exhibitions, and indulging in art books… It’s a wonderful feeling to be truly and honestly living the artist’s dream, although it’s taken more than 20 years of constant dedication to reach this point in my career. Inspiration comes from my surroundings and the people who are in my life. I’m feeling the most inspired I can ever remember. Follow @belynda_henry on Instagram.