Some of the most exciting work thatTim Maguire has been doing recently has been in the medium of digital pigment prints. It is important to understand that these are original artworks that are created using a combination of hand painting and computer technology - they are not photographic reproductions.

Maguire has been introducing new subject matter into these pieces. Images of snow, mountains and water have been abstracted and then reassembled into a new vision by the artist. Artloft has a selection of these works for sale - including the stunning 'Love of Plants' set.

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Brett Whiteley has always been an artist whose works attract controversy. I have recently had two Whiteley works offered for sale from a private client - they can be seen on the website. What struck me with both of these pieces is the way that Whiteley allows for the art to speak for itself. They are very delicate pieces. In 'The Waves' Whitely counterpoints his brilliant drawing skills with a grace that stays true to the subject. These works are good reminder that much of Brett Whiteley's best art has a lyrical quality that is at odds with the more cliched aspects of his reputation.

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The prints of Charles Blackman - along with those of Michael Leunig and David Boyd - are often amongst the first works that kick of an Australian art collection. Blackman has been a very prolific artist over his lifetime - and so it pays to become acquainted with his work before purchasing. In my opinion a great Charles Blackman piece is a work that combines innocence, melancholy and his great sense of colour and line. Blackman would often work in series - and some of these such as the 'Alice' paintings and prints have become very popular. I wouldn't suggest buying a work however just because it comes from a well known series - if you are going to live with a Charles Blackman work for a number of years you want it to hold your interest and not just be an example of his 'brand'!

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Sibling rivalry is a common theme of many art forms. However I doubt that there existed the usual levels between the two painters David Boyd and Arthur Boyd. I'm basing this on interviews I have seen with Arthur and a couple of conversations that I have had with David Boyd. Of course no one can know for sure but I felt that they each had a genuine interest in each other's work. Critics tend to always rate Arthur Boyd's work more highly. However I have often noted how deeply David Boyd's work resonates with Australian art buyers. Even though he has painted a large number of paintings I keep getting contacted by clients who are keen to get hold of a good painting - a request that is increasingly becoming hard to fulfill.

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If you were to ask an Australian art collector to name their favourite abstract painter from this country then I would guess that most would answer John Coburn. Like the works of other well known artists - such as John Olsen, Tim Storrier and Robert Dickerson - mature John Coburn paintings have a very distinctive style which is easy to pick out once you have seen a few examples. Coburn is not however an abstract painter in the pure sense - but for that matter is anyone? His shimmering shapes echo the distinctive small hills of the Australian landscape that stand out in such contrast to the vast flatness of the desert. Coburn also had a great ability to evoke in visual form the strange feeling of evening light and the abstract harmonies of music.

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I am sometimes asked by my clients who are considering the purchase of a Tim Storrier work - "What do you think are his best pieces?". Perhaps what they really are interested in is what style of Storrier painting I consider to be his most popular. Popularity does not always equate with quality and yet there are some artists - and I would include Storrier amongst them - whose best work is also often their most popular because this is the work which has resonated the most with the viewing public. In regards to Tim Storrier I have found that his 'Blaze Line' and 'Coals' series to be particularly sought after - especially if they are a night or sunset scene.

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The reputation of Lloyd Rees may well be the sleeping giant of the Australian art world. Rees has always been well loved - especially in Sydney - but the humble beauty of his art has often lead to it being under-appreciated. Lloyd Rees was a stunningly consistent artist over his whole career - from his early exquisite pencil drawings and paintings to the Turner-like splendor of his last years. His early work - especially 'The Road to Berry' was an influence on Brett Whiteley and although some people are not so sure about his later works I believe they are unique in Australian art in their treatment of light. I have a late Lloyd Rees lithograph in my own collection and am still amazed by how much it moves me when I look at it.

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Robert Dickerson is an artist who sits within the modernist tradition of Australian art. His works largely consists of subtle variations upon his own distinctive way of representing the human face. Once you are familiar with a few Dickerson paintings or prints you will find his work easy to pick out. It is this very fact that is sometimes used as a criticism of his art. However I think that this is a superficial stance. Robert Dickerson's work is very rarely pretty. I would argue that what people are responding to - in part at least - is its underlying emotional appeal - the hints of sadness and anger that these figures exhibit in their familiar suburban or work settings. Dickerson's art is more than just a 'branding' phenomena. He has tapped into some sort of questioning dis-ease within our everyday life.

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I suspect that the first piece of art that an Australian collector purchases is often a Leunig print. Michael Leunig's etchings, lithographs and engravings have a rare combination of high artistic quality and wide accessibility that make them a great starting point for people who are interested in collecting art. Indeed it is their obvious popularity that can sometimes obscure their excellent artistic value. Leunig has an exceptional sense of line and even more importantly a truly original artistic vision. A framer I use who works with some of Australia's most well respected artists often comments on the high quality of a Leunig print or painting that I have sent in for framing. If you are looking to start building a collection of Australian art perhaps the first piece you should consider is a Leunig print.

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In my opinion John Olsen is an artist who has done some of his best work in the printmaking and watercolour mediums. Some of Olsen's watercolours rival and possibly outshine his paintings at showing off his spindly calligraphic line. Olsen's etchings and lithographs are some of the most distinctive prints ever made in Australia. Most are instantly identifiable as his work but the diversity he displays even while exploring similar themes is phenomenal. Both Olsen's series exploring the life of 'Frogs' and 'Cats' abound in iconic imagery. Lastly I would add that there has been a high level of consistency in the quality of Olsen's prints over the last 50 years. A great reference is 'John Olsen - His Complete Graphics 1957-2005' by Ken McGregor. Published by Macmillan.

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