MICHAEL Ghalayini often finds what he needs by chance.
Working as a volunteer counsellor for a grief helpline, Michael wasn’t expecting to find a love of painting through his job, but an art therapy workshop sparked the creativity inside him. 
Now 15 years later the fire still burns bright.
A five-week course on painting basics gave Michael the advice he carries with him to this day, “if you want to get good at painting, don’t ever stop”. 
He discovered his passion for seascapes and plein air art through various art teachers in Melbourne before relocating to Pearl Beach on the New South Wales coast in 2016. 
Pearl Beach drew Michael further into the art scene as he joined the local artists’  group and was able to display his artwork in an artist co-op gallery. While at the co-op he was only able to display four pieces of art but having his own gallery he enjoys not being limited in how many pieces or which ones he has on display. 
Living on the coast, inspiration for painting was right outside the window and some of his favourite work was of the beach there. Michael’s passion is the ocean and that has transferred to a love of the Loddon River as well. 
April 2024 drew Michael back to Victoria and to Bendigo to be close to his mum. While searching for a house in Bendigo he visited Bridgewater for lunch one day and received a message from his sister about a house in Inglewood that had just been listed. After searching Inglewood on maps and discovering it was only up the road, he drove up to see the house. 
Arriving at the old bakery in Inglewood Michael took one look at the house and fell in love. “I’d looked at a house in Bendigo that just didn’t feel right but as soon as I saw this place I knew it was the perfect spot” Michael said.
The storefront of the house has allowed him to set up his own gallery and gave him the freedom to choose his own opening hours, something he had craved at the Pearl Beach gallery. 
After living in various busy towns, the quiet and serenity of Inglewood has been the perfect place for him and his artwork. Michael feels he has been welcomed with open arms into the community.
“I have some locals who come in for a look and a chat which is so nice” he said. The community in Inglewood is so kind, everyone says hello and is friendly and many have popped in to see the new space Michael said. 
The Loddon River has become a feature in many of his plein air paintings since his move. The tranquillity of the river and the vast areas providing different perspectives allows him to paint something different each time.  
As an artist Michael is enthusiastic about sharing his work and his knowledge, “I’m fortunate to be able to use the gallery more as a place to display my work instead of needing to sell it” he said.
“I paint for the joy of it, it’s an expensive hobby but it’s my passion” Michael said.
He has plans to open a second gallery in Ironbark which is a bit bigger to display his larger pieces. “I enjoy painting large artwork, but they take up so much room, so I’ve been sticking to smaller canvases for the moment,” he said. 
While becoming an artist wasn’t in Michael’s plans 15 years ago, chance brought the opportunities to him and now he finds painting is his passion.