On this week’s Art Doctor, we talk about depression. Or, rather, one particular aspect of depression that isn’t often mentioned: existential angst. I started thinking about this when talking to a friend. She struggles with big mental health issues, and has almost her whole life. So any coping mechanisms that most people use day-to-day aren’t […]

Last November I started a YouTube channel called the Art Doctor. I probably should have mentioned that. In any case, here’s my latest video, which is a special one for International Women’s Day on the 8th of March! And here’s a link to my channel! For those of you who are new around here, check […]

This week on The Art Doctor (my alter-ego!) we look at a fantastic and detailed Victorian painting by William Powell Frith. Check it out below: Here is the best image I could find of the painting – I’d love an even higher-res version at some point, but Getty Images wanted to charge me $600AUD for […]

More than ever before, it is time to hunker down, grab a cuppa (or something stronger) and watch something that feeds your soul.

Which eerie Rossetti couple are YOU? Take this quiz to find out!  Art can help us process the strange feelings inside, the ones that we can’t even articulate, but are lurking under the surface of our conscious mind. I know I’m not the only one to have noticed this: suddenly the whole internet is full […]

Framing is a vital step in displaying art, but one that most people gloss over. After all, how hard can it be? Get yourself a cheap-o $5 frame and shove the item in there. Presto! But, if you want to have things look right, and more importantly preserve your framed item, it might need a […]

Nothing strikes me with horror like an empty wall. Perhaps that’s why I became a Victorian art historian— they loved clutter. However, I know many people who have next to nothing on their walls. Some of them are dedicated minimalists, and that’s their aesthetic. But others want to put something there, but are unsure. What […]

Last time we looked closely at a painting of Mary Magdalene from 1859. We went over what art historians call “visual analysis” and the historical and biographical context of the painting. I hope this made sense to many of you, and helped you to learn to look critically at a work of art. Now, let’s make […]

Last week, I wrote about how to visit a museum or gallery, and in that post I mentioned that you really need to look at the art. Like, for a while. But just staring at something doesn’t necessarily bring profound revelations— you need to know how to look and what to look for. So this […]

As an art historian, my friends and family often ask me to come with them when they visit a museum. Of course, I’m always delighted. Museums are my happy place. But I realise for many people museums are intimidating. They feel like they need permission to enter the hallowed halls of culture, or a guide […]