The Age - Home essentials

Art collecting adds to the quality of your environment, says David Bromley, feature artist for Art Melbourne 2010. "In being asked my opinion of the value of a piece of art in the home, I had to first imagine a home without art," he says. "The thought disturbed me. To me, it is like trying to live without oxygen - try and breath. Take art out of my life and I would question what sort of a life it would be".

Bromley works in a number of visual mediums - canvas, printmaking, ceramic, sculpture and recently, film. His art evolves from two distinct strands: Images adapted from 1950's world of book illustrations and images of the female nude. For him, collecting art is not just for the affluent. "When you form an affinity and connect with a piece of art, the value will mostly exceed the outgoing, no mater how little or great your investment," he says.

The artist is considered amoung the 50 most collectable Australian artists by Australian Art Collector Magazine. He has held more than 30 solo exhibitions in Australia, Europe, the US and Asia.