Community Recognition Notice - The Art Rooms

10 May 2022

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland)—"Start as you mean to go on" is a common enough phrase, but it becomes powerful when someone with vision applies it to a new venture. One such soul now who has stepped out with focus, hope and diligence is Deborah Van Heekeren, artist and now gallery owner. Her new venture is The Art Rooms in central Maitland. The Art Rooms has a point of difference. It will provide visitors with a chance to purchase art works that are both affordable and beautiful. Deborah has also developed a connection with a framer, Deborah Atkinson of Picture This, so that works can be thoughtfully framed and made ready for hanging. Hopefully the considerations of quality and affordability will encourage many local people to support the gallery and commence their own collections of works by local artists, thereby helping more works to be created. I wish Deborah a successful journey through the first years of the Art Rooms. I hope that she, along with local artists Kimberley Swan and Helen Hopcroft have a very successful premier exhibition "Paperworks". I thank Deborah for stepping out with confidence and commitment to bring more art into our community.