After a series of unexpected twists and turns, the Yallingup Galleries has received a new lease of life with new owners Emma and Matthew Skinner.
It seemed that Yallingup Galleries would close forever after artist and founder, Rob Malcolm struggled to find a buyer for the business he'd founded in 1987 and run for more than 32 years.
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Artists were being told the bad news, beautiful works were being returned and the 'closed' sign was already on the door, when fate intervened.
A trip around the country for the Skinner family was supposed to end with settling down close to friends and family in Matthew's original home town of Sydney.
Instead, the need for urgent medical attention diverted the family from the Red Centre to Perth.
It might have been Victoria, but COVID cases were high and, with hard WA borders in place, the Skinners filled in time between trips to the specialist and surgery by exploring the beautiful South West.
It was Busselton that stole their heart and a recuperating Matt who, quite by chance, then spotted an advertisement for the sale of Yallingup Galleries that should have been cancelled.
It was meant to be.
Within days and after a single visit to the much-loved gallery, Emma and Matt had bought the property and confirmed their status as 'locals'.
Their life journey has been full of extremes - a chance meeting in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics, to the United Kingdom where they married and had three children (now 10, 12 and 14), then to the sweltering heat and high finance world of Dubai and, now, to WA's South West.
"We are becoming part of the community which is what we wanted for the kids - we used to have camels on the way to school, and now we have kangaroos," Mrs Skinner said.
What hasn't changed is this family's passion for the natural environment, wildlife and art - and experience in finance, management and business.
The decision to give Yallingup Galleries a new lease of life makes the most of everything the Skinners have to offer.
Emma is an international award-winning artist in her own right who has exhibited her work in the United Kingdom, USA and United Arab Emirates for a range of environmental campaigns, solo shows and group exhibitions.
They're now breathing new life into the gallery with new and interesting works from an eclectic mix of local, national and international artists and artisans.
"We are very proud to be reviving Yallingup Galleries, building on its strong local reputation, and working towards an official re-opening event later in 2022," she said.
"In the meantime, I'm immersing myself in the local arts sector and using my own global networks to expand the range at Yallingup Galleries and add a new element of sophistication to the collections on offer.
"We are also introducing a new design collaboration service for business clients and collectors in particular - and I'm looking forward to using my own experience and significant network to help people find unique pieces, and create spaces that make an impression."
