In The Studio with Emma McAdam-Marmont and Struan Hopwood of Thirteen 05 Gallery

Thirteen 05 Gallery is a marrying of art!

It’s rare that we have two artists in conversation to discuss their collective art practice. What’s more rare is then they not only have a success art business but their own dedicated gallery to share that work with the public. We head down into the dreamy Daylesford for this artist spotlight x2.

In our series, In The Studio, we take you into space of Victorian creators, unpacking their craft and getting comfortable in their creative zones. Join us as we enter the studio and gallery with Emma McAdam-Marmont and Struan Hopwood of Thirteen 05 Gallery.

Keep up to date with all things arts, exhibitions and stage here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thirteen 05 Gallery Daylesford (@thirteen_05_gallery)

What is Thirteen 05 Gallery?

We are full-time painters and the husband-and-wife team behind Thirteen 05 Gallery in Daylesford. We create contemporary acrylic artworks through our individual practices and collaborative works, exploring identity, storytelling and human connection.

We primarily work with acrylic paint on canvas, creating contemporary figurative and portrait-based artworks that explore identity, human connection and storytelling.

Emma’s work focuses on the human form and her distinctive suit series, using expressive brushwork, layered textures and colour to capture emotion, presence and personality. Her paintings often invite viewers to project their own experiences onto the figures, creating narratives that are both personal and universal.

Struan’s work combines portraiture with influences from street art, illustration, manga and pop culture. His layered compositions explore themes of identity, nostalgia and contemporary life through bold colour, graphic line work and fragmented imagery.

Alongside our individual practices, we also create collaborative works that merge our contrasting styles into a single painting. These pieces combine figurative elements, portraiture, abstraction and illustration, resulting in works that neither of us could create alone.

Whether working individually or together, our focus is on creating engaging, story-driven artworks that encourage viewers to pause, look closer and form their own connection with the piece.

How long have you been developing your arts practice?

We’ve both been creating art for as long as we can remember, but have been exhibiting and developing our professional practices for over a decade. In 2016 we made the decision to leave our careers in advertising and pursue art full-time, founding Thirteen 05 Gallery in Daylesford in 2017

How did you discover your passion for art?

Art has always been part of our lives. We were both the kids who were constantly drawing, painting and creating. While our careers initially took us into advertising and television production, creativity remained at the centre of everything we did. In 2016, after losing a close friend, we reassessed what was important to us and decided to pursue our passion for art full-time. That decision ultimately led to the creation of Thirteen 05 Gallery and the artistic careers we have today.

What have been the biggest milestones in your arts career to date?

Leaving our careers in advertising and television production to pursue art full-time in 2016 was undoubtedly the biggest milestone. Opening Thirteen 05 Gallery in Daylesford in 2017 was another significant moment, allowing us to create a space dedicated to our work and connect directly with collectors. More recently, exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair in Brisbane and Melbourne has helped introduce our work to a broader audience and has been an important step in the continued growth of our practice.

Find more In The Studio artists here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thirteen 05 Gallery Daylesford (@thirteen_05_gallery)

What is your favourite artwork or series that you have created and why?

One of our favourite bodies of work is our collaborative series, where we both paint on the same canvas. These works combine Emma’s soft, painterly and realistic figurative elements with Struan’s bold graphic line work, illustrative techniques and layered contemporary influences.

What makes these works so special is the juxtaposition between our two very different approaches to painting. Emma brings the emotion, movement and realism, while Struan introduces structure, graphic elements and visual disruption. The result is a balance that feels both harmonious and unexpected, creating something neither of us could achieve alone.

These paintings have become a visual representation of our relationship and creative partnership. They combine realism, abstraction, texture and storytelling, inviting viewers to discover new details each time they look. For us, they are the purest expression of what Thirteen 05 is all about: two artists bringing different strengths together to create something entirely unique.

What has been the biggest challenge you face as an artist and how are you pushing through that barrier (if you can!)?

One of the biggest challenges as artists is balancing creativity with running a business. As full-time artists and gallery owners, there are always competing demands on our time, from marketing and administration to framing, installations and events.

The way we’ve pushed through that challenge is by creating a sustainable practice and treating our art careers as a long-term commitment. We protect studio time, continue to challenge ourselves creatively, and remind ourselves why we started this journey in the first place. At the end of the day, making the work has to remain the priority, because that’s what everything else is built around.

Where has your work been, or is your work currently, displayed?

Our work is permanently exhibited at Thirteen 05 Gallery, our artist-owned gallery located at 31 Vincent Street, Daylesford. Since opening in 2017, the gallery has become home to our individual and collaborative collections, allowing visitors to experience our work year-round.

We have also exhibited at major art fairs around Australia, including the Affordable Art Fair in Brisbane. In August 2026, we will be exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair Melbourne, showcasing new works alongside a large-scale collaborative mural installation.

Tell us about your studio space! 

Our studio is a shared space at home where we paint side by side every day. It’s a functional, hardworking environment designed around making art, with large easels, plenty of natural light and directional spotlights that have been a complete game changer for seeing colour, contrast and detail accurately while we work.

One of the unique aspects of our studio is that we share almost everything, including our paints. After so many years painting together, Struan can usually tell when Emma has been using a particular colour because she’s a notorious double-dipper. In the winter months, you’ll find the fire going, a cup of coffee close by, and our two cats, Ferguson and Busby, either curled up on our laps or sleeping in beds at our feet.

While we generally paint Monday to Friday and spend weekends at the gallery, one of the greatest advantages of having a home studio is the flexibility it gives us. If inspiration strikes, we can paint well into the night or be back in the studio before sunrise. Emma is definitely the early bird, often starting work at 5am, while Struan is the night owl, regularly painting into the wee hours of the morning. Having the studio at home means we’re able to follow those creative rhythms rather than forcing them into a traditional nine-to-five schedule.

It’s a routine we’ve developed over many years and one that gives us the balance of creativity, structure and freedom needed to sustain a full-time artistic practice.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thirteen 05 Gallery Daylesford (@thirteen_05_gallery)

What does a typical day of creating art look like for you both in the studio and out of the studio?

There really isn’t a typical day, which is one of the things we love most about being artists. Most mornings start with a coffee and a walk together, where we discuss what we’re going to create that day, whether that’s individual works, collaborative pieces, or ideas we’re both developing. Those walks have become an important part of our creative process and often help shape the direction of the day’s work.

Once we’re back in the studio, we usually spend the majority of the day painting, whether that’s starting a new work, building layers, or refining details on existing pieces. Because we work side by side, there’s a constant exchange of ideas, feedback and encouragement throughout the day.

As gallery owners, our days also include framing, photographing finished artworks, packing and shipping orders, responding to collectors, updating our website and planning upcoming exhibitions and events. The creative side and business side are constantly intertwined.

Outside the studio, we spend weekends at the gallery meeting visitors and collectors, which is something we genuinely enjoy. Those conversations often influence future work and help us understand what people are connecting with. While every day looks a little different, the common thread is that art is at the centre of almost everything we do.

How would you characterise the arts ecosystem in regional Victoria? 

Regional Victoria has a far stronger arts scene than many people realise. In Daylesford alone, there is an incredible concentration of galleries and creative spaces for a town of its size, giving both artists and collectors opportunities to engage with art on a regular basis.

What we love most is the sense of community that exists between galleries. If a visitor comes into our gallery looking for a style of work that we don’t offer, whether that’s florals, landscapes or something more traditional, we’ll happily recommend another gallery that may be a better fit. We all benefit from having people travel to the region to experience art, and there is a genuine sense that we’re contributing to a broader creative culture rather than competing for the same audience.

From our perspective, the strength of the regional arts ecosystem comes from the number of galleries, independent businesses and art-focused events that actively support artists. It creates a culture where art is visible, accessible and valued, which is something we’re incredibly grateful to be part of.

How has being based in regional Victoria elevated your arts practice? 

Being based in regional Victoria has given us the space, time and lifestyle needed to build a sustainable full-time arts practice. The slower pace allows us to focus deeply on creating work without many of the distractions that can come with city living.

One of the biggest advantages has been the support we’ve received from the local community and the people who visit the region. Daylesford attracts people who genuinely value art, creativity and independent businesses, and many of the relationships we’ve built with collectors have developed over years rather than single transactions.

We’ve also benefited from being part of a broader network of galleries and creative businesses that help promote the region as an arts destination. There is a genuine sense that when one gallery succeeds, it helps bring more people to discover the others. That collective support has played an important role in helping us establish both our gallery and our artistic careers.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Emma McAdam-Marmont (Hopwood) (@emarmont)

What does 2026 look like for you?

2026 is shaping up to be one of our busiest and most exciting years yet. Alongside continuing to develop our individual and collaborative bodies of work, we’ll be exhibiting at the Affordable Art Fair Melbourne in August, where we’ll be unveiling a major new body of work and a large-scale collaborative mural installation.

We’re also working on several exciting projects behind the scenes, including new series, larger-scale works and collaborations that we’re not quite ready to reveal just yet. As always, our focus remains on continuing to evolve our practice, challenge ourselves creatively and create work that surprises both us and our collectors.

One thing that makes our practice unique is that we have built our careers entirely around creating and sharing our own work. Every painting that leaves our gallery has been created by one of us, and often by both of us. We feel incredibly fortunate to spend our days doing something we genuinely love, while sharing that journey with collectors who continue to support us year after year.

At its core, our practice is about curiosity, continual growth and creating work that we are excited to make. We never want to become comfortable or repeat ourselves simply because something has been successful. Each new series is an opportunity to explore a new idea, challenge our skills and discover where the work wants to go next.