Collecting art doesn’t have to mean owning dozens of works. It all starts with intention! Let me walk you through where to start and how best to choose what's best for your space.
You Already Have Permission to Start
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about collecting art is that it requires a particular kind of confidence, a deep knowledge of art history, or a substantial budget before you're allowed to begin. None of that is true. Every collector (myself included) starts with one piece that simply spoke to them. That's it. That's the whole entry requirement.
Start With What You Genuinely Love
My first piece of advice is always the same: choose with your gut, not your head. Don't worry about whether a piece is "investment grade" or matches a particular trend. Ask yourself one simple question: do I genuinely love looking at this? If the answer is yes, you're already collecting correctly.
For me, this means painting colourful, layered acrylic works inspired by Australian birds, native botanicals, and the food and culture of my Maltese heritage. I want anyone who brings one of my pieces home to feel that same gut pull I felt when I was painting it.
Consider Where the Piece Will Live
Before you buy, think about the space the artwork needs to occupy. A bold, large scale statement painting suits a feature wall beautifully, while a smaller original or fine art print might be perfect for a hallway, bedroom, or reading nook. I always encourage people to think about scale and placement early, because even a piece you love can feel wrong in the wrong spot.
You Don't Need to Start With an Original
One of the most accessible ways to begin a collection is with a fine art print. Limited and open edition prints, available on archival cotton rag paper or stretched canvas, let you bring genuine quality and colour into your home at a much lower price point than an original painting. Many of the collectors I work with started exactly this way — falling in love with a print, and later returning for an original once a particular series or artist resonated deeply enough.
Let Your Collection Tell a Story
As your collection grows, even slowly, it starts to tell a story about who you are and what you love. Maybe it's a love of native Australian wildlife. Maybe it's a connection to a particular culture or place. My own Mediterranean Table series exists because food, memory, and heritage are genuinely part of my story — and I love that pieces from that series now live in other people's homes too, carrying a little of that meaning with them.
Buy What You Can Genuinely Afford
A collection built slowly and intentionally will always feel more meaningful than one built quickly under financial pressure. There's no shame in starting with a single A4 print and adding to your collection over months or years. Original Australian art and fine art prints exist at every price point — the goal is simply to start.
Your First Piece Is Waiting
If you're ready to begin, or simply want to see what speaks to you, browse the full collection of original paintings and fine art prints here at lunaburlo.com. Whether it's a bold botanical statement piece or an intimate Works on Paper original, your first piece of art might already be waiting for you.
x Luna
P.S. Love what you've read? Join my mailing list for early access to new collections, $50 off your first print order, and behind the scenes stories from the studio.