Art Starter: Graham Marchant

What makes you tick artistically? Looking at and taking in the visual world around me and then wondering how I would go about making an image of that; how could I capture that nuance of light or translate that pale transparent colour? Looking at other artworks, sometimes wishing that I had done that and sometimes being glad that I didn't. I like sharing the company of other artists; they usually have a good sense of humour and a healthy irreverence.

If you could live in an art decade in history, when would it be? The 1660s in Holland; I would befriend the Dutch painter, Vermeer, and watch him paint and join the same Dutch guild that he and his contemporary artists belonged to. The guilds had great respect for artistic technique, something which I still admire. But now is the best time – it is what I know and what I experience every day. There are a huge number of galleries and alternate spaces to exhibit in. Young artists can study art in universities and there is an interest in the arts; look at the statistics of people visiting public exhibitions. So many opportunities exist for young and emerging artists and talent will always win out.

If you weren't an artist, what would you be doing? Wishing I was.

What are you looking forward to this Art Month? A month of focus on the visual arts in Sydney, a healthy and humorous engagement with the broader community. An opportunity to exhibit, to share and enjoy the visual arts in the pinnacle of visual cities.