Bullsbrook Inspires local creatives

Whether it’s the beauty of the bush, the sense of space, the colours of nature or the local wildlife, Bullsbrook provides inspiration for so many of the artisans, crafters and makers who call this special area home.

For Bullsbrook artist Linda Owens, of Alcohol Ink by Loopy, it’s the rich reds, greens and yellows of the local landscape that add to the vibrancy of her abstract paintings and handmade resin jewellery.

“I love Bullsbrook’s abundance of space, the bush life, being so close to the native animals and how lovely the small community is,” says Linda, who sells her glorious art prints, silk scarves, tote bags and earrings online and at markets such as the Perth Makers Market.

Linda, who works fulltime for the WA Police Force, started painting 10 years ago as a way of coping with the ‘empty nest’ after her kids left home, but it wasn’t until 2021 that her hobby morphed into a flourishing small business.

“The Bullsbrook community is always so supportive of small businesses and buying local,” she says.

Living in Bullsbrook also helped former-tiler-turned-creative Jeremy Playle – aka That Brick Pot Guy – turn a new hobby into a ‘rock-solid’ small business making one-of-a-kind pots from bricks and stone.

“If I didn’t live in Bullsbrook, I don’t think I would be doing what I’m doing; having the space to work has been key,” says Jeremy, another Perth Makers Market stallholder.

A keen gardener, Jeremy stumbled upon his planter idea while home-schooling his kids at the onset of the pandemic when tiling work dried up.

Before he knew it, he had an order from a garden nursery for 20 brick pots and then a request for pots made from rocks. A trailer load of Kimberley sandstone and a 100-pot order later, and Jeremy was returning to his supplier with a truck to pick up six tonnes of stone.

Since then he has purchased more than 25 tonnes of sandstone and teamed up with a number of local suppliers and services, including Heather’s Succulents and Wattos Contracting in Bullsbrook.  

“Bullsbrook is a peaceful community close to the city without the city hang-ups. It’s a great community where people go out of their way to help each other,” Jeremy says.