Hi, I’m Sarah Braybrook, an artist with a unique journey that spans from studying Vermeer to creating whimsical chicken drawings, and more recently, discovering a passion for Coinart.

My fascination with coins began in childhood, where finding coins and banknotes on the ground was always a thrill. I would spend hours copying the designs from my finds onto computer paper, whether it was the people on the paper notes or the animals on decimal coins. This interest eventually led to my first job out of high school with renowned coin dealer Downie’s, where I continued to be captivated by the artistry of coins.

Despite my early exposure to coins and a growing interest in art, I didn’t pursue formal art education until my mid-thirties. In 2009, I won a mentorship for picture book illustration through the Australian Society of Authors. My mentor’s feedback led me to art school, where I immersed myself in fine art at the Adelaide Central School of Art. Studying Vermeer’s ‘Girl With a Pearl Earring’ in my second year was a highlight, and learning his techniques significantly influenced my practice.

In 2016, I was commissioned by Coinworks to create an oil painting of an 1813 Holey Dollar – Australia’s first coin. This project was a chance to reconnect with the industry after raising my kids and to apply the skills I had acquired at art school. At the time, this collaboration was a one-off, as chicken drawing commissions began rolling in. Experimenting with gouache and colored pencil was a far cry from oil paint, but it was a medium I enjoyed using for Chickenart and still do. It wasn’t until late 2023, when Coinworks commissioned me to create two more oil paintings, that I began to see a future specialising in Coinart.

My childhood fascination with money has led me to live my adult life around the coin industry. I am not a numismatist, but an enthusiast who loves the artistry of coins and the stories and history that surround them. I have recently created my first blog and look forward to writing many more, sharing musings on the fascinating intersection of fine art and Australian predecimal rare coins.