Discover Art Gallery South of Adelaide at Magpie Springs.
Magpie Springs Art Gallery and Cellar Door, 1870 Brookman Rd, Hope Forest South Australia, where art lovers converge to experience the finest in hand-painted oil landscapes and figurative works by award-winning artist Avril Thomas.
Nestled in the country landscapes of the Fleurieu Peninsula near McLaren Vale, our gallery invites you to explore captivating artworks. Whilst enjoying our boutique wine.
Exhibiting at Magpie Springs: Adelaide Artist Avril Thomas: Avril Thomas is a renowned artist celebrated for her exquisite oil paintings and drawings. With a penchant for capturing the essence of nature and the human form, Avril’s work has garnered acclaim both locally and internationally.
Experience the Art: Join us every Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM to immerse yourself in the beauty of Avril Thomas’s original creations. Whether you’re seeking to adorn your living space with a bespoke oil painting, drawing or searching for the perfect gift, our gallery offers a diverse collection to suit every taste.
Stay for a while, book in advance for Magpie Springs Wine tasting experience
Commission a Masterpiece: For those seeking a truly personalized art piece, Avril Thomas is available by appointment to discuss commissioned works. Whether it’s a stunning oil portrait or a captivating drawing, Avril’s expertise ensures a masterpiece that resonates with your vision.
Avril Thomas is a highly accomplished South Australian portrait artist renowned for her tonal realist style, which masterfully captures the essence, stories, and humanity of her subjects through subtle gradations of tone, light, and shadow. Specializing in contemporary traditional portraiture and figurative work, she works primarily in oils, charcoal, graphite, pastel, and mixed media to create lifelike, emotionally resonant portraits—often commissioned—of individuals, families, luminaries, medical professionals, and public figures. Her paintings and drawings emphasize realism with a contemporary edge, conveying courage, compassion, humour, and quiet introspection while bringing people and their narratives vividly to life. As an Archibald Prize finalist (notably for her 2005 entry “The Minister from Down Under”), with works held in prestigious collections including the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, major Australian universities (Flinders, Monash, Deakin, Adelaide, UniSA), and private holdings across Australia, the USA, and Hong Kong, Avril’s art connects viewers deeply through its technical precision, storytelling power, and ability to evoke the subject’s inner world—whether in richly detailed oil commissions or evocative charcoal sketches.
