After two decades overseas and a place among the finalists of a major Brisbane art prize, artist Danielle Grygorcewicz is taking her paintings somewhere a little unexpected.
An Underwood café.
And that’s precisely the point.
From Friday 13 November, locals stopping for a coffee at Coffee In The Woods will also have the chance to discover original paintings as the Kingston Road business opens its doors to artists.
The exhibition, Art In The Woods, is the beginning of an initiative its organisers hope will make art part of everyday community life.
For Danielle Grygorcewicz, who grew up on Brisbane’s southside, the idea has a particularly personal appeal.
“Art belongs in everyday places, not just in galleries – and ‘Coffee in the Woods’ is a great space in which to bring that idea to life,” she said.
The Brisbane-raised artist returned to Queensland after spending two decades overseas, bringing with her experiences that have helped shape her paintings of familiar local landscapes.
Her work draws on subjects ranging from country scenes to coastal landscapes, exploring colour, light, texture and movement.
Her paintings are held in private collections across several countries, including Brazil, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Papua New Guinea.
Closer to home, Ms Grygorcewicz was recently named among 50 finalists in the 2026 Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Art Prize, with her painting Pylons and Palms celebrating a familiar Brisbane landmark.
Now, she’s preparing to bring 12 to 14 paintings to an altogether different exhibition space.
Coffee In The Woods shares its Underwood premises with timber furniture business Dojin Creative, providing a setting that Ms Grygorcewicz believes is well suited to bringing art closer to everyday life.
“I grew up on the southside and the large-format home decor showrooms and building supplies warehouses were our first port of call for all home improvement needs,” she said.
“That homemaker traffic still flows more than ever, and it seems fitting to bring fine art into the mix where appreciation for quality, craftsmanship and design already exists.”
Shin, from Coffee In The Woods, said the exhibition was part of a wider ambition to give the business a role beyond serving customers.
“As a local business, we believe our role in the community can extend beyond serving food and coffee,” he said.
“For us, this isn’t about turning the café into a formal gallery.
“It’s about making art more accessible by bringing it into an everyday space where people already meet, eat, drink and spend time together — while giving local artists another platform to be seen.”
If the exhibition proves successful, Shin hopes to gradually introduce more opportunities for artists and other creatives to showcase their work.
And for Ms Grygorcewicz, the opportunity is about more than simply finding another place to hang her paintings.
“Through the art show in ‘Coffee in the Woods’ I hope to create a natural connection between art and everyday life, inviting Logan locals and visitors from across the greater Brisbane area to pause, enjoy a coffee, discover original artwork and experience something a little unexpected in an accessible and relaxed setting,” she said.
It’s a simple idea: that discovering art shouldn’t always require a trip to a gallery.
Sometimes, it might just take a trip to your local café.
Art In The Woods runs from 13 to 22 November at Coffee In The Woods, 138 Kingston Road, Underwood.
Visitors should confirm exhibition access and admission details with the café.
More information is available at dojincreative.com.
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