Tag: artwork

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Bedrooms Decorating 101 Expert Tips Furniture Renting

These landlord approved hacks are perfect for style minded renters

When renting, your options to personalise your space are limited. You don’t have to paint your walls or remodel the kitchen to have a space that reflects your unique style, however. Genevieve Rosen-Biller has provided her expert tips to make your rental your own.

Swap out blinds and curtains

If you’re renting, it’s almost a given the window treatments will be a little dated. The good news is that these can usually be swapped out easily and inexpensively. Hanging some fresh curtains in a neutral shade will quickly update the room and give it a whole new look. Just hang onto the old ones so you can put them back up again when you move out. (And take your new ones with you!)

Photography: Tuiss Blinds Online

Invest in beautiful bedding

Quality bed linen is a near effortless way to elevate a bedroom. This room should feel like a sanctuary and choosing pure bedding that is comfortable, breathable and luxurious will ensure you always sleep well. The enticing texture and broad colour range makes linen sheets a popular choice. Style in single tones or mix and match for a simple yet chic look.

Introduce plants

Leafy pot plants liven up and bring energy to any space, while keeping you feeling connected to the natural world. A big towering plant like a fiddle leaf fig in a bare corner, or trailing vines like devil’s ivy cascading down a shelf are instant statement maker. As a bonus, they will purify the air.

Living room
Photography: Sally Goodall

Add artworks

Art is a sure-fire way to add colour and personality to a place, and an art collection is something you can build on over time and take wherever you go. Most landlords will grant permission to add some hooks to blank walls so you can hang your favourite pieces. If this isn’t an option, lean oversized artworks against the walls on the floor and line up smaller pieces along cabinets, mantels and bookshelves.

Photography: Chloe Lambert; Art: Anna Price

Let there be light

Lighting can make a huge difference to the ambience and style. If natural light is lacking, bring in some floor and table lamps placed carefully around. Light fixtures that are daggy or clash with your chosen décor can easily be replaced with something more modern. As with the window treatments, just remember to stash the old ones somewhere safe for when you leave.

Photography: Sally Goodall

Cover the floor

A non-permanent solution to ugly patterned tiles, stained carpet or weathered floorboards is to layer rugs over the top. The larger the better, in colours and textures that give the room a new look while covering up all manner of sins at the same time.

Lounge room
Photography: Dylan James

Genevieve is the founder of Bed Threads.

Hanging art in a rental & how to start your collection

As a young person on a limited budget, you could be forgiven for thinking art is something you need to wait years until you can afford (or are even allowed…

6 stylish freestanding wardrobes: great alternatives to a built-in

Offering style, variety, and flexibility, freestanding wardrobes are a great alternative to built-ins. They’re a perfect choice if you want to use a bedroom as a home office in the…
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Art Shopping

Melbourne artist raises money for charity with foodie art prints

Melbourne creative Gemma Leslie has designed a second collection of limited edition recipe posters to raise money for FareShare, an Australian charity that provides millions of free meals for those in need. It follows the sell-out success of the first collection, which raised more than $40,000 for FareShare. 

The four new posters feature recipes from Australian hospitality heavyweights Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc.), Lennox Hastie (Firedoor and Netflix’s Chef’s Table:  BBQ), Lisa Valmorbida (Pidapipó Gelateria) and Kay-Lene Tan (Tonka). She has interpreted the chefs’ recipes into her signature ‘naïve’ art style, which is inspired by organic forms, imperfections and bright colour. 

Firedoor’s recipe for pipis with karkalla and native citrus

“Food For Everyone is my way of bringing a touch of happiness into people’s homes during an extremely difficult  time,” says Leslie. “For me, this project was born out of my love for sharing food with family and friends. Coming together and sharing a  meal is a communal and binding act—an act that is understood globally. I wanted the posters to capture that spirit.”  

By collaborating with some of the country’s best chefs and cooks, Food For Everyone honours those who have made a lasting impact on Australia’s food scene, while allowing people to own a small piece of culinary history. “Most importantly, it puts food on the table for those in need through the work of our friends at FareShare,” Leslie continued.

Cumulus Inc’s tuna tartare with crushed peas

FareShare runs Australia’s largest charity kitchens in Melbourne and Brisbane. It rescues surplus, quality food from supermarkets, wholesalers, farmers and other businesses that would otherwise end up in landfill and cooks it into millions of free, nutritious meals for isolated communities, low-income families, people experiencing homelessness, and others struggling to get by. 

FareShare is among hundreds of frontline charities and foodbanks across Australia that have experienced a significant increase in the need for food relief at varying times in the past year due to the ongoing impacts of  COVID-19. Many Australians currently experiencing food insecurity expect they won’t cope when the additional Government support via JobSeeker and JobKeeper is withdrawn in March.  

Pidapipó Gelateria’s strawberry sorbetto recipe

“The support from Food For Everyone has already allowed FareShare to provide more than 30,000 free, cooked and highly nutritious meals for Australians in need. Gemma’s artwork celebrates Australia’s exceptional food culture by capturing its bright spirit and bringing together the industry’s best to generously support some of our  most vulnerable,” said FareShare director Toni Hetherington. 

“As panic buying at supermarkets resurfaces during cluster outbreaks and the cost of fresh food fluctuates during the  pandemic, vulnerable people who live week-to-week continue to turn to food charities for assistance and FareShare is  committed to not only cooking enough meals to nourish those in need but cook the best possible meal for each individual.” 

Tonka’s halwa carrot cake

The purchase of every poster provides 70 meals through FareShare. Each poster is in A2 format (42cm x 59cm) and  printed on paper made entirely from 100% recycled single-use coffee cups.  

Posters are $80 each and available to pre-order online for a limited time from until 25 February 2021. 

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Bathrooms Expert Tips Styling

Styling art: what comes first: artwork or accessories?

By Alex Carter

What comes first, the art or the surrounding styling? It’s a bit of a chicken and egg situation but it doesn’t have to be hard! Picking art can be a daunting task, let alone figuring out how to tie it into a space.

The simplest way to do this is to start with a blank room and choose a piece of art that you love. From there, pull the colours out of the paintings with furniture, rugs, florals, ceramics, cushions, throws and any other accessories to create a visual journey linking colours in different mediums.

My favourite thing to do is to pay special attention to the least represented colours to really make the space exciting. In the living area pictured here I’ve used ‘Be mine forever and ever’ by Kirsten Jackson which only has one patch of green but I have emphasised this by including a shag rug with a bright green pattern, green velvet cushion on the rattan sofa and hints of green on other cushions and in florals.

By doing this, it makes the green in the painting stand out in a way it wouldn’t if there was no other green in the space.

If you’re adding a piece of art to an existing space, consider the existing furniture, wall colours and decorative pieces that will be staying and let this inform the colour palette of your selections. Like everything with colour, art can be complementary to the space or contrasting.

For example, in the dining room, the art is a huge ‘Happy Face’ painting by Kirsten Jackson. This piece is extremely vibrant, large and bold so I have made this the focus and kept the rest of the styling pared back with a few pops of colour to link the painting to the room.

Whereas, in the bedroom the painting is softer so I have amped up the colour and went all out with the bedding, repeating all the colours in bright and cheerful hues!

At the end of the day, art and colour are extremely personal and subjective. Whatever way you choose to go, having art in your house that you love will always work. It’s a fantastic way to show your personality and to change the vibe of a space by either making it exciting or relaxing. Trust your gut and have fun with it!

–Alex Carter is an interior and photoshoot stylist at harlow + willow

CREDITS

Artwork: Kirsten Jackson | Styling: Alex Carter | Photography: Jody D’arcy | Florals: Long Stem Florals | Style Assist: Julianna Love | Bedding: Sage x Clare | Homewares loaned by Mandi at Home

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Art Styling

Why you should splurge on professional framing

After a recent voyage to IKEA, I arrived home with big plans to create a DIY gallery wall only to realise that the frames I had purchased were literally all wrong! The sizes were slightly too big or small. The colours of the frames didn’t quite work with the artworks. My skills at cutting the mat boards were naught (FYI: they’re crooked and it’s driving me insane). In short, it was a very frustrating and time-consuming Pinterest-inspired disaster!

My failed gallery wall ordeal got me thinking – is it worth spending the money getting artwork and photographs professionally framed?

To fill me in on all the pro’s of going professional, I chatted with our friends at Format Framing who explained that not only does it eliminate the hassle of playing “picture frame Tetris”, but professional framing services can also ensure that you select the right frame for your artwork, print or photograph.

Image: Amelia Stanwix

Do it once, do it right

There is quite a lot to consider when looking at framing options – white frame, black frame, gloss finish or an inner frame – so it helps to speak to a professional who can guide you through the process. A professional framer can explain mystifying things like the differences between paper options and the benefits of mounting methods for your specific medium. With custom frame options you also won’t be forced to squeeze (or worse, cut) your art into the only frame sizes available instore.

Image: Amelia Stanwix

Protect your artwork

Good frames not only keep your art from deteriorating and losing its value, but they will also ensure the works are well presented. If prints aren’t mounted correctly they can easily move around inside the frame. Not only is this highly irritating for those of us who rail against crooked or uneven wall art, but dust can easily become trapped inside the frame which can wreak havoc on the quality of the print.

Image: Amelia Stanwix

A store-bought frame is often made of plastic or resin and may not be UV-resistant (note: Ultra Violet light is an “art killer”). This means that over time the artwork may fade, turn yellow and be damaged by the harsh Australian light. Companies like Format Framing use high quality, acid-free materials that will protect your art and keep it in pristine condition for years to come.

Format Framing offer gallery quality, archival, giclee printing and custom framing, handmade in their Melbourne workshop and delivered Australia-wide in two weeks.

They work with artists represented by some of Australia’s best commercial galleries as well as providing framing for the National Gallery of Victoria and the National Gallery of Australia.

For more art inspiration: Three ways to style extra large artworks

All photos feature Format Framing’s work.

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Art Styling

Three ways to style extra large artworks

Extra large artworks are an effortless way to create an atmosphere of understated luxury in your home.

Assuming that you can fit it through the door, an oversized piece is also an excellent solution for renters looking to add a big impact to plain white walls. Opting for a larger artwork will also help keep the space feeling uncluttered and most importantly, set the mood and tone of the room.

An Interiors Addict favourite and woman of many talents, photographer, stylist and author Kara Rosenlund has just released a new photographic print size option to her online store. To celebrate the launch of her new range, Kara shared with us three fun ways to style an extra large artwork in your home.

1. The lean

“I love the relaxed feel that a photographic work leaning on the wall gives to a room,” says Kara. “You don’t have to worry about hanging it and it gives you the versatility to handle the work like a piece of furniture and move it around the house.”

Kara suggests interchanging your artwork between rooms to lift and enhance the atmosphere depending on the season (or even your mood). An oversized piece can easily be introduced into the bedroom or hallways for some newness.

2. Companion pieces

“Pairing two extra large sized prints increases the visual impact of the works and is an effortless way to create an unforgettable space,” says Kara.

Kara’s big tip is to choose pieces to pair together that stay loyal to the same theme – seascapes, black and whites or landscapes with similar colour tones. This will strengthen your visual message in the room.

3. Make an entrance

Set the tone of your home as soon as you walk through the door with an oversized piece at the entryway.

“In my entryway it’s a rather narrow space, so I selected a vertical oversized piece to emphasise the height, rather than a horizontal work,” adds Kara.

Shop Kara Roselund’s collection of extra large photographic prints

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Art Expert Tips

How to: commission an artwork from an artist

Libby Watkins

By Libby Watkins

I am an artist who specialises in creating large scale commission-based artworks and I absolutely love it.

It can be overwhelming knowing where to start if you would like a custom created artwork. It is a pretty easy process and the same kind of questions arise with varying clients, so here is a bit of a rundown on commissioning artwork and some steps to help you adorn your walls with a creative piece you will love!

Firstly, pick an artist you love! The artwork will be something you look at every day, so you want to find the right style for you, and your space. Look through their pieces and find two artworks to reference for different reasons. For example, you might like one for colour and one for subject matter. Be thorough in your research here, look through their website and socials to get a broad view of their work.

Artist Libby Watkins

Secondly, size matters! You will need to be really specific on the finished size. Look at where you might want to hang your artwork. Create a mock artwork by taping the pages of a newspaper together to make a large piece. Always start large and slowly reduce the size until you are happy with it. Leave it on the wall for a day or two, reducing or adding to size until you are satisfied. This is the exact measurement you can now give the artist for a framed or unframed piece.

Now it’s time to engage your artist! The fun begins. Contact them and request a custom piece. Tell them why you have chosen them as the artist as this allows them to understand what kind of piece you aspire to own. You don’t want to give too much detail or direction at this point, as you want their creativity to flow naturally. Remember, you have chosen this artist for a reason — you already love their work and in that must be trust. Give them your two reference pieces and why you chose them. You can tell them the exact size. They will love that you have done your homework as this helps them; in most cases the artists can’t visit your space and a photograph can only provide a limited perspective.

You can touch on any specifics now, but remember keep it brief as to not cram their artistic thought pattern.

You will now want to ask them how they work. Do they sketch up for you? Or will they commence work and come back to you later to show progress of the piece? Make sure you are comfortable with the way in which they create your piece. Do you want more or less collaboration? If you see a problem now, speak up.

Time is money. Confirm the timeframe. When will you see a progress photo? (if applicable, refer to above paragraph). Or when will the piece be completed and delivered (I have been known to create mermaid tails in under a week, sometimes, even months at other times.)? You want to ensure this timeframe suits you, but you also need to be mindful not to rush the artist as it’s a creative process for them. They may do two or three versions before showing you a progress photo. They want to get it right! Be generous in your expectation as they may have a heavy workload at the time or varying intricacies in the piece you are requesting. Or neither of these, and they will knock it over in 24 hours! You may be given a range for example of two-to-four weeks from start to completion of the artwork. Rarely will you be given an exact date unless it’s a special request.

Enjoy the journey of creating your commission artwork. You want something at the end of it that you can stand in front of and feel what you set out to feel. You want to look at it and be proud to know you had creative input, or at least a vision, for the piece, and it’s now hanging in your home or workplace for all to admire.

–Australian artist and designer, Libby Watkins creates large scale artworks from her dreamy island home ‘Paradiso’ on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. A small limited edition collection is also released every few weeks online and in selected boutiques.

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Art Designers Homewares Interviews

Husband & wife artists team up on affordable art & homewares

Geoffrey Carran and Rowena Martinich. Photo Credit: Lovekit Photography

Both well-known artists in their own right – Rowena Martinich for her abstract expressionism and Geoffrey Carran for his more representational style – it was a natural progression for the husband and wife team to also become partners in work.

Geoffrey Carran and Rowena Martinich. Photo Credit: Lovekit Photography

Launching Martinich&Carran, their energetic and colourful artworks have now leapt off the canvas and onto a selection of limited edition affordable prints and homewares. Featuring the signature vibrancy that is so celebrated in their paintings and large-scale public art, the homewares make their work more accessible to a wider audience.

Wild Rose Print by Rowena Martinich

“Our mutual attraction to colour serves as a thread that ties our two distinct styles together,” explains Rowena. “We both thrive on scale and impact, and the way it can transform a space. This extends to exploring how our two practices translate into different products. It’s a fun extension – creating a range of textiles or objects that combine our work into something new.”

Coasters and Boxes by Rowena Martinich

Their online store features a selection of limited edition prints, alongside velvet-backed Belgian linen quilts, 100% cotton pillowcases, double-sided cushions, 100% silk scarves and hand painted indoor pots and woven baskets – all based on the designs of their original artworks. Asked to pick a favourite, for Geoffrey, it’s the hand-painted pots and woven baskets: “Each one is unique and a collectable artwork in itself. They really pop and every time I look at them I see something new.”

Cockatiel by Geoffrey Carran

Outside of the collaboration the Melbourne duo are busy, primarily painting murals, which bring to life building facades, retail shopfronts, commercial interiors and community spaces. They’re also continuously developing their skills, with Rowena starting to paint on the floor rather than her studio wall: “This way I am able to use larger brushes – like brooms and mops – to push large pools of paint around on the canvas. I get to walk amongst the paintings and use my whole body in the painting of giant brushstrokes.”

Geoffrey Carran at work

While their styles differ dramatically, their work shares a vibrancy of movement and colour that often blurs the line between art and design; ideal for unique, limited edition homewares.

Shop online | Artists we love

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Art Designers Homewares

Urban Road’s new collection an homage to the Australian summer

As I write this it’s pouring, my feet are hovering dangerously close to the fire and I am debating whether I should ever brace the outdoors again. So while those sweet, sun-kissed days are out of reach, I’m going to live vicariously through Urban Road’s latest collection Rhapsody, an homage to the Australian summer.

Drawing inspiration from brightly coloured beach umbrellas, toes dipped in cool blue water and moments spent watching sunsets with a cocktail (or two), the collection is a harmony of textured abstracts, intricately illustrated watercolours and photographic montages of the ocean’s dynamic ebbs and flows.

This collection also sees the release of Urban Road’s first ever wallpaper collection. Staying true to the brand’s iconic style, the range carries the motifs, shapes and moods that have popularised their collections to date.

The brainchild of self-taught artist and illustrator Suzie Atkin, Urban Road has been sprucing up the walls of homes since 2010. Affordable and high-quality, the artworks are easy-to-match with both contemporary and traditional settings.

From humble beginnings Urban Road now boasts over 1000 products – from its signature premium artworks, to cushions, rugs, acrylic art pieces and poster prints.

The Rhapsody collection will be available for purchase from 24 July.

Urban Road will be at Decor + Design in Melbourne this week, stand D26.

Shop online | Other places to online shop

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RENO ADDICT Shopping Styling

New black and white steel artworks for outdoors

Stylish and sophisticated, the matte finish of steel designer Lisa Turley’s new “monochrome” collection, makes a statement in any home or garden.

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Inspired by the clean lines and white palette of Scandinavian design, the distinct white finish looks fabulous both indoors and outdoors – adding a restful contemporary feel.  The super versatile black is a great accent, looking edgy and sleek, making greenery really pop.

black-summer-2016

Designer Lisa spent much time working on the perfect matte finish with each piece electroplated for added durability and finished by hand.

“It’s the combination of classic black and white and the amazing matte texture that really makes these pieces special,” says Lisa who recently launched the Summer 2016 collection in New Zealand.

summer-2017-white-full

Priced from $149, the collection can be purchased from selected retailers or online.

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Art Interviews

Brent Rosenberg’s digital artworks inspired by street culture

With a dream to start his own fashion line, Brent Rosenberg spent his early 20s learning how to create technical drawings and in turn, digitise them. And while the fashion dream didn’t reach fruition, it did lead to a new path of becoming a graphic designer and now, a full-time artist.

brent rosenberg

[contextly_sidebar id=”hOAxl2OqiegCskAY8JCzW6nnvBTt482w”]Despite creating digital artworks, Brent often begins by hand sketching to get the formation and perspective, before spending hour upon hour designing on his computer. Ending with contemporary artworks that combine geometric shapes with contrasting colours, his latest collection is very visually impactful. “I like the impact artworks can make. It doesn’t have to be deep and meaningful, it can just be a reaction, a simple ‘oh that’s cool,’ would make me happy enough to put my work out there.”

brent rosenberg

Influenced by the world around us, indigenous and generational culture and nature, his work has an underlying street art edge. “I love street art, not so much hood rat graffiti but more creative street art, whether that be paste ups, installations or pieces on massive walls. That urban street world has really influenced my latest works and I hope I can evolve it more and more.”

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Having made art his career for the last three years, Brent is 100% self-taught, as he says: “You could say YouTube gave me my degree!” His proudest moment thus far was when Simon and Shannon Vos used his artwork in their Block Glasshouse apartment, an experience that was pretty darn cool and surprisingly unexpected. “The proudest moment was when I bumped into judge Darren Palmer and his praise was pretty flattering. I never take life too seriously but that moment I definitely felt like I found my place.”

brent rosenberg 1

While Brent isn’t one to ever look too far into the future, he is hoping to spend many more years creating art. “I see myself still being me, doing what I love, surrounded by my family and friends. I’d love to travel lots more and just enjoy the experience which is life.”

To purchase Brent’s signed and numbered artworks you can visit his online shop or Greenhouse Interiors.

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Art Homewares Interviews

Self-taught artist Clare O’Donoghue turns art into homewares

It was while working in fashion, prior to becoming a mum, that Clare O’Donoghue’s painting became more than just a hobby.

ClareOD-Print-10173

“It started with my colleagues ordering pieces and then their friends,” explains Clare. “After the birth of my first baby 18 years ago, it become more and more busy and now in the last three years, ridiculously busy, with three more children added and doing a lot of work for interior designers and stylists.”

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Now working as a full-time artist, whilst juggling her other role as mum of four, Clare has had a life-long love affair with art. “I am a self-taught artist, although I have always loved art… in primary school I would sneak into the art room at lunchtime! I did a super short-term fine arts school stint, but in the end I just wanted to do my own thing.”

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[contextly_sidebar id=”WieQtPojRNbJE7wPAKQnU6ojd81FGHsj”]And clearly that approach worked, with Clare’s artworks proving so popular, she was offered the opportunity to turn them into homewares. “I was approached by Nerdia Hansen about 18 months ago, regarding them using my paintings to create soft textiles. So we selected some portions of my paintings, which were then printed on gorgeous textured linen and turned into cushions. I have also started to create lights, which are combining my paintings with lighting and fabric to create table lamps, wall lamps and pendants.”

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With her homewares and prints available via her online shop and a range of bricks and mortar stockists, Clare also makes one-of-a-kind mixed media commissions. “I use inks, pastels, perspex, acrylic, collage and paper, as I love using different mediums to create different textures and looks and creating layers. When it comes to creating art I cannot say I have a particular formula I follow. If it’s a piece for a client I usually have a brief which may require some concepts, but all my other work just leaps almost uncontrollably onto the canvas tweaking the entire way with lots of standing back in between!”

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With no grand plans for the future, Clare just hopes she can continue doing what she loves; making clients’ spaces feel good and most importantly, creating colourful, functional artworks that can positively affect the world. “It’s tricky to pick my proudest moment, but the feeling that comes with donating pieces to charity and someone admiring my work enough to bid, and then that money actually making a difference to someone’s life or foundation. Well that makes me feel really proud.”

Shop online.

Photography by Nikole Ramsay | Styling by Emma O’Meara

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Art Renting

7 artworks perfect for rentals

For art lovers, renting can seem like the kiss of death. Because when you can’t drill into walls, all those large artworks — especially the ones with heavy frames and glass — have to remain on the floor, or worse, in the garage. So how can you get your art fix when renting? Here’s seven easy ways.

Grab yourself a poster (40x50cm) and display it in this bargain wooden poster hanger (Editor’s note: since publishing this hanger has sold out. However, click here for another great option). Available from Typo in vintage or natural for $12,99, simply slide the poster between the wooden hangers and hang anywhere you like! It’s super light, so when it comes to hanging a temporary, damage-free wall hook will do the trick.

typo poster hanger

The self-adhesive extra-large Wall Stamps from Quercus & Co can be removed and reused over and over. Simply peel the backing paper away and stick to the wall. A bold, nostalgic decal for any room, they come in a variety of patterns, colours and sizes. Prices start from $45.

quercus & co

Featuring interchangeable letters, so you can personalise your lighting, the Compact Lightbox from Page Thirty Three is designed and handcrafted in Australia. Available in three finishes for $199.95, place it on your desk, sideboard or shelf.

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Handmade from cotton, wool and yarn the one-of-a-kind wall hangings from Maypole Design are truly something special. With a Large Hanging retailing for $80 (super affordable considering they take eight hours to make) they are created by entrepreneurial teen Maisie Callcott, who started her business at 12 (learn about her here). Hang with a temporary wall hook.

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A stylish and personal feature for your home, these custom self-adhesive Family Rules Wall Stickers make boring, fun! Coming in a broad range of colours, you can choose your own wording (and get a proof before printing). Easily removed from the backing paper, the fabric wall sticker can be moved over and over again. Available for $199.95 from The Wall Sticker Company.

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The Arrow Sculpture ($65) is made from natural twigs, so no two pieces are the same. Available from Twiggargerie in a large range of colours, the arrow measures approximately 40cm in height and can be hung with a damage-free wall hook.

Twiggargerie_Arrows_Wall_Art_Bright_Colourful_2_2048x2048

The Everything, All At Once Wall Hanging from Belinda Marshall features a digital print on Belgian cotton/linen fabric. Printed, cut and sewn in Melbourne, Australia, it costs $245 (excluding dowel or cord).  And better yet is light enough to be held up by a temporary hook.

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We hope you liked this list. Let us know what you’d add!

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Art Bedrooms Designers Homewares Styling

New Dreamland homewares collection from Art Club Concept

Fashion forward interiors brand Art Club Concept has released their new collection titled Dreamland. The range combines clashing monochromatic black and white patterns with pastel flashes for a cool, modern vibe.

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“The dynamic mix of pastel tones, contrasting prints and summer vibes will welcome the warmer weather into your space,” says Art Club Concept director, Ben Lawry.

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Self-confessed arbiters of home style, Art Club Concept see their wares as fashion for the home. Just as our wardrobes are updated seasonally, the increasingly affordable interiors scene means we can update our homes with the same frequency.

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And what of the collection’s name? “As a team, one of our core values is to create our dreams and this is what inspired our new Dreamland collection,” says Ben.

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A team of creative collaborators, Art Club Concept has a holistic approach to interior design with a particular interest in its effect on our headspace. “Studies conducted by the Queensland University of Technology have found that thoughtfully designed interiors have a direct influence on overall health,” says Ben.

Clear out the cobwebs with Art Club Concept.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Interiors Addict

Artist mum’s fight to find a cure for a rare genetic disorder

When artist Martine Vanderspuy’s 12 year-old-son Tom was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease (Mito), she was determined to use her art to raise awareness.

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Martine and Tom

Opening Martine Gallery, an art and homewares store in Sydney’s Northbridge, a percentage of the sales go towards helping to find a cure for Mito. “The emotional journey we have gone through with our son Tom over the past 12 years is my drive,” explains Martine. “He has had over 38 general anaesthetics and suffered much pain; although he always comes out shining. However, the clock is ticking. At this stage there is no treatment nor cure.”

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Martine Gallery

A debilitating genetic disorder, Mito robs the body’s cells of energy, causing organ dysfunction or failure and potential death. A new research study states approximately 80% of children who show symptoms before the age of five will die by 20, with the mortality rate in children being roughly that of cancer. As a result Martine has been a leading supporter of Mito research, with her personal efforts seeing her raise a massive $230,000 to date! Yet thanks to her gallery, Martine is hoping to increase that figure tenfold, with her cause not only being heard by the local community but the whole world, with many of her limited edition artworks being sold overseas.

Martine Gallery
Martine Gallery

With the gallery stocking her own work and that of seven other Australian artists, Martine’s particular passions are photography and painting aerial abstracts of the sea. “Over the past two years I have been painting aerial views of the sea. Something I photographed for many years and have now taken to the next level. The depth and vibrant colours of resin and paint are so exciting. As resin is a fluid medium, no piece is ever the same. It truly mimics water and waves. It’s so exciting to start a new painting as I have no idea what will evolve. My paintings work in harmony with many ocean view homes, bringing the sea into the home.”

Martine Gallery
Martine Gallery

As well as paintings, Martine has also designed a range of ART series bedheads and cushions that feature in the gallery. But her creativity doesn’t stop there; she has also designed a lot of her beautiful home. “Our home is a blank canvas of white walls allowing me to style an evolving palette. As I create new paintings the artworks, on the walls change, giving me time to critique them before they head up to my gallery. We never get bored!”

Martine's home
Martine’s home

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Martine’s home

A contemporary, open plan five-bedroom home overlooking Sailors Bay in Northbridge, Martine designed the house connecting the inside to the out. “Our outdoor pizza and BBQ room is the hub of our home a majority of the year. Almost all the rooms have large windows or doors allowing the light to filter in. Our view across the bay is so uplifting. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful city, to be woken by nature’s alarm clock, kookaburras.”

Martine's home
Martine’s home

For more on Martine and her cause.

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Art Expert Tips

How to create a gallery wall at home

Objects by Walter Knoll. Photo credit: Lumas

By Eugenia Wilson

You only need to do a quick trawl through Instagram and Pinterest to see that the gallery wall has taken off. And for good reason. Hanging a cluster of artworks together creates a visual feast that can immediately elevate a space.

Objects by Walter Knoll. Photo credit: Lumas
Objects by Walter Knoll. Photo credit: LUMAS

Gallery walls are one of my favourite ways to display art. It allows you to showcase your favourite art in an interesting way and really make a statement. So where to start and how to master an impactful gallery wall? Here is our step by step guide.

Choose your wall

Gallery walls can work almost anywhere in your home. But if you want to maximise the impact of a wall collage, put it in a powerful spot where it’ll be the focal point of the room. Galleries along the hallway of a house also work very well.

Choose the art

The most important thing to begin with is art that you love and that represents your taste, your style and your history. Depending on your personal taste, you may want to combine a variety of frame styles or stick to one consistent style. If you’re looking for a way to make sure your art works together, choose pieces that have a common thread – a certain colour for example. However you needn’t be limited by this – some of the best gallery walls combine an entirely eclectic range of art.

Choose your layout

Photo credit: LUMAS
Photo credit: LUMAS

The simplest way to arrange a gallery wall is to start with a horizontal line and place art either above or below it. We also recommend choosing an anchor piece – one that is a little larger and bolder than your other artworks. You may also wish to cascade pieces outwards in term of size – from largest to smallest.

Lay it out

We recommend measuring the amount of wall space you want to fill and then taping off that section on a clean floor. This allows you to space everything out the way you want in advance of securing it on the wall. Once you finalise your favorite arrangement, take some photos for reference when you’re hanging.

Hang it

It’s best to do this part with a friend so that you can make sure everything looks even and in the right place. Start with your anchor piece and work from there. We recommend hanging pieces at 165cm mark – as it is considered to be the eye-sight level of most people. This means that the centre of the picture should be at the 165cm mark on your wall.

— Eugenia is the Australian director of LUMAS, a worldwide gallery dedicated to making quality art more accessible for everyone. With a strong focus on photographic prints, LUMAS has a wide range of limited edition pieces to suit any taste, style and budget. 

Categories
Art Expert Tips

How to create your own easy original artwork

By Hayley Shaw

We live in an era where presenting your home in a modern and contemporary way has never been easier. With more shops pumping out accessories and furnishings at lower prices its easy and affordable to give your home a makeover.

Paint Tubes

[contextly_sidebar id=”GJm7eCNALwKwM98Qxzjj2QfXlyS9Fb37″]But there are still certain items which are placed on the significantly higher top shelves, for those wanting original pieces. I’m one of ‘those’ people. If I spot a vase I own on a friend’s hall table, mine will make a quiet retreat to the back of my kitchen cupboard to await the yearly house purge. Petty I know, but I can’t help it. I want to be different!

Amongst the original high-end items are paintings, and although ‘thought provoking’ art is usually worth every cent the artist is asking for, $5,000 for one piece is not going to fit into every budget. This is where creating your own original art can work beautifully. Sure, it’s probably not going to come to life like the works of Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo de Vinci or Bert from Mary Poppins, but just matching it in with the colours of your current decor items can really bring the room together.

I can sense a lot of you groaning so I’ve created a very simple, achievable example with steps, so you really can’t get lost.

Before you start, make sure you’re in ‘the zone’. You might as well enjoy the relaxation of this project so make a little me time. If the following apply, make sure the kids are happily watching a DVD, the pets are fed and watered, your other half is aware that you really need this quiet time to make you a better contributor to the relationship, then set the iPod to play relaxation tracks before putting on a pot of camomile tea. Perfect.

STEP 1 – Firstly, you’re going to need a few tools and supplies. Some of them you will probably already have in your stationery draw. For the example below I used a pencil, masking tape, a ruler, a paint brush, paint and a flat board canvas which measured 46x46cm. This technique, however, could be achieved on any sized canvas board or a canvas which has been stretched over a frame.

HOPE STEP 1

STEP 2 – I’ve chosen to leave a two-inch border around my painting. After measuring and marking the corners two inches in, use your masking tape to create the border and edge for your painting. Then using the ruler again, mark every two inches along the inside of the taped border on all four sides. I just marked it with a dot. Once this is completed you can start laying down your masking tape diagonally, matching each dot with the dot on the adjoining side. Repeat this process again on the reverse diagonal. It should now look something like this:

HOPE STEP 2

STEP 3 – Time to paint. Make sure the masking tape is well and truly stuck. If it starts lifting up the paint will bleed through underneath. Load your paintbrush up with paint and start painting, starting the stroke on the tape then onto the canvas. This also helps to stop the bleeding as you’re not pushing paint against the tape, but over and off it. In my example I’ve used orange, purple and green acrylics.

HOPE STEP 3
STEP 4 – Ta-dah! The big reveal. You can wait until your painting is completely dry before removing the tape but if you’re super eager to see your handy work remove the tape carefully. You don’t want to let any tape fall back onto the canvas as you’re pulling it off. Here’s how mine turned out.

HOPE STEP 4
As you can see on my painting above, there are a few spots where the paint has bled under the tape but once dry it’s an easy fix, just using some white paint to carefully touch it up.

Here are a couple of other paintings I created using the same masking tape idea:

barcode 1

Fireworks 1
Now all you need to do is to have it framed and hang it proudly. And the best thing of all? You’ll be hard-pressed finding any friends with the same painting!

–Hayley Shaw is an Australian abstract artist residing in Northern NSW. Her blog and artworks can be viewed on hayleyshaw.com.au

Categories
Art Homewares Interviews

Rowena Martinich’s vibrant art popping up around the world

Rowena at work

Renowned for her use of radiant colour, Rowena Martinich’s vibrant abstract expressionist paintings can be seen around the world; from a school mural on the streets of New York City, to a 50-metre long work on a sea wall in Turkey.

Rowena at work
Rowena at work

With a background in fine arts and having run a gallery space in her former years, Rowena has long felt containing artworks within a gallery is riddled with limitations. Favouring public art for its ability to be accessible to all, but simultaneously enjoying smaller commissions for clients’ homes, Rowena’s practice is very diverse. “My practice encompasses studio based paintings and commissions, and public works in urban and regional Australia (as well as internationally),” explains Rowena. “I also work regularly with developers, architects and designers to create bespoke works for commercial and domestic spaces and I have been fortunate to collaborate with some great brands, such as Nike, Dulux and Mecca Cosmetica.”

Headland print
Headland print

[contextly_sidebar id=”C1HS0MpuIGhyCq5OHjgaogiZzVL3gb5B”]Having been practicing professionally for 10 years, Rowena works out of her studio on the Surf Coast in Victoria. Working on six paintings at any one time, the studio is covered with large canvases stapled directly to the walls. “I move from one painting to another as the layers are drying,” says Rowena. “My process is very fluid, practiced and intuitive. My abstract works are very colour responsive and the balance that I create within the pieces comes very naturally to me.”

The sea wall in Turkey - done in collaboration with husband, Geoffrey Carran
The sea wall in Turkey – done in collaboration with husband, Geoffrey Carran

Sea wall close up
Sea wall close up

However, when it comes to creating public art her process is quite different, often working directly on-site. “When I work on-site I’m mixing paint, climbing ladders and scaffolds and painting onto the wall. I use big brushes to form big marks, and sometimes use chemical sprayers to spray out continuous splattery lines. The other approach to public art is when I paint onto clear adhesive vinyl and install it onto glass building facades. These works are painted off-site and installed like a giant sticker.”

plates-in-studio

While you’d think that would be enough to keep Rowena busy for a lifetime, she also creates limited edition giclee prints, textiles (derived from her paintings) and hand painted ceramics; all available through her and her husband’s boutique label, Martinich&Carran. In terms of her artworks, all commissions are available via Rowena herself, with her prints being stocked at Greenhouse Interiors and her originals through Koskela and Mark Tuckey.

For more information.

Categories
Art

Global ‘home-inspired’ art gallery LUMAS launches in Australia

Rather than being a traditional bricks and mortar gallery, LUMAS is designed to give visitors the feeling of being in an art collector’s home; showcasing its art in room’s that mimic living rooms, kitchens and libraries.

LUMAS Berlin - Mitte © www.lumas.com.jpg

I love this idea and clearly I’m not the only one, with the Berlin-based concept now having 40 galleries across the world! And now it’s coming to Australia, with the next site popping up in Melbourne’s Richmond this July.

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[contextly_sidebar id=”Co2TThKdwFVEXFoBPoWCTzLytnnHeExx”]Boasting a unique and authentic range of art – from photography and digital art to contemporary design pieces, the LUMAS gallery aims to make the art market more accessible for regular consumers. Combined with its online store, the Richmond space will offer more than 1800 pieces, all coming with a Certificate of Authenticity.

“LUMAS offers contemporary photographic editions that are expertly chosen, captivatingly produced and above all, affordable,” explains Eugenia Wilson, the mastermind behind LUMAS Australia. “The high quality is guaranteed and many of the pieces come hand signed and in limited editions of 75-150. These editions enable LUMAS to offer art at affordable prices, starting from just $200.”

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The new LUMAS Australia gallery will open with an impressive range of limited edition pieces, including best sellers Werner Pawlok and Bernhard Lang as well as Arthur Elgort’s refreshing photos of Kate Moss from the mid-nineties. The gallery will open on Saturday 4 July and is located at 597 Church Street, Richmond, Melbourne.

For more information.