With her father an industrial chemist for paint brand Matisse, Lara Scolari grew up in a home that was abrim with the finest quality paint.
“Samples of luscious paints were always lying around our home,” explains Lara. “I was constantly encouraged and supported to explore and create without boundaries from my artistic parents. This upbringing, a love of expression and art, has informed my life.”
Leading her to many years of study, including the fine arts, arts administration, ceramics and a current Masters in cross disciplinary arts and design, Lara now works full-time as an artist; something, she has always dreamed of. “I love that I can now focus on my art full-time. I am also currently a director of the Hunters Hill Art Gallery and love supporting the arts and other artists by connecting opportunities with enthusiasm and expertise.”
Aquarius
With an abstract expressionism style, Lara focuses on the use of line, organic shape, layering and colour. Using a variety of mediums such as acrylic paint, spray paint, string (and other experimental techniques), pastel and oil, her art making practice relies heavily on impulse. “As with my personality, I like to explore and act on impulse. So in the studio when working, if I have an idea — even if it is crazy like I need the mesh from the oranges’ bag so I can spray paint through it — I just do it! Sometimes it works out and sometimes I just paint over it.”
Purple Rain
[contextly_sidebar id=”kzmHfbrfuBqG3h3YshZQCnG30mJXIuK7″]Having held her debut Sydney exhibition last year, where she sold all 40+ artworks on display, Lara has now opened her follow-up exhibition, Tingle, at Sydney’s Art2Muse. “My latest body of work will be on exhibition at Art2Muse until 16 March, followed by Hunters Hill Art Gallery, Moree Art Gallery, Brisbane Modern Art and Tusk Gallery in Melbourne.”
Pear
While she may have just completed an impressive body of work, Lara has no plans to slow down. “In the next few years, I would like to expand and develop my own art making practice by exploring cross disciplinary forms. I have so much energy and so many ideas!”
The impact of colour can completely transform your home during a renovation, but with endless colour palettes, how do you begin to choose the right paint colour for your walls? We show you how!
What’s light got to do with it?
Ever walked into a room that was big, white and just too bright? Natural light is a must for beautiful interiors, but if it burns your retina it’s time you tone it down. Before you choose a wall colour, you need to make an assessment of the amount of natural light in your space. If it’s too bright, tone it down with neutral hues; shades of grey, and biscuit will compliment almost any decor and can work well with existing furniture. Small rooms on the other hand, call for light walls to make them feel larger, but choose wisely because not all whites are the same.
How to choose your whites
With over 180 shades of white paint available on the market, choosing the right shade can seem like a laborious task, but don’t fret. First you need to determine if your room calls for a warm white, or cool white. Cool whites have a blue or black base added to them and they are ideal for neutralising bright modern rooms. Warm whites have a yellow undertone that can make a room feel cosier, and work well with more classic interiors; but be cautious, because a white with a heavy yellow or pink base can turn somewhat peachy, and let’s be honest, no one wants to go back to 1992! Our favourite is Vivid White by Dulux.
Jazz up monochromatic interiors
Are you a fan of simple, monochromatic walls? Don’t let others question your colour audacity, because by adding various shades of one hue, you can add a playful depth to your colour scheme.
2015 colour trends
Bringing nature into interiors is expected to be huge this year and the colour spectrum is wide. Living green walls and indoor plants are on trend, and when it comes to paint colour, think rich pine greens, mustard yellows and mineral hues, which will seamlessly introduce a raw earthiness into your space.
If you like light and dark colours in combination, 2015 is the year to marry them up. Embrace charcoal hues with earthy cool whites. Use your darkest colour to accentuate a wall that features artwork, or intricate architecture like an ornate fireplace in a period home.
Craving colour? Vibrant ocean blues, with bright Miami beach pinks and yellows are guaranteed to add brightness and energy to your room. Team these colours with modern, understated, perhaps even more vintage or retro furniture pieces, and accessories such as patterned cushions and throws. Nautical blues featuring bold patterns such as chevron and stripes are also popular and the look can be easily applied outside on a balcony or patio.
For something more punchy and elegant, you can’t go past Marsala; the 2015 Pantone colour of the year. Its’ rich terra rossa colour resembles the soil of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards so this one’s for the wine lovers. Use shades of Marsala as feature walls, or if it feels too pink, choose a lighter hue of the colour and carry it through with accessories.
Image: Annie Sloan via Interiors Addict
And lastly, grey is the new black; and we love it because it is so versatile. Think dirty denim, comfort, softness, and easy living. Yes, grey can be all that!
Draw colour inspiration from accessories
When choosing a wall colour, draw inspiration from artwork, or other accessories such as throws, rugs or cushions, where you may discover both your main and accent colours. Snap photos, collect samples, or even bring the actual accessories along to the hardware store so you can match the colours. Even if you’re sure you have found your wall colour, it’s a good idea to spend a few dollars on getting sample pots first; then either paint large white cardboard swatches, or add a couple of brush strokes on the wall. Let the paint dry, and inspect in the next 24 hours throughout different times of the day to see how the colour changes with light.
Feature wall dos and don’ts
The days of the random feature wall are long gone, and today’s interiors demand you to be bold, so yes, go ahead and paint the entire room with the colour you love. If you must have a feature wall, ask yourself why you need it in the first place? Feature walls serve as accents, so if that’s what you’re looking for, make sure you are accentuating the right wall. A wall that features intricate architecture, a fireplace, or a hideaway nook, are more deserving of an accent colour, otherwise you might be drawing attention to the wall that hosts your alarm control panel or air conditioner; not much to admire there, is there?
Primed and ready
You’re ecstatic with your choice in wall colour and can’t wait to get started, but before you do, consider priming your walls with a coat or two if they are fairly dark or have a heavy yellow tinge. This is particularly important for bright colours, which need a pure white base so that they can reflect their true brilliance.
If your walls are chalky, give them a good wash before priming with sugar soap; chalky walls indicate that the existing paint has started to deteriorate, which is quite common in 1960s fixer-upper properties.
Responding to the ever-growing demands, Temple & Webster have pulled together a program of limited time sale events featuring works from a diverse range of Australian artists. With the first sale launched earlier this week, featuring Sydney-based painter Emily Besser, the likes of Belynda Henry, Lisa Madigan and Lindsay Blamey will follow suit in the coming months.
With the sale events featuring a carefully curated blend of mediums including original paintings, limited edition prints, photography and assemblages, all art will be offered at a range of price points.
Accompanying each sale will be a unique insight into each artist’s story, the development of their work, their inspiration, their technique and how they bring their works to life, all told through Temple & Webster’s blog.
Urban Road’s new Sanctuary collection features 29 affordable canvas artworks and five new double-sided cushions designed to coordinate with them.
Delivering almost too much choice, the 2015 Autumn/Winter collection offers everything from light and bright florals to moody seas.
Available from 16 February, all canvases are matte artist quality with 38mm deep timber stretcher bars and come strung and ready to hang. Sizes range from 40cm x 55cm to 120cm x 160cm, with prices starting from $120. Light enough to hang with removable hooks, they’re a renter’s dream!
There’s nothing wrong with owning prints but there’s also nothing like hanging a piece of original, one-off art on your wall at home. And guess what? It doesn’t have to break the bank. We tracked down five entry level places for you to find an original online for under $500. We find we can never win when we write about art so we’ll also point out (before someone jumps in) that you can’t beat seeing art in the flesh before you purchase, so consider visiting exhibitions by local artists starting out.
Art Pharmacy: As one of Australia’s biggest online dispensaries of visual art, you’re bound to find something for all tastes. Spanning paintings to mixed media and everything in-between, there are more than 600 original works by emerging Australian artists. And prices start from as low as $80!
Painting by Cat Lee, $70
StateoftheART Gallery: Focusing on early career graduate artists, the online gallery features works that are contemporary, unique, of high quality, affordable (from $150-to-$900) and with the real potential for increasing in value.
Original drawing by Sally Arnold, $300
Lisa Madigan: Lisa Madigan’s artworks are normally beyond the reach of the everyday Aussie, however her 12×12 inch nature-inspired oil on canvas beauties are $440 a pop. They are also the perfect first purchase for those wanting to enter the world of original art ownership. Lisa is a favourite local artist of Jen’s.
Bluethumb: With over 1,000 artists listed in their online art gallery, all Bluethumb’s art is original and comes with free shipping nationwide; they even have a 7-day money back guarantee if you decide your piece doesn’t look perfect in your home. Prices start from $55.
Arcylic on canvas by Jessica Gordon, $196
Brigitte May: These whimsical and original illustrations are a personal favourite of mine. Created with watercolour, ink and pencil, prices start from $100. Brigitte is also happy to take on special requests.
In their annual colour forecast, Dulux have predicted soft pale pinks and muted mauves will dominate summer and the upcoming New Year.
Having studied design, colour and finishes from around the globe to develop the season’s predictions, Dulux’s summer palette celebrates tonal and pastel hues inspired by the soft glow of a sunset.
Dulux colour expert Andrea Lucena-Orr says these delicate soft tones used with neutral whites are perfect for creating calm and sophisticated spaces. “Key colours for summer are likely to be Dulux Wild Phlox and Dulux Stately Frills with accents in Dulux colours such as Mud Berry and Ellen. Layered fabrics and soft linen accessories will assist in creating a space that is fresh and inviting.”
Homeowners looking to make an impact can try an accent wall using a combination of these colours in soft organic shapes. A touch of soft green with the addition of an indoor plant adds a living element, essential for well-being and a connection with nature. Those wanting a more subtle hint of colour in the home can try an overall room colour in Dulux Mud Berry offset with a soft white trim such as Dulux Lexicon Half; adding tonal pastel accessories to complete the look
Andrea’s tips for homeowners using colour this summer are: “Be bold and brave – don’t be afraid to use combination or contrasting colours together. With paint it’s so simple to customise your own space within the home and can be changed seasonally to complement the mood.”
For more colour and painting advice visit Dulux online.
I’m no art critic but wow, Alexander McKenzie’s work continues to amaze me. These paintings are just magical. Or mystical. Or both. Either way, they’re amazing. His new show, opening at Martin Browne Contemporary this week, reflects his continuing exploration of a narrative within the landscape.
“The title, Acarsaid, is Scottish Gallic, meaning anchorage, and denotes the themes of refuge, reclusiveness and harbouring that are predominant in the new paintings,” he says.
Arcasaid, from 9 October to 2 November 2014. Martin Brown Contemporary, 15 Hampden Street, Paddington, NSW 2021. Online catalogue.
It was only 12 months ago that Kerry Armstrong decided to walk away from the comfort of her lucrative career and give her hobby, painting, the attention it deserved. “I had a very full on corporate life that kept me extremely tied up, so painting was my dirty little secret,” says Kerry. “Whilst I had always painted, it was purely recreational, stress relieving and I was quite guarded about sharing it. But I just felt if I didn’t give my art the time and energy it warranted I would have suffered huge regrets and always wondered if it was in me.”
Kerry Armstrong
Thankfully Kerry’s gut instinct proved correct, with her vibrant and abstract artworks already receiving international acclaim. “Recently, I have been signed to exhibit in a stunning art space in Boston, which has been my biggest moment thus far,” explains Kerry. “I travel back to Boston for the launch event on 7 October. My excitement and relief to have sent such a huge body of work so far has been amazing!”
Painting on very heavy Italian linen, for Kerry, using the best materials is pivotal: “I’m pretty full on with my distressing techniques so quality products are a must!” Paint wise, she primarily uses acrylics and inks, which create a style that is energetic and colourful with a strong sense of movement.
Interestingly, this is the aesthetic that Kerry has always loved, calling herself an Early Impressionist junkie. “Whenever we travel, I take the opportunity to visit the major galleries, just to stand near and take in the amazing energy of the Abstract Impressionist pieces. My absolute favourite is artist Robert Motherwell, so I am always striving to bring simplicity to my work.”
Normally having a few paintings on the go at the same time – so layers can dry – Kerry likes to “spend time” with each piece, allowing for new ideas to grow, as well as giving herself some breathing space should creativity be at a standstill. Yet if Kerry ever needs to get that vital bit of inspiration, she actually finds it somewhere quite far away from the world of art: in her dreams. “I have often woken myself with hand (painting) movements and vivid memories of the textures and palette!”
For a full list of galleries, exhibitions and stockists visit Kerry’s website here.
It’s an old and arguably tired adage, but the saying: ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ couldn’t be truer in the case of Feast Watson’s Re-Love Project. The initiative brought together eight designers who donated their time and expertise by ‘upcycling’ worn timber furniture items into unique, one-off designer pieces, all in the name of charity. For those new to upcycling, it involves turning used or useless furniture or other household items into something far more glamorous.
Simone Barter
The project was an undeniable success, raising an admirable $5,000 for Salvos Stores Australia after Feast Watson agreed to match the funds raised from the eBay auction of the pieces earlier this month. James Fisher, brand manager at Feast Watson, notes that the success of the auction was a great reflection of both the strong support demonstrated by the public, and the delivery of such stunning products from the designers.
The project also shines some light on a craft form that, while popular, has yet to come into its own; with many seeing upcycling as a task best suited to smaller furniture pieces. Salvaging a larger item of furniture from the trash heap and showing it a little TLC, can in fact yield fantastic results and doesn’t require a lot of hard work.
According to Simone Barter (above), who fashioned a stylish chair and desk combination as part of Re-Love, it all starts with the search. And once you’ve purchased your piece, creating a masterpiece is as simple as planning, preparing and then achieving your vision.
Check out Simone’s step-by-step guide to achieving the look:
What you need:
Feast Watson Timber Primer
Feast Watson Stain & Varnish Black Japan Satin
Dulux Super Enamel in Tango Semi Gloss
Dulux Super Enamel in Malay Grey Semi Gloss
Planning:
Decide where the item will be placed in cohesion with the rest of the space and then choose a desk that will enable a large workspace. “Shop around and explore old and loved stores, you never know what you might find or what bargain you could stumble across!”
Preparation:
Prepare the wood by sanding it back, first with a coarse sand paper, followed by a finer one to smooth the timber. When selecting paint, “choose colours that will add a ‘wow’ factor – I chose Feast Watson Black Japan, Malay Grey and Pop of Tango from the Dulux range for a dramatic effect.”
Achieving your vision:
After applying the primer and allowing it to dry, remove all drawers and apply the first layer of stain and varnish, building up coats until the desired colour is achieved. For the chair, apply the Dulux Super Enamel in Tango Semi Gloss then allow to dry. When it comes time to paint, tape approximately 10cm from the bottom of each chair leg, evenly wrapped all the way around each leg. Then paint the bottom section of each chair leg. Remove the painters tape when the paint is completely dry.
Australian contemporary painter Scott Petrie is back in the country, and will open his first solo exhibition, Beyond, at the RTIST Gallery in Melbourne from 10 September.
His first Australian exhibition since returning from Singapore, where he was based for the last three years, Beyond will include 12 artworks inspired by nature that feature a soft and subtle palette of pinks and blues as well as the more earthy greens.
“Beyond is about reflecting upon and looking for more than what your eyes can see,” explains Scott.“It’s about noticing your senses, feelings and the depth of these artworks, which have been influenced by my surrounds in recent times. I always look to nature, the sea, the sky and all that is around us. The peace, energy and strength of, for example a stunning ocean or expansive national parkland, is an experience I want viewers to get from these paintings.”
With a style that creates a depth and tone that changes with the light of the day, Scott hopes these vivid but subtle coloured works will stir up new emotions in his audience. “I want my artworks to tell others about my journey but also to have meaning for those who view my paintings,” says Scott. “I feel so very fortunate to be surrounded a lot by nature, which for most artists is the start and end point for inspiration.”
A favourite artist of ours and many interior designers, you may recognise Scott’s work thanks to Greg Natale often featuring it in his projects. Scott’s original paintings start at $2,800 at 50 x 50 cm size, up to $7,200 for larger paintings more than a metre square.
Beyond is on from 10 September until 1 October at RTIST Gallery. For more information visit Scott’s website here or RTIST Gallery’s here.
It was at age 15 that TJ Guzzardi began his journey to becoming a sign maker, taking his bass guitar to be pinstriped and being inspired to give it a go himself.
Photo Credit: Andrew Watson
“I saw a guy doing pinstripe designs on my double bass,” says TJ. “And while I watched him, I thought that’d be pretty cool to learn to do and so I decided to give it a try.” From there, he bought some brushes and started painting. Thanks to his dad owning a hot rod shop, TJ’s skills continued to grow, being commissioned by his clients to paint their cars.
TJ’s Melbourne workshop. Photo Credit: Andrew Watson
Yet it wasn’t until five years later that TJ really found his groove, when he took the jump from pinstriping to lettering. “I was asked to do a tattoo shop sign for a friend and I had never done any lettering before,” he explains. “I was always scared to give it a go but we designed it together and I painted it. Through that, I left some business cards and from there all the work I’ve done has slowly built up to a full-time job. Now I have jobs booked through to September which is really cool.”
Since those initial days, the self-taught sign maker has gone far, literally, with TJ having travelled around Australia painting signs, created a couple of signs for Mexican soft drink company, Jarritos, as well as being commissioned by Harley Davidson. “They invited me to create a helmet and paint one for an art show which they ended up buying and displaying in their Sydney head office,” says TJ. “They gave me a brand new helmet to do whatever I liked with, and I got to be very creative and make it look like it was 40 years old and all distressed.”
Harley Davidson helmet. Photo: Andrew Watson
A lover of everything 1950s, all his signs have a definite vintage vibe, something else which harks back to his childhood: “When I was a kid, my parents dressed very 50s,” explains TJ. “My dad was very Grease like, he had the slicked back hair and the leather jacket. I was kind of just brought up in that culture and have taken that and then combined it with my own feel.”
Painting on salvaged materials — anything from a toilet seat to an old trunk — TJ is not afraid to paint on any surface: “If the paint sticks to something, I’ll paint on it!” His sign making process is very delicate and time-consuming and is something that a select few will get to experience during the Meet Your Makers Studio, a new feature at the upcoming Life Instyle trade fair in Melbourne.
TJ’s Melbourne workshop. Photo Credit: Andrew Watson
Featuring artists and designers, including TJ, these live workshops will give visitors a unique opportunity to see how these creators bring their designs to life. “I’ll be painting one of my signs on the day, either an old sign for a café or just a decorative sign,” explains TJ. “I thought it’d be something cool to be involved in, a place where I could show my work to a different audience, compared to those who I normally do my work for.”
Life Instyle Melbourne is being held at the Royal Exhibition Building from 31 July to 3 August 2014. TJ’s workshop is on Thursday 31 July from 10-11.30am. More information on this trade-only event can be found here.
One of Belynda Henry’s fondest memories is the day she painted her first watercolour landscape, aged 10, armed with a red suitcase full of paints and the guidance of her artist father. She sat in a paddock for an afternoon and painted.
Years on, her love for landscape painting has not wavered, constantly being inspired by the colour and calm of tranquil landscapes, creating works that she describes as: “Very still but very alive.”
Working on both canvas and paper, Belynda uses a mix of acrylic paints and pastels. She uses lots of thin layers to build colour on colour, something that she believes is achieved most successfully through the simplicity of acrylic. For Belynda, using basic materials has certainly proved best: “I guess I could say after years of experimenting I have come back down to using just the basics. No fancy mixers and other paint effects to add, just a few daggy cheap artists brushes, a few spray bottles with water, some rags and I’m happy!”
This certainly doesn’t take away from the quality of her work though, with Belynda a finalist in the Art Gallery of NSW’s Wynne Prize both last year and in 2000. “To have your painting hung on the same wall as Australian artists that you have always loved and respected, is a wonderful feeling,” she explains. “And saying to my girls ‘look, that’s Mummy’s painting!’ It doesn’t get much better than that.”
PINK BUSH. Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 122×97 cm. $3,400.
Having studied both visual arts and teaching at university, Belynda never majored in painting, instead doing sculpture and printmaking. “I suppose you would say even though I went to art school, no one ever actually taught me to paint. Instead, it has taken me 20 years to work through experiments and mistakes, to work out the best way to use a paintbrush.”
VALLEY END. Acrylic and pastel on canvas, 87×87 cm. $2,500.
While Belynda has taught art at the local high school, lately she has been working solely in her studio, something she feels extremely fortunate to be doing. “Lots of commissions and lots of works selling, makes one happy artist!”
In her studio, she focuses on many works at the same time, often having four or five canvases and six to eight paper works on the go at once! “Just this year I bought some long tables and now I fill them with sheets of Arches paper,” says Belynda. “I find my smaller works often make interesting images and compositions that I can then use to attempt to create on a much larger scale.”
EMERALD. Acrylic and pastel on Arches 300gm paper, 57×38 cm. $650.
Currently painting day and night (often past midnight!), this year has seen Belynda produce a constant flow of paintings, many of which were exhibited in her Queensland exhibition earlier this year.
Colour blocking is a new trend in home decor; making use of two or three harmonious colours that look great together, then repeating them throughout the decor theme.
A kid’s room is perfect for trying colour blocking, giving it a stylish, colourful and playful look and feel. The dynamic result adds a fun element, with the added bonus of having your child happier about spending more time in there. If you’d like to try colour blocking in your child’s room, here are some ideas to get you started:
Be brave and bold with colours
A combination of blue, green and an unexpected orange can result in a striking look. The trick is to work with colours that are close to each other on the colour wheel for a balanced harmonious look, or those that are opposite to each other for a dramatic contrasting look.
You don’t have to go overboard to achieve colour blocking
Paint the walls in a bold colour. Then create one accent wall (for example the wall behind the bed or the wall with the bookshelves and study table unit) by either painting the entire wall in a different colour, or choosing artwork to achieve the same result. Let the same colours be used for upholstery fabrics, curtains and bed linen to get the perfect colour blocking scheme.
The good thing about colour blocking is that you can choose as many colours as you want and still achieve a sense of balance by using accessories like pillows, cushions, rugs, toy storage units and books to unite the many shades together. If the feature walls are a bright, funky colour like violet or yellow, the storage units can be infused with splashes of contrasting colours that complement each other.
If you think that incorporating your child’s favourite colours into the decor is becoming too bright, try to throw in some neutrals to achieve a sense of balance. Neutral coloured furniture, accessories and decorative items can help tone it down.
If you are new to playing with colours and aren’t sure about painting the walls in a bright colour or picking colourful furniture, you can also achieve colour blocking with accessories. If the furniture and walls are a neutral colour, try a bright, fun patchwork rug that covers the floor in blocks of rich colours. Then choose accessories like pillows, cushions, toy storage units, books and graffiti artwork in matching colours to let the theme run throughout the room.
Maya Savanovich loves writing about fashion, weddings and interior design (especially about kids’ rooms). A mother of two little rascals, she spent a lot of time decorating their rooms before deciding to try colour blocking in daughter Ania’s room. She also works for Bambinohome.
Gabrijela Iva Polic is one to watch. After graduating from the College of Fine Arts last year, she’s already been invited to take part in her first exhibition, after giving up her former life as a customs officer.
Entitled Sydney Who and held at The Hughes Gallery in Surry Hills, the exhibition will showcase up and coming artists of Sydney. Gabrijela is ecstatic to be involved: “From someone who just graduated from art school five minutes ago with no exhibition history, to work with an established gallery that has been standing since 1969, I was and am, seriously chuffed and honoured.”
Though it’s no surprise Gabrijela is getting recognition, her work very unique and distinct, it is rich in vivid colour and intricate patterns. Inspired by the shape of organisms that live off and grow from one another, her abstract shapes seem almost lifelike.
Love is a common theme for Gabrijela and her central inspiration: “I’m so inspired by love and everything that comes with it: the passions, the longing, the sadness, the bursts of joy. All of it and more.” Philosophy and the workings of the natural world are also heavy influences.
Yet it is not just the subject matter which is unique, Gabrijela’s use of materials is also worth noting. “The canvas works are predominately paintings, however if you get up close and personal you will notice quite a lot detailed of penwork,” she says. “The works on paper are quite often mixed media and on my new works I have been stitching into them with these beautiful metallic threads.”
Being an artist wasn’t always on the cards. For seven years, she worked as a customs officer, later juggling study and work and then finally taking the plunge and changing careers.
“Eventually I decided that the only way I was going to get good enough to make painting a full-time thing that actually worked was to hang up my customs boots and paint every day,” she explains. “I followed my heart and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Artist Madeleine Stamer’s work is hugely influenced by a Melbourne shop her mum took her to as a child and her dad’s love of birds.
Ghost Orchid
It just goes to show what a profound impact our childhoods, where are parents take us and what they introduce us to can have, and I think that’s rather wonderful!
Madeleine
“My mum has always been my style guru,” says Madeleine. “She’s a needlework champion and used to work part time at Priscilla’s Tapestry shop in High Street, Armadale near my favourite shop. Market Import, in the iconic Moray Street retail strip. Mum first took me to Market Import when I was a child. I have fond memories of the pure white walls encrusted with vibrant Mexican handcrafts, bedazzling like precious jewels. I recall being enthralled by the ladies’ gift-wrapping skills which involved wrapping even the teeniest of objects in layers and layers of rainbow-coloured tissue paper topped with fancy adornments that would make any recipient’s heart swoon.
Candy Floss and Composition (above) are the latest additions to United Artworks from artist Julie Robertson. Julie has joined United Artworks as a designer, providing limited edition pieces in this collection of handpainted pieces featuring vibrant colours and textures. The subject matters are purely abstract, but Julie also likes to reference popular animal themes as depicted in her dramatic composition Tigresse (below left).
Christmas and New Year are over so you know what that means (as well as going back to work and the gym)? Countdown to Australia Day is on! To celebrate, I’m running a fab competition in association with Haymes Paints and the prize is to have a room in your home professionally painted in the colour palette of your choice. What a great way for two of you to kickstart any New Year renovation plans!
Haymes colour and concept manager Wendy Rennie has put together three Australian-inspired colour palettes. To enter, just tell us which scheme you think is most Aussie and why.
Here are your choices:
Palette one: The Outback
The Australian outback is rich with colour – deep oranges, reds and ochres coupled with contrasting charcoals and neutrals.
Haymes colours: Rapunzel, Night Moves, Black Pitch, Worn White, Moon and Stars.
Palette Two: Sun, Surf and Sand
The relaxed lifestyle of Australians is synonymous with the beach, particularly as we are lucky to have some of the best beaches and coastline in the world.
Haymes colours: Barely There, Basic Instinct, Blue Mosaic, Danube Sky, Valley of Stars.
