I Love Kate Lewis

I am totally smitten with the artwork of Kate Lewis.  I love everything she does.  Her paintings have a soft, smudgy look which I think is very beautiful.

My Very Own Artist

A very funny and lovely thing happened to me today.  As it was a public holiday here, most of our day was spent pottering around the house enjoying some time with our boys.  I cooked a chocolate cake with Harry and Roast Chicken this afternoon for dinner.  I picked some flowers and herbs out of our garden and I tidied up the house.  Brad and I finally sat down in the lounge room tonight after we had fed the boys and bathed them and I looked over my shoulder and spotted Harry on the floor drawing.  I went over to see what he was drawing and I was so surprised and excited to see him drawing the vignette on our entry chest of drawers as pictured above.  You might think that I am making this up after my post yesterday in which I discussed my mother's entry vignette and Cressida's Campbell's artwork but I am not.

At one point he asked me to pass him down the orange vase so that he could examine it's details up-close.  I was even asked to sharpen pencils.  Of course I didn't argue as I was so excited to see him drawing the things I had arranged on our entry table.

This is the end result.  After looking over it and discussing it, he said he made a mistake with the placement of the pink chair and he said he might add the picture frames which hang on the wall behind the vignette but that's for another night.  On the back he has written a special note to me...I think my Mother's Day happened one week early!

PS...Did you notice Harry's fluoro pencils?!  They are the BEST pencils as the colour is just so vivid and bright.  They can be purchased from Toyworld if anyone is interested.

PPS...I must thank my beautiful friend and client Jules for the Phoebe Stephens yellow roses as pictured above which she delivered to me on Friday afternoon along with the big tub of potent Vitamin C which has done me the world of good...my awful flu has pretty much gone!!xx

Mariska Meijers

Today I am inspired by the artwork and words of Mariska Meijers. I have posted some of her lovely paintings and images of her creative space above.

In her own words...

"I collect, tower and pile stuff. I just can't help it. My house is like an over sized mood board. I hardly have room to manoeuvre. I admire people with empty houses and just can't figure out how they do it. I need my stuff, it inspires me, it is part of my life..."

I'm with you Mariska, all the way!!

Out & About: SGAR Opening

Renai Grace & Paul Spiro stand in front of one of the paintings we purchased last night by artist Simone Louise Gillespie

This is the other Simone Louise Gillespie painting we purchased

It was so nice to get out of the tracksuit pants I've been sporting all week and into some proper clothes with make-up on last night to head out to the opening of Spiro Grace Art Rooms in Spring Hill.

Brad, Harry & I decided we needed some adult time out so we decided to leave Max with his gorgeous Nanny Rhonda for a few hours whilst we attended the gallery opening. I had my first glass of French champagne in 9 months upon arriving at the gallery. It went straight to my head of course. We ended up purchasing 2 paintings by emerging artist Simone Louise Gillespie. I was so thrilled we decided on them straight away as every painting I looked at as the night progressed had a sold sticker.

Gallery owners Paul Spiro {yes he is related to me - he is my uncle} and Renai Grace will be showcasing emerging {and therefore quite reasonably priced} artists in their space on a quarterly basis. I for one can't wait for their next exhibition.

For all enquiries or to be added to SGAR's mailing list email Renai renai@sgar.com.au

Inside Out Art Auction

To celebrate it's 10th year anniversary Inside Out Magazine is currently running a fantastic art auction on ebay. My absolute favourite piece is the hydrangeas by Jacqueline Coates. It's already at $711.00 with 7 days to go but it's real value is $2,200.00 so it will be very interesting to watch this auction. There are lots of wonderful pieces by some talented Australian artists and creative personalities...click HERE to be directed to the auction.

Here's another piece I love by Jacqueline which I found on her website.

Smile

Today I stumbled across this great poster over at Made By Girl whilst searching for pieces for a cluster wall I am currently working on. Just thought I'd share it with you...

Allyson's Moths

As seen in Vogue Living 2002



Our moth painting in our lounge room at home

The pair hanging in the Number 16 Hotel in London

I remember the first time I spotted one of Allyson Reynold's moth paintings. I was in my early 20's flipping through one of my mother's Vogue Living magazines. I have posted the exact picture I spotted at the top of this post. I immediately fell in-love with that painting and the room it was hung in.

A few years later my husband and I purchased one of Allyson's moth paintings and to this day I absolutely adore and treasure it. I am often asked about this painting. I believe that Allyson had a couple available at Doggett Street Gallery late last year however, I think they are a little hard to come by these days.

Kit Kemp selected a pair of Allyson's moths for her Number 16 hotel in London. It seems however that Kit has revamped Number 16 as I just checked out their website and the paintings are still there but the room is completely redecorated. I was thrilled to see she kept the moths in place.

Allyson currently has an exhibition at Doggett Street Gallery in Brisbane. Unfortunately it seems there's no moths in her latest works.

Debra Dawes Paintings

I am a little besotted with these paintings by one of Australia's leading abstract artists, Debra Dawes. I love the clean, geometric lines and of course the vibrant colours. I think they would look wonderful mixed with some more traditional still life pieces. I enjoy mixing artwork styles in a home. Collecting and displaying fabulous art is another area where we can express our own unique individual style.

Thomas Meyer Portrait

Today I was searching for some pieces of art for a client for a cluster wall we are creating in her lounge room and I came across this gorgeous piece by artist Thomas Meyer via Jamie Shelman's website.

Miranda Skoczek at Edwina Corlette

I absolutely love the new Miranda Skoczek exhibition which is opening this Friday night at Edwina Corlette Gallery in Brisbane. Miranda's work is so beautiful and colourful and fresh. I am sure the exhibition will be a sell out!! For all enquiries contact Edwina Corlette.

There's My Chair

Anne Harwell recently painted the French chair in our lounge room at home and sent it to me as a very big surprise in the mail. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened up the parcel. I absolutely adore Anne's work. Her drawings are so precise and beautifully composed. I particularly love her chair drawings. Courtney's chair certainly has been a favourite in the blogosphere! If you would like your own copy of my French chair Anne is selling it in her etsy shop along with all of her other beautiful pieces. I am trying to find a special spot to hang my chair and the frame is also still being decided on. For the moment I keep on propping it up on pieces around the shop. It looks so pretty with all of our mismatched cushions....I am mad, I know!

Room Scheming

I would love to be asked by a client to prepare a room scheme around these two beautiful pieces above. They are simply breathtaking, in my opinion.

I could imagine an {almost} all-white colour palette with recycled European parquetry timber flooring and beautiful blue and white patterned fabrics on cushions and possibly on a couple of accent chairs here and there. I think I would use white slip covered sofas with frilled skirts {like the ones Joni posts}. Oh, and of course I would fill the room with blue and white ginger jars.

What would you do if you were given these two beautiful pieces to work with?

Woodblock painting by celebrated Australian artist Cressida Campbell and beautiful French antique mirror from Baran de Bordeaux in Auckland.

Loving Jamie Shelman's Work

I really like these original artworks by Jamie Shelman which I found via Chelsea over at Frolic.

Another Job In Progress

Here is another little job I have been working on. I will post more pictures of this one as it evolves also. I found these vintage lamps and had the orange and white patterned shades made to work with the client's existing Karlee Rawkins painting....a completely different look to the job in progress I posted yesterday.

Home Work

Over the last couple of weeks I have been doing a few little finishing touches at home. Last week I collected together some paintings I have and had them hung in a cluster on a wall in our kitchen. There are a couple of drawings Harry has done for me, a painting which I picked up down in Bangalow last weekend and a few other special things I have collected over the years. The trick with cluster walls is laying the paintings down on the floor in a layout you like first and then hanging them. I always have a professional picture hanger hang them for me, after I have laid out the design, as my husband is {unfortunately} hopeless with a hammer.

Lady Portrait

If I wasn't trying to be good I would snatch up this gorgeous vintage girl from Lynn at Paris Hotel Boutique. So, if any of you decide to snatch her up make sure you let me know as I would love to see where she ends up!!

Annechovie Print Sale

If you are trying to create an artwork cluster wall or just trying to find some lovely prints then you must know about Anne Harwell's amazing sale. Anne is currently offering 2 prints for the price of 1 at her Etsy store. I think this is an offer too good to pass by. Offer is only available until this Saturday 16th May.

Image - Annechovie

The Artist

Yesterday I posted images of our new display at Black & Spiro in which we have a painting by a talented new artist we are representing.

Her name is Diana and she is a friend of my mothers. She has been painting on and off for years. She painted the painting below and gave it to us as an engagement present 8 years ago. She has been painting for family and friends mostly however, she recently decided she would paint a few of my vignettes.

A few weeks ago she arrived at Black & Spiro with the painting above of some pink peonies I had arranged in a blue and white ginger jar on the bench in our kitchen at home. I actually posted this image on the blog late last year and she loved it so much that she painted it. I instantly fell in love with the painting. One of our customers also fell in love with it and it sold on the very first day we displayed it.

Her second painting which I posted yesterday also sold on the very first day we displayed it. We are now awaiting delivery of painting number 3 with a couple of our customers wanting to be notified when it arrives.

Diana is so excited, as am I. I have always loved her style and I am just so thrilled that she has finally taken the step to allow me to have her beautiful paintings on display at Black & Spiro.



Diana gave us the painting above for our Engagement present and I have continued to love it over the years. I have it hanging in our kitchen at home above an old chest of drawers which houses my napery collection.

Black & Spiro Today

I finally had all of the beautiful vintage fashion posters, which I purchased in Paris last year, framed. Today I had them hung in a cluster on a wall in our new display at Black & Spiro.

We used a silver bamboo frame on the posters with a white matting board. They look so beautiful. We have a total of 16 available for sale however, I think I am going to find it very hard to let some of these beauties go!!

I will be posting more photos of the display later this week, once the new curtains are installed, so do stay tuned.

PS. Notice the aqua wall they are hung on. I told you I was into aqua at the moment!!

I have been asked to provide pricing on the posters by a few readers. They are all $340.00 except for the LV one which is $480.00. Thanks for your interest!! Oh, and if you would like to see the full set available please email me anna@blackandspiro.com.au and I will email them all through to you.

Paintings To Die For...

Ever since I stumbled across Holly Farrell's work over at Wide Open Spaces I have been obsessed! Her paintings are so realistic at first glance I thought they were photographs. I absolutely adore her book paintings. Based in Toronto, Canada her website is fantastic for we Aussies who live a little too far away to view her work in person.

As a side note, I am currently looking for some beautiful original artwork to display in my store, Black & Spiro. If anyone is interested in submitting their work for consideration please email me...anna@blackandspiro.com.au. I would be very excited to see paintings of table vignettes, vases of flowers, room scenes, pieces of furniture, blue and white ginger jars filled with flowers etc. etc. etc. I am looking for pieces which are medium to large in size.