My Art Above The Fireplace Series came out of necessity. During my divorce and The Division of The Art Sketch (a story for another day), the piece above the fireplace (a lovely landscape by Ian Grant) was taken by the ex leaving a large gaping hole. I decided to use this space as a micro gallery and showcase emerging artists I rate to hang their work in a domestic setting. The resulting series is the joyous outcome of what was a tumultuous time.
Edition 5 – Sophie Carter
Sophie Carter is the most exquisite painter of clouds. I have on my to do list ‘Cloud Painter Blog’ and one day when I am a bit bored I WILL write this and Sophie will feature right at the top! I was lucky thanks to lock down to live with this painting for several months and it was simply joyous and I never, ever tired of it. More work from Sophie can be found here.
Edition 4 – Alice Kemp
It was Alice Kemp’s subversion of painting that I loved. Alice is interested in challenging the idea of ‘High Art’ by referencing things associated with femininity such as craft and the decorative and then, turning them into painting. We have loved living with this decorative painted carpet on the wall – it has made the room feel homely, warm and yes, well more feminine and I will miss its texture and crafty feel. More work from Alice can be found here.
Edition 3 – Yuichiro Kikuma (Mangi)
I have followed Mangi ever since buying one of his (completely different – a landscape of a council estate) works at Wimbledon College of Art Degree show. I have followed him ever since, through his MA and then out through the other side. I love the soft, cloudy fuzziness of these artworks – they are actually about contemplative mark marking, about observing the tiny nuances that small differences make (in this case the spray painting nozzle that Mangi uses) . I have hung this work opposite his work from 10 years ago – a visual metaphor for me: that these are book ends to a journey that I have also been on for the last ten years, that everything changes and that the only permanence is impermanence. More about Mangi can be found here
Edition 2 – Tom Wilmott
This edition was all about the paint. Tom’s painting shouts out to be touched, peered into, looked at from a different distances. Far away the work is about how colour and line work. Close in is is about how the paint bundles up or is it about how smooth the spaces are or aren’t? The more you look at these paintings the more you see. I also loved the fact that they felt like daily reminders of ice cream. More about Tom can be found here: Tom Wilmott.
Edition 1 – Alice Neave
There is something I absolutely love about Alice’s mark making. This artwork was gorgeous to live with – fresh, light, breezy and the colours worked beautifully in my interior. Check out Alice’s website here: Alice Neave.
