Thursday, 27 August 2015 by Irene Hoofs
Recently artist and graphic designer Silke Bonde released her latest watercolour collection "Looking Closer", an extension of her "Blue Water" collection. As already huge fans of watercolour, we immediately took to her collection and you can't deny it's beauty when you see so many instagrammers across the world style pieces of the collection in their gorgeous homes. Silke herself has a top notch home and we love seeing how she styles her own work within the space. The lines and texture in this series has this calming effect and it's simply perfection!
Her feed is a great mix of her art, interiors and plants - the winning combination..
Oh and of course one of our favourites, Studio Oink did an amazing job of photographing and styling the collection!
#BinstaGood
.. Follow Silke Bonde on instagram
.. Bloesem and Zara S. on instagram
Wednesday, 27 May 2015 by Irene Hoofs
Delicate yet full of character.. this collectible vase collection, Ruutu, is mouth blown by designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. These vases may look simple in shape, but the hard work that goes behind creating these watercolour-like beauties is what caught our admiration. Beware, this fun fact will amaze you too.. each vase takes seven most skilled craftsmen 24 hours to produce! Indeed, this takes true dedication towards ones' craft to be able to achieve such masterpieces. Apart from being just stand alone pieces of art, the designers also hand the job of the artist over to the users themselves who will be able to create his or her own individual landscape with the different sizes and colours of vases.
Ruutu, which means diamond or square in Finnish, takes a special meaning in this collection. For those who are not familiar with glass-blowing, glass is a material that likes round shapes making it very difficult to achieve precise geometric shapes. So the next time you see a glass vase in strict shapes, take a little moment to appreciate the hard work of the crafters behind them!
Tuesday, 26 November 2013 by Irene Hoofs
Walking up the stairs in Nora's Amsterdam apartment is like walking into an art gallery. The home of this art director, mom and crafter is full with modern and contemporary art just the way I would like to see it in my own home.
Nora and I met via Bloesem Kids ... when she wrote me about her love craft projects ... for the last year she has contributed many amazing and fun DIY tutorials. Last summer when I was in Amsterdam Nora and I met and she was just as wonderful as I had imagined her.
But let's talk art / prints and where to find these kind of things online ... Nora gave me some info per picture and I hope you will find the info useful.
Image above you see on top art by Dutch painter Bob Bonies and Nora bought it on the Dutch Craigs List called 'Marktplaats'. Below is a picture of Rome made by Nora her own mom who is a very creative and artistic person herself Nora told me.
Take a little tour with me after the break.
Left: Hiroshi Harada at Gallery De Vierde Dimensie.
Right side: Lynn Forbes from the UK ... Nora bought it on Ebay
The little truck is by Han Bennink at Gallery Kunst op Kamers.
On the far left art above by Nora's mom and below from her father ... yes Nora is lucky to have inherited some creative genes.
The famous 'Kannen' are by Klaas Gubbels which she found via Steen Drukkerij in Amsterdam. And on the right is a woodprint by Arjenne Fakkel.
Left top art is by Robert and Jeanne Schaap but unfortunately not more info to give ... The little frame below is by Andreas Brandt and Nora and her husband bought it a small gallery Spielvogel in Berlin. The print with green squares is by Gunther Tuzina and Nora got it via eBay. But Slewe in the Netherlands has some of artwork in their collection too.
Just a vintage barometer Nora got form a family member but thought painting it red would make more sencse ... I love how it turned out, you too?
Two by Noël Drieghe that they bought in Antwerp at gallery "kunst in huis". Below 'the table' is an illustration by Nora's mom again .. inspired by the work of Klaas Gubbels.
And next to it is a lino=cut called " het thee builtje" van Beatrice Kluivers uit '78.
Above again Bob Bonies. and below
And Nora's list of artist she admires goes on ... here just some more names and links to get you inspired too... Károly Keserü , Ko Oosterkerk and Paul van Rijswijk at Luycks Gallery.
hanks you Nora for sharing all the info with us!! You definitely helped me to get started and hopefully soon I will be able to hang some artwork in our home.
What kind of art do you have in your home? Do you have any favorites. Please leave a comment and share your ideas, tips and suggestions with us!
All images were taken by me, Irene.
.. Nora Vrba
Monday, 22 July 2013 by Irene Hoofs
The lovely people from Oh My Home send me one of their gorgeous new posters ... Taking Breaks is perfect for our Amsterdam apartment ... because this is going to be our place where we will be during our vacations ... relaxing, resting, enjoying and taking breaks!
I haven't had time yet to frame the poster but while looking for a spot where to hang it I made some pictures for you. The poster is not just paper ... it's plasticized ... meaning higher quality and longer lasting.
More posters by Oh My Home right here ... ps. great styling by this bloggers couple!
Tuesday, 7 May 2013 by Irene Hoofs
Receiving a handwritten letter per mail is simply the best. I so enjoy it when people take the time to actually sit down and write you a personal note. It does help that Annemoon her handwriting is very beautiful I must admit :)
Annemoon van Steen is a Dutch illustrator and graphic designer who recently created a set of very original zodiac cards. Based on her lucky charm dolls.
The zodiac cards are currently only available in Dutch but I'm hoping Annemoon will consider making them in English too. If you would like to order them you can send Annemoon an email.
[MORE IMAGES]
Thursday, 24 May 2012 by Irene Hoofs
Art in Your Home with Sue Williams A'Court.
A: Art means to me… Transforming personal experience into a new form and, for me, seeing beauty in our fragile, fleeting and AMAZING human experience; the desire and will to express that results in a painting somehow being created-the best bits usually arrive totally unplanned some how in the process of making.
R: Reading books, blogs or magazines... I have collected loads and loads and loads of books on artists and philosophers that inspire and are kept very close to hand on my studio shelves. I spend a precious guilty " cup of coffee-time" (or two..) in the morning after dropping my son off at school looking at inspirational blogs. For years i have torn out interesting bits from magazines and made piles of scrap book compilations that are a treasured personal resource for developing ideas and themes.
T: Trends I see in art or graphic design are… My husband, Andy, has his own design company and i've noticed how people come to him now not only for creating their brand but to make it work as a moving image- he does amazing animations for them and for T.V. In contrast to this highly teccy wonder world; i see that one increasingly important role of art that is 'hand-made' is to provide a window into stillness and a certain kind of focus - a very subtle intimate experience that fills a need that often can't be defined or articulated.
A: Artists I admire are... Oriel Harwood , Naomi Frears, Sarah Ball, Sabine Finkenauer, Darren Waterston, Caroline Wright, Kathy Dalwood, Gabriella Boyd, Mat Chivers, Lara Harwood, Daniele Buetti, Vicken Parsons, Norbert Schwontkowski, Phoebe Unwin, Phillip Allen...there's more but im boring you already....
N: Never will I... Never will i stop being grateful for a long list of things first of which is my family.
D: Dreams for my own work are... To get on canvas all those ideas that i have "brewing" and keep making paintings that i have no idea where they will lead...
P: Projects I am currently working on are... A series of mixed media and collage works on boards wrapped in raw linen. Three mixed media paintings with embroidery on handmade vintage linen from grainsacks, and an enormous canvas i only just managed to get up the stars into the studio....can't even begin to talk about it yet...
R: Relaxing I do at/when/if... To relax i meditate, go jogging, go for family walks around Queens and Highgate Woods, Gin and Tonic, listen to my son Fin playing and singing his songs on the piano...
I: Interesting art focused websites I like are... New Blood Art, Gorky's Granddaughter, emerging artists selected by Sarah Ryan throughout the year from the degree shows, and studios.
N: New in my home is...White plaster sculpture portrait of my son by my friend Suzy Zamit.
T: Tomorrow I would like to go to... to visit another friend Fiona Pitkin who is in fashion and has a huge studio at home like me - its packed full of this incredible inspiring eclectic stuff to tantalise my eyes and has big tables and cabinets displaying her handmade scarfs and printed fabrics - i love admiring her mood boards!
S: Studio, my studio is… Is on the top floor, into the roof and is a wonderful high light filled space on two levels. I can see Alexandra Palace from my desk window. Its a space where i can experiment and explore ideas freely and i associate it with the smell of freshly ground coffee since Andy makes it every morning up here.
Thank you Sue, for this lovely tour of the Art in Your Home. If you'd like to learn more about Sue Williams A'Court, please be sure to check out her website, and shop.
