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Art to Interior
I love art. I considered curatorial studies for a time while in college. During my first exhibit installation, however, I broke two large glass plates protecting a famous photographer’s work. I concluded pretty quickly that “this is probably not for me”. Still, my love affair continued well into my interior design degree and career. There is almost no genre or medium that I don’t appreciate in some way. A 1982 kinetic sculpture and an oil portrait from the 19th century can both stir my senses. It follows then that artwork sometimes informs my designs.
THE STARTING POINT
Essie, Ruby and Ferdinand – Children of Asher Wertheimer, 1902
It’s hard to not love Sargent. His oil paintings are lush, moody and undeniably beautiful. I chose this work as a jumping off point for a media principal’s office for its sophistication and intimacy.
THE INTERPRETATION
The idea here is art as muse. I pulled what spoke to me – the colors, tones, textures and emotions. My design is an interpretation of the painting, not a copy of it.
Our client’s office is entered by way of an anteroom. The space is a waiting area for visitors and serves as a buffer between her office and the staff workplace. The finish selections and air of elegance are derived from the Sergent painting. But as this is a modern woman’s office and a Huntley & Co. interior, we changed tack by mixing genres and funking up certain elements.
– plan & anteroom elevations –
– office elevations –
Our client is a businesswoman and loving mother. She is worldly, feminine and capable – someone who is both interesting and interested. Her combination of sophistication, warmth and strength is part of what has made her a success in her field. With that in mind, we imbued her workspace with a similar sensibility and furnished it with antiques, modern European pieces and an impressive art collection. We think Mrs. Asher Wertheimer would have approved.
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Whatchu Lookin At?
Vicente Wolf published a book sometime back called ‘Learning to See’. I have always thought that was such a meaningful title. Seeing (and looking, fundamentally) is at the heart of a creative person. What drives artistic and design-minded individuals is a desire to seek out and study what’s interesting, beautiful and/or weird about the stuff of the world.
I’m no exception; I never stop culling the visual data around me. And I have no shame when it comes to capturing what I see on film. I’ll lie down on the sidewalk or crawl in the dirt if I see something worth photographing. Inspiration for my designs can be found in all kinds of places: museums, parks or city streets. It doesn’t matter if I’m looking at a Rodin sculpture or the bark of a tree. Cultivating one’s oeuvre (i.e. learning to see) means looking EVERYWHERE, even in the most unlikely of places.
– 3 unique versions of texture –
Left to right: DIY lattice on a courtyard door in LA; Crepe Myrtle bark in my neighborhood; a broken plate art installation at the 2016 AD Design Show.
Masterfully carved tassels and lace details on a marble statue at the National Gallery of Art.
– a sophisticated collection of swirls and curlicues –
Clockwise from top left: A frozen puddle in West Virginia; an antique carved marble table top at the State Department; an Art Deco planter on a Kansas City sidewalk; an ornamental fabric necklace in a London shop; a felt jewelry display at Anthropologie.
Left: Faux finish inspiration discovered at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Right: A sample of Japanning at the Geffrye Museum in London.
A large mineral sample on display at a mining museum in Creede, Colorado.
So many photos and so little time. This post could have been a mile long, so instead, you can expect a Part II, Part III and maybe even a Part IV of Whatchu Lookin At? Until next time — look, see and soak it all up!
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** all photos in this blog post are my own : )
THE MUSINGS OF DESIGNER TRICIA HUNTLEY
