TALENTED TANYA

Fact: Alchemy is the pursuit of transmutation of base metals into gold or silver - chemists have engaged in this process for centuries. Artists over the centuries have also played with the idea of alchemy and believed that the process of painting requires some kind of inexplicable energy or focus that allows the paint to transform and transfix on the canvass as something other than paint - perhaps silver or gold.

Art, I feel, encompasses such a broad spectrum of genre that sometimes in its very guise things are misconstrued and represented to the world as art which fall far short of any expression attributed to it.  This is especially the case with abstracts or nude canvasses that leave all to the beholders imagination. Looking at abstracts and failing to make sense of it many a times (apart from certain modernistic merits that make them useful in  minimalist settings),  I have often wondered at the futility of this form of art. Often it has seemed the lazy-way-out as an artist - where fine technique has been abandoned and done away with in favour of wide brush strokes. Abstracts, I decided long ago, were not my cup to tea.

But then I came across Tanya Bonello's art during one of my usual google searches for up and coming artists last month- and kept coming back to the same page again and again and again. There was something different about her paintings. Her abstract paintings had a quality and texture I had never seen before - they were earthy, rich and mesmerisingly mysterious. The paint didn't look like paint, didn't feel like paint, the brush strokes, well there were none - colours and textures merged and blended subtly changing hues and patina. Some painting looked like a snap shot of the earth through a microscopic lens others looked like a view from a telescope of galaxies far far way. There was chaos on the canvas but the overall feel was so serene. How was that possible?

I got in touch with Tanya and learnt a little bit about her and her creative process. She uses gypsum, oils and a whole lot of different mediums  from rust to gold and silver leaf to create her art. Tanya is always in a state of wonder. She never believes she has it figured out. Her process is mysterious; she constantly embraces unknown factors to create new work.

“A few months ago I acquired a container full of rusting iron nails that had been removed from antique wooden furniture in a state of restoration. Wanting to expedite the rusting process I submerged the nails in water and added a pinch of salt. Two days later I noticed that the meniscus of the water was supporting an iron residue which could be removed from the water and transferred onto wet gypsum plaster. Through observation and trial I deduced that length of time combined with not disturbing the meniscus of the water yielded different shades of colours: pale to rich gold, raw sienna, and burnt sienna through to crimson. The sediment syringed out of the water presented umber to pitch black. I call it iron ink. The wet gypsum absorbs the ‘ink,’ fixing its colour”. On paper, black iron ink dramatically metamorphoses into a rust-orange within minutes to hours, and then the colour settles. Wetness and dryness affect the colouring strength/permanence. Different metals and grades of iron and impurities yield different results."

 Respect! No wonder her art is in private collection of many clients from New York to London to Dubai. Yes! yours truly is the proud connoisseur of Tanya's art shipped over from Cape Town.

BRINGING back BAROQUE!

Fact: The term Baroque was originally ‘barocca’ the name for highly prized, irregular pearls incorporated into fabulous, courtly jewels.  It now defines a design period which evolved out of the Renaissance’s formal, mannered style in the 1600s favoured all across Europe by Kings and aristocracy, but most famously in Varsellies, Italy - which also boasts the glittering  Hall of Mirrors- allegedly the brightest room in Europe from that era.


Of late I have been dreaming of tall ceilings.

Hall of Mirrors, Varsellies

Why? I am not sure and a google search revealed a paradoxical interpretation to say the least. On on hand, a tall ceiling in your dreams means realising your biggest achievement but also means literally a ceiling per se - as in there is no where else to go, you can't soar higher and are hampered by its very presence. Huh! I thought, that is so typical of everything I do - waking or sleeping ambiguity abounds-  no clear answers, no clear direction ...So, I chose to interpret it the way I thought - which is my fascination and love of tall rooms and of course all tall rooms (mostly reminiscent of the past) have the most remarkable ceilings, worthy of a mention anywhere, let alone my dreams!

I strongly think, ceilings are the most overlooked part of any interior design process these days - one that has great potential that is sadly unrealised ninety percent of the time. Artisans from the Baroque era would shudder to think what we do with ceilings these days - whitewash it and sweep away the occasional cobweb - maybe splash out on a chandalier or a couple of spotlights if our pocket permits and then sit back and ignore it - choosing rather to stare at the walls or TV than glance up, because there really is no need to! 

In parallel to Baroque era in Europe, where ceilings were mostly gilded, intricately plastered and painted with pictures of saints, a similar design movement across the Ottoman Empire gave us many grand buildings with the most amazingly decorated ceilings adorned with mirrors, mosaics, geometrical patterns and floral designs with an arabesque, islamic influence- but essentially baroquess in nature in its grandness and intricacy of design.

I think its high time that decorated ceilings make a comeback. We have done enough designing on floors and walls, doors and windows. The focus needs to shift upwards and onwards. But I do not believe that we should blindly copy and paste from the past. I am all for following tradition as long as tradition seamlessly incorporates into your world and enhances your life experiences. Todays design sense requires a more subtle, pared down approach - where elements of baroque design could be selected and used with new materials for a fresher feel. Whether you are minimalist or prefer choas, there is no reason why you cant draw inspiration from Baroque era. For example, an all white intricately plastered ceiling would go very well in a minimalist, monochrome room. Similarly a painted ceiling with an overlay of wooden, tin or copper trellis in geometric patterns would suit a traditional decor to a T.


A very select number of designers, not many I must say, are looking at the ceilings in their clients home and looking to hang not just a chandelier, but are shifting some of the accent colours and design  elements to the ceilings, while paring down on the design on the floor to create a balance - because that is the one thing that determines the success of a room with a decorated ceiling. It has to even out, what's on floor must balance whats overhead - otherwise you end up with a room strangely lopsided.


As for me, I will keep on dreaming, one day I intend to design my own retreat with the most amazing ceiling to look at lying on my time-worn leather couch! Meanwhile enjoy and start taking in inspiration of bringing on baroque in your residences...

Sheesh Mahal, Lahore

COVETING COURTYARDS

When I have a few hours to myself, I dream often of building my own summer retreat one day - a small cottage or a chalet somewhere tucked away in the mountains, not too far away from civilisation but far enough to breathe cleaner, fresher air and enjoy nature and all it has to offer.

Sometimes the dream turns into a yearning for greenery and mountains- living in Dubai can bring that on - and I find myself reaching for my sketch pad and drawing lines and angles that turn into rooms and spaces of my "imaginary" retreat. Pages upon pages of my sketch pad are filled with drawings of such plans - some dating back a decade and a half (yes, I am quite consistent in my dreams however I maybe in waking life!)  and as I flick through them, I see that I always try and squeeze three features into my designs -three design nuances not necessarily associated with cottages or chalet-like structures, I must add here.

The first is a  central courtyard - or my outdoors, indoor place as I call it. I know I love the verandah in my parents house and cherish the time spent there but often feel it is somewhat exposed to outside elements and lacks privacy - for example I would never lounge and just dose off there, no matter how relaxed I am feeling, hence my ingenious central courtyard in my designs because I figure it will give me the privacy to be as I want to be.

In some of my drawings, the courtyard is the main hub with all rooms surrounding and opening onto it, in others the main entrance door to the cottage opens onto the courtyard and the main rooms are reached after walking the length of the courtyard, in yet other plans, the central courtyard is off the main reception and flanked on either side by narrow arched walkways that lead to other rooms. But in whatever shape or form, it is always, always there -that outdoor space for lazy summer afternoons and evening barbecues.

The second is a reading space or a cosy nook flanked on either side by ceiling height shelves for books. I always try and keep this space tucked away from activity spaces like the kitchen or reception room and somehow try and squeeze in a real fireplace on an adjacent wall with enough space in front for a comfortable chair or small sofa.

The third is a dorm-style sleeping area - a long room with single beds along one wall reminiscent of boarding schools and shared giggles and secrets and perhaps Japanese-style sliding dividers in between or just plain curtains to pull around?

Now tell me I am crazy - and I'll tell you the beauty of dreams, you can afford to be as cuckoo as you like and no one bats an eyelid, escapism at its very best!