The "artistic house" is for me the simple idea of a home with creative expression. I don't wish to make any claim to be an interior designer. The point is that surrounding ourselves with art has a way of nurturing and sustaining our day-to-day inner life. This idea came into focus when I was confronted with the challenge of what to do with a very ugly house that was depressing to live in.
After the initial repairs, I started out painting murals to make the house more livable. The results turned out well enough that the house has been featured in The Seattle Times, The Herald, on the cover of the Northwest Society of Interior Designer's (NWSID) Newsletter, in the American Society of Interior Designer's (ASID) 2005 Showhouse and on HGTV's Generation Renovation.
If you have an appreciation for anything artisan or handmade that has been passed down in your family then you no doubt already understand what I mean. The idea of an artistic house is to take that basic point about the quality of artisan objects, original art--paintings, quilts, pottery, calligraphy, wall murals, etc.--and carry it on to a higher level. In this way, art conveys meaningful connections to traditions, people, and places and all that helps to reveal who we are and the values that are important to us. And, of course, it mitigates against the effects of houses that lack a positive character or pleasing aesthetic.
Photo tour of
our artistic house
• Front Exterior
• Kitchen
• Dining and sitting room
• Patio and garden
To see more of my art, use these links:
