A floral bouquet brings colour and decoration to the table. Embellish is a collection of still life paintings celebrating the hues and beauty of flowers and floral pattern.
The textiles and objects that dominated mid-nineteenth-century design are unapologetic in their use of colour and stylized floral motifs. These often-outlandish colours and bold designs appeal to me, along with a nostalgic connection these objects have to the past. There are memories of the décor I grew up with as a ‘70s child, and a joy that is experienced from colour and design celebrated with such abandon. A painting in ‘still life’ is an opportunity to play with these pieces, both as an experiment in composition, and as a playful, almost wistful, ideal.
I believe there is still a strong place for mid-century design to sit within contemporary spaces, hence my desire to share them in my work. These arrangements are not accidental moments, but thoughtfully curated, idyllic ‘windows’. Designed in themselves as an embellishment for our contemporary walls.
Artist Narelle Huggins
Bustle River Road gallery space. Opening 2-4pm Saturday 31st October 2020. Continuing until the 14th November 2020
A sneak peek of the pieces to feature in Embellish…
Camellias and the Marimekko bowl Hebe & the NZ pottery Proteas & the amber vase Chrysanthemums & the Babushka dolls Field flowers with the Noritake tea set Gum on the Australia cloth Michelia and limes Kangaroo Paw & espresso Grevillia in the olive jug Camellias & the Marimekko jug Magnolias on the carnation cloth Proteas & oranges The stage is set
All paintings are available for sale at Bustle during the exhibition.
‘Stylized Flora’ solo exhibition
