Vintage poster colour pop

I love the look of vintage advertising posters! They’re a great way to add a pop of colour or pattern to your walls and make a statement in their size. The posters can date anywhere from the late 19th century, when new printing techniques allowed for mass production of the coloured posters, through to the 1980s. Their original use was as a street poster, like the paste-up advertisements we have today, however they were often designed by known artists (ie Toulouse-Lautrec) which lends towards a more “high-art” status.

Due to the fact that they’re essentially a mini-billboard, the designs are often very graphic in composition; simple designs with areas of bright, eye-catching colour. With so many subjects being depicted in a range of styles, it’s easy to find one to suit any room of the house: food or drinks in the kitchen, or fashion in the bedroom etc… Or go for an unexpected subject placement, which can add a bit of quirkiness to any room.

Today there are lots of replicas available at a variety of different price points, however if you can get your hands on an original you know you’re onto a good thing; they can become a great investment due to rarity and collectability. As well as specialist stores, there are several sellers offering originals on eBay… The biggest problem is choosing which one to buy!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Sunday in the Gallery: Chuck Close

“Self-Portrait I, II, and III” – 2009. Oil on canvas.

Chuck Close is an American artist best known for his portraiture work, especially photorealism during the 1960s and 70s, a movement which developed in reaction to Minimalism and conceptual or performance art.

Close’s Photorealism involves painting from a photo onto a huge canvas, using a grid technique to ensure the painting is exact. Rather than each element being treated with the same focus, as in conventional painting, Photorealism mimics the focal points and blurred edges that are captured through the camera’s lens. This results in paintings which many viewers refuse to believe were created by hand.

His more recent paintings have leaned towards a more pointillist, faceted style, with the grid he uses to transfer the image from photographs to the canvas more pronounced, echoing benday dots used in CMYK printing processes.

In 1988, Chuck Close was left paralysed due to a rare spinal artery collapse. This did not spell the end to his career as an artist however, and he now paints with a brush-holding device strapped to his wrist and forearm. His subjects have ranged from self-portraits to celebrities and public figures, and he has expanded his artmaking to include printmaking, photography, and tapestries, however the treatment of the subject or media remain true to his photorealist beginnings.

“Leslie/Watercolour” – 1972-73. Watercolour on paper on canvas.

“Big Self-Portrait” – 1967-68. Acrylic on canvas.

“Mark” – 1979. Acrylic on canvas.

“Fanny/Fingerpainting” – 1985. Oil on canvas.

“President Bill Clinton” – 2006. Oil on canvas.

“Cindy” – 2006. Jacquard tapestry.

Images: Chuckclose.com and Pace Gallery.

Sunday in the Gallery: Robert Rauschenberg

For my first Sunday in the Gallery post, I wanted to share my all-time favourite artist, Robert Rauschenberg.

From the start of his career in the 1950s up until his death in 1998, Rauschenberg’s art experimented with the limits of what art meant, challenging the traditions of high-art through his use of found objects, performance art, and collage, which he mixed with traditional art processes such as painting and drawing. Being a mid-century artist working in New York, he was influenced by both the Abstract Expressionist and Pop Art movements. Stylistic elements attributed to both movements can be seen in his mixed-media works, which he termed “combines.”

“Reservoir” – 1961. Oil, wood, graphite, fabric, metal, and rubber on canvas

“Rebus” – 1955. Oil, synthetic polymer paint, pencil, crayon, pastel, cut-and-pasted printed and painted papers, and fabric on canvas mounted and stapled to fabric, three panels

“Estate” – 1963. Oil and silkscreen ink on canvas

“Untitled Combine (Man with white shoes)” – 1955. Oil, newspaper, photographs, postcard, fabric, graphite on paper, stickers, found painting, and other found objects

“Windward” – 1963. Oil and silkscreen ink on canvas

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Pineapple Punch

Pineapples seemed to be appearing in decor everywhere I looked, but did you know that they have been seen as a symbol of hospitality in America since the colonial times? Apparently back then, giving someone a pineapple as a gift showed them your intention to promote your friendship. These days people may think you’re a bit strange if you gifted them a piece of fruit, but with the motif making its way into so many decorative pieces it’s easy to keep this tradition alive, albeit with a modern twist.

With its unique, spiky shape and texture just begging to be explored in different forms, it’s easy to see why pineapples look great in home decor. While you need to balance out the look with other less exotic pieces (or risk your room looking like a Hawaiian luau!) they are a fun way to bring a bit of tropical, summery vibe to your home – try adding a lamp, a print, or just an ornamental version.

Ceramic pineapple from Alfresco Emporium.

This print is part of the Welcome to the Tropics collection from Wallstudio.

Pineapple wallpaper at Garden Court restaurant, Sofitel, Sydney.

Graham and Green’s beautiful silver table lamp.

A brighter version of a pineapple lamp via Pinterest.

A monochromatic pineapple print via Tumblr.

Below are a roundup of pieces which would be perfect to achieve this look:

1 – Zazzle Retro Pineapple print 2 – 1stdibs Brass Pineapple 3 – Emporium Botanica lamp 4 – Oliver Bonas forks 5 – Pineapple ice mould 6 – Zazzle Pineapple Hawaiian clock 7 – Kristy Lee Interiors pineapple print cushion 8 – Lazy Susan white porcelain pineapple 9 – Frederick Cooper Bermuda wall sconce 10 – Vintage Godinger silver bowl 11 – Wallstudio print 12 – SunnyLIFE candle 13 – Restoration Hardware curtain tiebacks 14 – Silver glass pineapple jar 15 – 1stdibs Vintage Italian Tole Pineapple shelf 16 – Megan fabric from Rubie Green 17 – Arty Pineapples fabric from demigoutte

Graffiti as decoration

Melbourne is well known for the street art which adorns the city’s laneways. That it’s constantly changing and evolving means it’s always worth exploring the walkways and alleys throughout the CBD and surrounding suburbs.

In most of the city, street art is celebrated as an expression of urban life. With graffiti no longer carrying the same stigmatisation which it used to, artists are being celebrated for their talents – exemplified internationally by the likes of Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Shepard Fairey and Banksy – all of whom have crossed over to the world of high-art.

I was impressed when I opened the most recent issue of Houses magazine to see this Fitzroy house (below), which has graffiti incorporated throughout the internal and external design – a reflection of its inner-city neighbourhood. Although it has been used as a feature, the architects (John Wardle Architects) have used just the right amount of restraint, making it interesting but not overwhelming.

Three above images from Houses magazine.

More information and ideas on incorporating street art into your home: 1, 2, 3, 4.