When designing an interior, it's best to start with the art, but in the case of The Garden Apartment G1, most of the artwork was collected and created towards the end of the installation. As an interior designer partnering with Marcia Smith on this project, we could do whatever we wanted (which is always the beauty of showhouses). In addition to artwork loaned by Craft Alliance, a donated piece by Jim Harris, and donations from the collection of Marcia Smith, I included ten of my own pieces.
Marcia and I considered what we would most like to see on the walls. Ellsworth Kelly seemed a common denominator for the design of G1, and rather than purchase a poster or (dreaded) giclee print, to my studio I went, pulling things out of storage and creating a few appropriated images.
"No 9"
latex on canvas
2011
Renee Flanders
The scale of this particular piece was necessary to cover a small window which previously had housed the heating and air-conditioning unit. We decided to make it go away with a large painting paying homage to Ellsworth Kelly.
"Clay Court"
latex and texture paint additive
2011
Renee Flanders
For the piece above the wall shelf, I again borrowed imagery from Kelly, but determined that it should be a textured surface and much larger than the original. I've always loved the game of tennis, especially playing on clay. To paint a tentative tennis court was fun, too.
"Red"
oil encaustic on canvas
2011
Renee Flanders
We wanted a splash of color. As the opening night play for the season was "Red" by John Logan, it seemed a no-brainer to do a red painting at the front door. Appropriately enough, the play was about artist Mark Rothko, who loved the color red.
"Read Book"
latex on paper
2011
Renee Flanders
Renee Flanders
Gathering steam, I was inspired to make a book cover in red entitled "Read Book" by RCF. It's good for a laugh in any context, I think.
"Hand"
asphalt and styrofoam
2007
Renee Flanders
I actually found a piece of roof tile in the shape of a hand when walking Chewy a few years back. It beckons one to the black box galley kitchen.
"5 MINUTES"
oil on cardboard
2007
Renee Flanders
This was pulled out of storage, too...never imagined that it would be in an actor's suite! How perfect is that?!
Bedroom art
"Dot"
asphalt and styrofoam
2009
Renee Flanders
Circles rule! My favorite shape since the age of 5...
Circles rule! My favorite shape since the age of 5...
Bathroom art
"Copy of Nickel"
plastic and styrofoam
2009
Renee Flanders
Ya gotta have good bathroom art!
"Toilet"
porcelain, polished chrome, red lacquer
2011
Renee Flanders
Who doesn't enjoy a good pun? I've signed many a toilet with R. Mutt in my lifetime and never tire of laughing at the same joke.
"Fountain"
porcelain
1917
Marcel Duchamp
Here's the original, from nearly 100 years ago. Duchamp bought the urinal from a plumbing supply store, put it on a pedestal, and entered it in art exhibit that promised to accept all art. He proclaimed, "Anything is art, as long as the artist says that it is."
"Fountain (After Marcel Duchamp)"
cast bronze
1991
Sherrie Levine
A good idea never dies.
"Bouquet"
latex on canvas
2011
Rene Flanders
Originally, Marcia and I had planned to have the "Knappa" hanging light fixture from Ikea over the table. That plan was scrapped when we decided to stay with the recessed light fixture already in place. The idea evolved to my drawing the "Knappa" on the chalkboard wall in the dining area. I did draw it, but was not satisfied. Back to my art storage I went, and came up with "Bouquet", part of a series I did inspired by Lucio Fontana, which immediately brightened the space with its blooms.
Artist and interior designer,
yours truly, on opening night.
I hold 3 degrees: a BFA and MFA , both with majors in Painting and an AAS degree in Interior Design. In graduate school we joked that the acronym MFA stood for Mighty Fine Artist. I think of my background in fine arts and art history as the foundation of what I do as an interior designer.
For more exciting details about The Garden Apartment project, see At Home magazine Nov./Dec. 2011 on newstands now! Here is the link:
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