In the UK Spring has arrived with lambs tripping across daffodiled fields. To bring some of that beautiful outside spirit in your home our Joycie Yellow is the perfect choice. Joycie Yellow is often used to brighten bathrooms and kitchens. The many colours artist Joycie Pitjara Morton used in the original painting have translated splendidly onto the wallpaper. The oranges and greens pop depending on the light and angle its viewed at so there’s endless choices of fabric colours for blinds or other soft furnishings you can pair it with - including our own fabric collection. Or you can opt for one of our other ‘My Country’ wallpapers which are equally as endearing with their depictions of sacred outback Australian land.
Our wallpapers suit many residential and commercial projects and have been used across the world in English period homes, French chateus , and contemporary houses who’ve opted for minimalism but needing a pop of colour and design with soul.
What’s your favourite?
Stock is held in Australia so if you’re an Australian customer please be assured your ordered will be sent from there. If you contact us and you don’t get a reply please check your Spam. We always reply immediately.
Melita Dusty Pink wallpaper in background is from an original artwork is by Melita Pitjara Morton
Ruth Pink cotton velvet cushions are from an original artwork by Ruth Nungarraryi Spencer
The Surrey Splendour invited us to be part of its Home Edit after “scouring the county [and a bit beyond] to find some exciting home inspired businesses to ensure that any renovation project exudes quality and design.” We are thrilled our ‘My Country' Aboriginal interiors collection was selected - it is so lovely to have the work of the Artists we represent embraced by so many in the UK, which in turn helps support the Communities and the Central Desert art centres.
Click on the link to to read more and explore the other businesses selected for the Edit.
Vinterior the worldwide online vintage, antique and unique ethnic resale behemoth has published their first magazine. One of Bay Gallery Homes paintings by Flora Nakamarra Brown, Mina Mina Dreaming was curated by Louise McKinney for the magazines first Art Edit.
Louise McKinney of A-I-R, a collective of leading cultural advisers from around the world, previously lead development programmes for world class galleries: the Lisson, Serpentine and Whitechapel. To read more about Louise and see the other curated works for the Interior Art Edit please go to vinterior.co.
Athena Nangala Granites, Yanjirlpirri or Napaljarri-Warnu Jukurrpa, (Star or Seven Sisters Dreaming)
Bay Gallery Home often gets approached with people wanting to us to sell Aboriginal paintings they’ve bought. Sadly time and time again we have to inform them that the paintings, despite having [questionable] certificates of authenticity, are from disreputable sources. Most likely they are fake or they have been acquired under sweatshop conditions. Aboriginal artists are particularly vulnerable if they are not working within the protection of an Aboriginal owned art centre.
Bay Gallery Home won’t deal on the secondary market as we only work with art centres ensuring the artists are renumerated for the paintings we sell. We’ve been wanting to write this blog for sometime as it’s evident questionable works are making it into the UK market. There are several reputable dealers in the UK so if you want an authentic work please approach any of us so we can ensure you have a work you can be confident is genuine, you can resell and that you are assured the artist will be compensated for their work.
To help you work out how to buy good Aboriginal art not “rubbish art”:
Look up address of gallery and thoroughly go through their website. Many of the questionable paintings or “rubbish art” we are offered are for sale with only a PO Box as the address. Sometimes the sellers name alerts me that something is up. In the 15 years I’ve been dealing Aboriginal art I’ve never come across a gallery operating under the name or the dealers name appearing on the certificates I’ve been shown. Look carefully at the photo of the artist on the certificate. Does the artist look happy? I’ve been shown certificates where the artist clearly looks distressed, others where the artists head doesn’t even appear in the picture. Sometimes the background itself is distressing - a dirty bit of carpet they’ve been sitting on for hours painting an artwork surrounded by shopping trolleys out the back of a building. These should all ring alarm bells.
You may be offered paintings by carpetbaggers. Carpetbaggers are people who approach artists and offer them very little money for the paintings then go on to sell them for a large profit. Often these people were professionals who came into contact with Aboriginal communities through their work. The prevalence of carpetbagging is one of the reasons art centres were established.
The works should be on good quality linen. If the work is painted black to the edge and the “canvas” feels plastic then it’s best avoided. Art centres do not offer paintings like that. In the past we have been offered paintings like this and could not authentic where or by who they were painted.
Beware of sheer bulk of work offered. If you are offered a choice of hundreds of paintings (remember the ones on a plastic feeling canvas) approach with care. Many of the Aboriginal communities are small with 30-150 artists painting at any one time. These works are then chosen by established galleries around the world.
If you want an Aboriginal painting try to buy one from a gallery with bricks and mortar not just an online presence. You should be able to see and feel the painting. Ask lots of questions about the stories behind the painting, the artist and the community. A legitimate Aboriginal art dealer will be able to answer all your questions as well as offer you anecdotal stories because they have been to the art centres and met the bulk of artists they represent.
Ochre paintings have employed “chemical fingerprints” so as to identify works produced by Aboriginal artists (ochres are mainly used by artists in the Kimberly region). The chemical is mixed with the paint so as to distinguish authentic art from imported art done by non-Aborignal artists.
Sometimes people comment that our paintings aren’t perfect. Funnily enough imperfections are what you are looking for in Aboriginal art. Many of our paintings will have bits of the desert in them, human or dog hair and we’ve even had one with tomato seeds! Dogs are central to Aboriginal communities and form an important part of art centre life so are often sitting close to the artists so it’s no surprise their hair makes it into some of the work. While the artists are incredibly gifted with geometric patterns if you have a work that’s gone slightly awry then it’s more likely authentic.
Steer clear of sites like eBay where a lot of fakes or paintings done under duress are offered.
Cultural appropriation is a major threat to the authentic Aboriginal art industry. Moves have been taken to curtail this, like the Australian Government initiative ‘Fake Art Harms Culture’, but we ask you to be mindful when buying didgeridoos, boomerangs, digging sticks etc. A lot of these are imported from Indonesia and China. A shocking example of this in the UK was a fake work used in Ricky Gervais’s tv show After Life. The painting used was a copy of a painting by Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, Tingarri Dreaming (1987). Derek Productions, Gervais’s production company has since paid compensation to the artist and obtained a retrospective license to use the painting. Timna Woollard, the artist commissioned to copy the original art work has said to was among those commissioned for a UK television and prop company in 1989.
Painting by Steven Jupurrurla Nelson, Janganpa Jukurrpa (common brush-tail possum Dreaming
Happy Christmas!
And we hope you have a wonderful New Year/New Decade in 2020.
Thank you to all those who have bought from us over the last year and given us the encouragement to continue to grow our ‘My Country’ collection. We also thank you for supporting the Artists we represent by buying through Bay Gallery Home. And to all those who have Collaborated with us: photographers, makers, graphic designers, our suppliers a huge thank you for your hard work over 2019.
The work of our hugely talented, dedicated artists in the Central Desert means we can bring something beautiful, unique and steeped in ancient iconography to the the UK.
Lukarrara Jukurrpa (Desert Fringe-rush Seed) by Priscilla Napurrurla Herbert) is available to buy from www.baygalleryhome.com
‘Stories and Structures - New Connections’ is a fascinating new exhibition touring Australia presented by Microscopy Australia.
The exhibition reveals similarities between Aboriginal art and microscopic structures hidden in the natural world. Amongst the works made for the exhibition are paintings by artists Bay Gallery Home represents including Judith Nungarrayi Martin’s Janganpa Jukurrpa (Brush Tail Possum Dreaming) - Mawurrji and Lukarrara Jukurrpa (Desert Fringe-rush Seed) by Priscilla Napurrurla Herbert.
As the Aboriginal’s have had an intimate relationship with Australia’s landscape and animals for over 60,000 years it shouldn’t come as a surprise that their artwork reflects their environment even on a microscopic level. However, the similarity between the paintings and the microscopic images is remarkable. And moving.
To read more about this exhibition click on the link below.
Annabel Smith of Telescope Style - one of Bay Gallery Home’s champions recently spoke with June Bailey on the Radio on Marlow FM 97.5 about her burgeoning online travel inspired interiors shop. Annabel has scoured the world and many trade fairs within the UK and Europe searching for designer makers using pattern and colour with a directional bent celebrating cultural heritage. We were lucky to be chosen as one of her boutique brands and have her explain more about our business on Mid Morning Matters.
You can listen to the interview here:
https://www.marlowfm.co.uk/listenagain Choose Mid Morning Matters from the box, then choose Thu October 10 (scroll to 94:50 for Annabel’s slot!) Copyright Marlow FM Ltd 2014...
Spears from one of the Central Desert Aboriginal communities we work with. These are made by the men as “men’s business'“ using Mulga trees.
A few years ago we visited the British Museum’s ‘enduring civilisation’ exhibition which was an incredibly moving experience. The skill required to produce these beautiful artefacts including the feathered string necklaces, pearl shell pendants and woven baskets was breathtaking. The exhibition revealed so much more about the gifted Aboriginal people than we were taught at school in Australia. It helped explain a deep intelligence connected to the land and animals which flew directly in the face of any colonial claims the Aboriginals were “primitives”.
Amongst the artefacts held by the British Museum many are sacred and therefore not supposed to be seen by the uninitiated - seeing them was a guilty pleasure but also helped us understand why they were so important to the Aboriginal groups they had been taken from. Large tranches of artefacts in Australia are held in the National Gallery of Australian in Canberra (among other state galleries/museums and private collections) with only the traditional owners allowed access to view them.
Next year marks the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s voyage which took him to Australia and ultimately led to the end of the Aboriginals traditional life and the removal of their cultural heritage. Manchester Museum is marking the event by returning 43 ceremonial artefacts to the Aranda people and Gangalidda Garawa people among other Aboriginal groups.
This repatriation of Aboriginal artefacts by Manchester Museum back to those they were taken from over the course of white Australian settlement will no doubt lead to healing and reconciliation between all those now occupying the vast Australian continent.
Our recent foray into 100% Design London 2019 was four days of pure interior designer jubilance.
Bay Gallery Home offers colour and pattern with origin helping support the Aboriginal artists we represent. The Australian Aboriginals are the oldest continuous race in the world sustaining symbiotic relationships with the land. Designers were keen to embrace the traditional owners’ depictions of their land and Dreamtime stories and we enjoyed meeting so many professionals in interior design and architecture who worked across residential and commercial projects.
Some of the most interesting conversations we had, were with those in the commercial sector looking to add colour to the grey/black/wood/concrete/stripped brick interiors they have been specifying for years. One designer said he had being asked to specify internal gardens, including moss walls, but as an alternative he wanted to offer our Lilly Green wallpaper.
One of the best moments of a design fair for us, is watching people’s faces as they come across our stand and the Aboriginal designs for the first time. As we explain the origin of the designs and invite people to explore our stand, it’s great to see any self consciousness leave them, opening them up to a wholly tactile experience as they study the fabrics, wallpapers, tiles and rugs.
We were also thrilled many interior designers wanted to specify our ‘My Country’ collection for their own homes.
Bay Gallery Home is excited to announce we will be exhibiting our My Country: design with origin Aboriginal interiors collection at 100% Design from 18-21 September, Olympia, London.
Its core range of wallpapers, ceramic wall tiles, rugs & tables, and a bespoke made to order service, draw upon British manufacturing skills to translate this Art for Interior Design. 100% Design will be the first opportunity for many in the design world to see our recently complete fabric collection comprised of cotton velvets, cotton half panama and linens.
We will also have original artworks available to view and buy off the stand.
If you’d like to schedule an appointment at the fair please email alexandra@baygalleryhome.com
My Country and Bush Medicine painting, by Betty Pula Morton, a finalist in the 2019 Hadley’s Art prize for Australian landscape painting.
Bay Gallery Home has sold many exceptional Betty’s since we started dealing with her art centre. We also chose to translate one of her paintings into wallpaper and fabric.
Betty is an incredibly gifted artist whose work is endlessly fascinating. We wish her all the luck in winning the prize on 19 July 2019!
Please follow the link to see the other finalists and find out more about the Hadley Art Prize.
Telescope Style seeks, curates and sells elegant, destination-inspired products for home & lifestyle. Items with a direct, unmistakable connection to a country, region, landscape or city. They source from well-travelled, design-led creatives, with a focus on quality, originality and timelessness. Bay Gallery Home is thrilled to be featured by Telescope Style on their latest blog.
Please follow the link below to the complete article.
Athena Nangala Granites, Seven Sisters Dreaming or Star Dreaming - this painting has been sold.
Exciting new art is available through our Art pages where you can click on the images for more information including the paintings origin, artist details, size and price. We ship any size anywhere in the world so if you love it buy it and we’ll get it to you safely and quickly.
Since our last photo shoot another shipment of beautiful paintings have been delivered to Bay Gallery Home so visit us to see them before they are uploaded onto our website. Please check our contact details and blog updates for opening hours.
Please email alexandra@baygalleryhome.com with any queries.
Rosie Ngwarraye Ross, one of our favourite Central Desert artists, painting in the art centre with fellow artists on what’s bound to be a hot day but they like to stay rugged up when it’s anything less than 40 degrees!
Rosie uses a bold palette to capture her love of the wild desert flowers and bush medicine plants found across her Country.
The omission of the sky in many of this groups compositions allows you to scan the landscape without any focal point thereby drawing your eye across the painting - in no particular order. It is when looking at these works, sometimes for the umpteenth time, we find something new. Almost like it’s secret.
We have a new Rosie in stock which will share with you in a blog early next week. Keep an eye out for it when it’s uploaded for sale on the website. It reminds us of a Monet…
Two years ago Alexandra, Bay Gallery Home owner travelled to the central desert community Daisy Kemarre hails from. Alexandra on a mission to find a painting for interior designer Tom Carey who graduated as 2014 Student of the Year from the KLC School of Design.
Tom works in Arts and Crafts, Gothic, Aesthetic and High Victorian styles. On one of his projects he was using William Morris wallpapers but as the ‘My Country’ Lilly Green invoked William Morris comparisons Alexandra thought she could source a painting he could use in his room schemes. So Daisy’s painting became a wallpaper in turn becoming a fabric.
Daisy Brown fabric can be ordered as a linen or half panama. The half panama retains the vivacity of the original work. If you want to match the wallpaper it’s best use the half panama but if you’re after a more rustic feel it works beautifully on the linen.
All ‘My Country’ fabrics will be available by the metre on our shop shortly. In the meantime you can place orders with alexandra@baygalleryhome.com or call 07776 157 066.
Bay Gallery Home is happy to share that our long awaited for Bush Onion cotton velvet has made it to our showroom.
The journey to get this velvet made encompasses ten’s of thousands of years, trips across the world, hours travelling to and from the artist Sarah Napurrurla and a lot of time finding designers with the skill to translate the Aboriginal paintings into repeat designs for velvets. Our designers have put their all into making our velvet range technically and aesthetically fabulous. It is another groundbreaking achievement for those collaborating with Bay Gallery Home helping make our vision reality.
Bush Onion cotton velvet is available by the metre. It is not online just yet so if you’d like to place an order or request a sample please contact alexandra@baygalleryhome.com
Featured painting Ben Jangala Gallagher.
Velvet floor cushion features Bush Onion dreaming design from original artwork by Aboriginal artist Sarah Napurrurla. The cushion was made by Kelli Angel.
International Women’s Day is when we celebrate being women and acknowledge the challenges we face and often overcome. These Aboriginal artists lived a traditional nomadic lifestyle before the “white fella” found them in the desert. Given the lack of valuable resources and remoteness of the Warlpiri land the skin groups were mostly left to continue their life unhindered. However, some were pressed into domestic servitude as well as experiencing violence at the hands of the white settlers. The Coniston massacre was amongst some of the worst violence visited upon them seeing many retreating to place like Mt Theo to hide.
The spirit the Warlpiri people retained despite the harshness of the new life thrust upon them has passed onto future generations. Judy ( in the forefront) was instrumental in retaining knowledge of Country by sharing her life stories and Mina Mina Dreaming with the younger children. She was the embodiment of strength and wisdom who became an internationally renowned artist despite all the challenges she and other Warlpiri woman faced.
telescopestyle, the destination inspired product range is complimented by a carefully curated selection of unique and vintage items, each with a distinct connection to a place, country or culture. By sourcing innovative designer-makers both here and abroad, they’re creating a global style map, charting decorative aesthetics and artisanal craftsmanship the world over, often reimagined with a fresh, modern twist.
Annabel, the force behind Telescope Style found us at our first trade fair the London Design Fair, Tent London in 2016. She immediately fell in love with our ‘My Country: design with origin’ Aboriginal interiors collection and as a result our wallpapers are now represented on Telescope Style with many other great, emerging brands. In the coming weeks telescopestyle will be featuring sharing more of our story so you can sign up for their newsletter on the link below for more news.
Two of our incredibly talented artists who are painfully shy sit outside the art centre where they gather their painting materials before disappearing to paint. On their return they saunter in, often barefoot in clothes, they choose for colour and pattern, clutching exquisite completed works depicting the bush tucker and medicine of their Country. When we visit they are intrigued as to which work we choose to sell or translate into wallpapers. The painting on the art centre wall is inspiring us to upscale the next wallpapers in the collection!
It is a huge privilege to work with these women who empower us through their tenacity, fortitude and innate talent. Funds from each wallpaper goes to them and other artists in the Community providing painting materials, healthcare, transport and schooling in both Aboriginal and Western cultures helping to bridge the gap.
The wallpapers are available from our Cotswolds gallery or online at www.baygalleryhome.com
