‘My Country’ botanical velvets - left to right Rosie Pink, Betty Pink, Daisy Brown, Lilly Green, Melita Dusty Pink
Exciting news! Bay Gallery Home’s innovative fabric collection has been shortlisted for a major award at this year’s International Design and Architecture Awards.
Our ‘My Country’ range has been chosen by the events’s curators, Design et al, to vie with famous brands like Liberty Fabrics for the prestigious Fabric Design Award. The winner will be chosen by a judging panel of 26,000 industry professionals and announced at the awards show in London in September.
The ‘My Country’ interiors collection has taken five years of dedication and investment to build and it is a joy to see it being recognised. It has been created against sometimes difficult challenges, including the pandemic, Australian wildfires, personal tragedies and, in the fabrics case, manufacturers going out of business just as the first prints came off the press, leaving me to start all over again.
So much has been poured into this creation, with us often to’ing an fro’ing across the world to spend days and nights in the car driving around our desert communities in search of beautiful Aboriginal artwork. It has a been a real family effort too - my mother is always at the wheel (driving 3000km from Brisbane) and my children squished into the back for the long journey from Alice Springs to “Outbush”.
Lots of adventures were had including my Mum greeting us at Lasseter’s Hotel in Alice in 2017 with a lump the size of a grapefruit on her lower leg. “Oh, don’t worry,” she shrugged as she helped load our bags into the boot. “It’s just a snake bite I got sleeping in the swag on the way here.”
There have been many hours spent slogging up and down the motorways of the UK searching of the right designers and manufacturers capable of making a product that can compete against the worlds best design houses.
‘My Country’ is a collection of 12 breathtaking designs - all taken from the work of some of the most talented artists among the oldest continuous race on Earth - on a range of five fabric bases. They are suitable for upholstery and soft furnishings including cushions, lamps and curtains.
Thank you to all those who have collaborated with us and bought from us over the years. We hope you agree it’s been worthwhile.
‘My Country’ fabrics are from paintings by: Lilly Kemarre Morton (Lilly Green) , Betty Pula Morton (Betty Pink) , Alana Ngwarraye Holmes (Alana Pink), Daisy Kemarre Turner (Daisy Brown), Joycie Pitjara Morton (Joycie Yellow), Michelle Pula Holmes (Michelle Blue), Rosie Ngwarraye Ross (Rosie Pink and Rosie Blue), Ruth Nungarrayi Spencer (Ruth PInk, Ruth Blue, Ruth Red) and Sarah Napurrurla Holmes (Bush Onion).
Images of some of them are below (left to right): Michelle Pula Holmes, Lilly Kemarre Morton, Betty Pula Morton, Rosie Ngwarraye Ross and Ruth Nungarrayi Spencer.
Photograph credits: Alexandra O’Brien, Adam Carter & Lara Damiani Think Films
Sitting in my gallery, immersed in the rich beauty that has been generated by a community of Aboriginal artists far away in the Central Australian Desert I’ve received news from the other side of the world that the area where my artists live has been cut off by flooding. The sudden and often brutal monsoons that strike at this time of year are expected - it’s the wet season there - but this one has been more severe than usual.
Although I have made many trips to the Outback, the challenges these incredibly talented people have to overcome to make their work is never far from my mind.
This region has been left completely cut off for a week now. The dirt roads are under too much water for even the most robust vehicles to use, leaving those living there with dwindling supplies including food and, in the midst of their first Covid cases, vital medical supplies. The current situation has been described by local officials as “absolutely dire”.
At the community health clinic, there are just five medical staff to treat 600 patients. In recent days, they have had to handle three emergencies, including a birth, without access to Royal Flying Doctor Service support as the airstrip is completely inundated with water - it looks like a river.
From our gallery 12,000 miles away in Tetbury, we help support the Aboriginal art communities, as do many galleries across Australia and around the world, through the sale of the paintings, our ‘My Country’ interiors collection, homewares and accessories. This week we are excited to share our fabulous new rectangular cushions that have landed oh-so-softly in the gallery.
The limited run of locally-made soft furnishings, featuring the work of major art prize-winning Betty Pula Morton, Rosie Ngwarraye Ross, Melita Pitjara Morton (already sold out), Ruth Nungarrayi Spencer are plumped up and ready to go. You can see the collection on our Cushion page.
Over the weekend drop by our gallery and see what our artists are achieving in often very difficult circumstances. You’ll be as awestruck as I am every day.
Bay Gallery Home is hugely honoured to be included in the interior design industry bible, House & Garden The List. This is the first time an Aboriginal art gallery or interiors collection, has ever featured on The List so we feel like we’ve really achieved something special on behalf of Aboriginal artists. Hopefully this will pave the way for more Aboriginal designs to be explored and used within interior design. Our ‘My Country’ interiors collection is manufactured in the UK as we also wanted to support the British manufacturing industry.
Bay Gallery Home has achieved it’s goal of getting Aboriginal interiors on the world stage but we always need the support of our clients to help it grow so please keep supporting Bay Gallery Home and the Artists we represent by visiting us online or at our Gloucestershire gallery.
Bay Gallery Home has been meaning to write a blog for some time about the slew of environmental catastrophes devastating Australia. The impact of the widespread destruction of our home country, Australia, is extraordinarily difficult to put into words. My daughter, Greta, I think can say it best through the lens and emotions of a child: raw and honest. This is an excerpt of a presentation she did for a Australian fundraising event at her school in the UK.
“As you all might know some parts of Australia are on fire and that’s quite a sensitive subject for me as I’m Australian. The thing thats bothering me the most at the moment is the fires in Australia. It makes me so upset that I can’t do anything about it apart from think about it. I want to get over there and help the animals and the people. I want to help in anyway I possibly can and that’s why I think I am in this world. I want to hug everything. Thinking about going there again and seeing its all burnt down gives me the chills. The thing I most wish for this year is to make the world a better place.
We need to remember not only the iconic animals are in danger, like the koalas and kangaroos but the wombats, platypus, the birds, the Emus, insects, fish and many other animals and plants essential to the Australian eco system.
Please donate, if you can, to the fire brigade and the animal shelters. Thank you.” Greta, 11 years old
Here are some suggestions for those wishing to donate:
redcross.org.uk
findabed.info
NSW Rural Fire Service quickweb.westpac.com.au
Wildlife Emergency fund - wires.org.au
Animal Rescue Collective Craft Guild - making pouches for injured wildlife
A view from Bay Gallery Home, Tetbury, The Cotswolds
The gallery has many beautiful gift ideas for Christmas available from our Aboriginal art & interiors showroom in Tetbury, the heart of the Cotswolds.
You can choose unique, quality gifts from our Homeware & Accessories range or the ‘My Country’ Aboriginal interiors collection.
Bay Gallery Home safely send our mugs, teapots, soaps, moisturisers, throws, cushions, wallpapers, salad servers & bowls amongst many other products from our Aboriginal range all over the world.
Everything in the gallery is taken from original Aboriginal artworks with the artist and their community receiving royalties from each sale, thereby helping raise funds for community projects including transport from their remote Central Desert art centres to medical facilities in Alice Springs, Australia.
If you want to know more or place an order please email alexandra@baygalleryhome.com or visit www.baygalleryhome.com
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.
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.
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 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
Bay Gallery Homes’s Michelle Blue wallpaper is featured in the October edition of the World of Interiors amidst a sea of beautiful fabrics. We launched three new ‘My Country’ botanical wallpapers last week at Decorex: Betty Pink, Joycie Yellow and Daisy Brown.
We are delighted to be included in the Botanik feature in 'My Room' a "Raum Und Wohnen" special edition. The Swiss interiors magazine chose our Pink wallpaper to be showcased alongside hugely talented designers and design shops from all over Europe including Object Carpet, Trigger Design Studio, Wall & Deco, Petit Friture and Moooi.
Our award winning 'My Country: design with origin' collection is shipped worldwide through our website www.baygalleryhome.com. Please get in touch with any queries.
When we were young my parents flew a small aircraft around the Australian outback. These were the days where you could land next to Uluru and crawl all over it allowing you to experience its awesome spiritual power. Another sacred site we clambered all over was Kings Canyon. The worlds largest monolith and one its most ancient canyons were formed at the same time the first life forms developed on earth - around 600 million years ago.
Kings Canyon, covered with a plethora of fossil imprints was one of the most emotionally powerful places we'd ever encountered. This ancient canyon reminded us how insignificant we are in the big scheme of things (although 35 years on we have the power to destroy it all - after a five year fight in June this year the traditional owners learnt the mining threat, including fracking had finally been nullified).
While exploring Kings Canyon we came across this watering hole spending a significant part of the day enjoying its cool waters. As Watarrka National Park, where Kings Canyon sits, has been given back to its traditional owners you can no longer swim in it. It's now identified as a sacred men's site. We felt slightly heartbroken we couldn't share the same experience of swimming in it with our children. Much of what we accessed all those years ago is no longer open to us in the way it was. It gave us the slightest insight into what it must have been like to to torn from your land unable to share it's beauty and spirit with younger generations.
Rock hole found in the Garden of Eden, Kings Canyon, Australia
The MacDonnell Ranges run 664km across the Northern Territory, Australia through the Aboriginal countries and communities we represent. The Ranges are integral to their life and Dreamtime stories.
The Aboriginals (the Arrernte mob) believe three giant caterpillars: Yeperenye, Ntyarlke and Utnerrengatye created the stunning ranges after emerging from of an escarpment in Mparntwe or Alice Springs. Rock art exists at Emily Gap near Alice Springs which tells the story of the caterpillars emergence and bitter fight with the Irlperenye or giant stink bug which killed the caterpillars off.
Caterpillar remains made rock formations and gaps in the ranges. Surviving Yeperenye caterpillars made the rivers and the trees and in some Aboriginal Dreamtime stories the Caterpillar dreaming resides underneath the eucalyptus trees.
The McDonnell Ranges and the flora living on them is often depicted in the Aboriginal artwork and wallpapers we sell. The Country where they sit is the embodiment of the Aboriginal people who have been custodians of the land for at least 40,000 years.
The MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs
My Grandmother's Country by Denise Ngwarraye Bonney 107x51cm available online or in the gallery.
My Country, Wallpaper GREEN is a translation of a painting by Lilly Kemarre Morton, depicting the Australian outback: bush tucker & bush medicine plentiful after the rains.
Notice the sugar bag tree, rendered here in yellow by Lilly – a natural bee sweetener found in tree hollows, it is a favoured motif of hers.
Lilly's husband is the legendary Banjo Petyarre Morton, who led the historical Aboriginal stockmen walk-offs of 1949, successfully winning the fundamental right to earn wages instead of rations.
Bay Gallery Home's My Country Wallpaper, GREEN.
Lilly's landscapes beautifully communicate the rich knowledge she possesses of both medicinal plants and country, the heart of her culture.
As a young girl, Lilly lived traditionally off of the land with her family and Alyawarr people. In Lilly's lifetime, she has experienced and borne witness to the irreversible changes of country and way of life, previously unchanged for thousands of years.
She is now a kind and gentle elder of the community, and often tells her family and friends stories of how life used to be in Alywarre, her language. These stories are also a great inspiration for many of the artists within the community.
Lilly is passionate about nature, especially her country and the plants that grow on it, and though she has little English, she is ever keen to explain the various bush medicines which she depicts in her paintings.
