Bay Gallery Home's award winning wallpaper is now on Houzz the home of interior design, decorating, renovating and building inspiration. Houzz discovered our wallpapers at Surface Design in February and we're delighted their intrigue lead to asking us to being on their platform giving our wallpapers the chance of being discovered on both sides of the pond.
We have taken original artworks and translated them in coated non-woven wallpapers (made in the UK) producing an additional income stream for our artists and their art centres.
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.
In the eclectic Tile Trader (Stroud) you can now find our award winning 'My Country' Aboriginal ceramic wall tiles as seen in World of Interiors. Tile Trader supplies a large range of tiles to trade and the public.
The 'My Country' tiles are part of our 'My Country' interiors collection. They depict Aboriginal Dreamtime stories from the Central Desert of Australia the origins of which go back at least 40,000 years.
Each tile encapsulates an ancient culture whilst providing their Aboriginal community with additional revenues as money from each sale goes back to the artist and art centre. They'll give your space spirit and warmth.
Bush Onion 1 from the 'My Country' Aboriginal ceramic tile range
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
Papunya Tula is the legendary site where the contemporary Aboriginal art movement bloomed becoming famous for its Western Desert dot art.
Amongst the different displaced Western Desert people's brought to Papunya Tula (Tula meaning small hill where a Honey ant dreaming sits) were Tommy Watson, Clifford Possum and Ningura Napurrula, each of whom went on to become wildly successful international artists.
The original company now operates from Alice Springs but we paid a visit to the existing art centre and found some of the sacred iconography depicted in the early works honoured while developing new interpretations of their ancient Dreamtime stories.
We had to keep a respectful distance while photographing the artists. Close up the paintings were breathtaking. Below is the landscape around the art centre.
As part of our expanding body beautiful and giftware range we now have scented goats milk and shea butter body bars. The designs on each part is from an established Aboriginal artists original painting depicting the Dreamtime.
Royalties from the sale of the body bars go to the artists and their community.
Visit our online store under Interiors or visit us in the gallery.
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.
We have sadly learnt that one of our favourite artists who was also an incredibly inspirational women has passed away. On our recent trip to our Aboriginal communities in Australia we caught up with Alma. She had been ill for some time but we believed she had beaten her illness so it was a dreadful shock to find out she has died. Alma had started painting again following her illness and we were looking forward to having more of her works after her sell out show at Bay Gallery Home in 2015. Sadly, this will not be the case.
Alma was instrumental in helping obtain permission to create the 'My Country' interiors collection and for that we are forever grateful. Our thoughts are with her family, the art centre staff and the Community.
On our visit in Easter we caught up with Alma who shared her recent works with us.
The use of Ceramic Tiles in homes and architecture is as ancient as universal and diverse, which is why this April 2017 saw the launch of Britain's first National Tile Week– "a celebration of tiles, aiming to educate consumers on the quality and versatility of tiles and how they can be used throughout the home."
We turned to Johnson Tiles after hearing about their specialist Artile service through the British Museum. Using state of the art techniques, Artile painstakingly reproduces any illustration, drawing or picture onto a tile with no loss of detail or colour.
The quality of the reproduction was especially crucial to this enterprise, given that in Australian Aboriginal Art every dot, line, abstract & figurative representation and choice of colour has special meaning and spiritual importance to the Aboriginal people. This interior collection provides a window into a world that many have still not yet had the privilege to see or encounter.
Johnson Tile were a delight to work with, taking on the challenge with dedication, enthusiasm and sensitivity for the nature of our commission — "we weren’t just recapturing an image but a culture, a history, and all of its folklore and traditions. Implementing traditional lithography techniques combined with our state of the art technology and high-res scanning process, we were able to accurately match every detail and colour of Sarah and Geraldine’s paintings."
The original paintings by the contemporary Australian Aboriginal artists we represent, which Johnson Tiles so successfully reproduced onto ceramic tiles.
Tiles, especially ceramic tiles have as many functional advantages as different styles. The ancient Greeks were prolific tile users, designing tile motifs inspired by abstracted natural forms, developing stylistic standards that still today serve as reference points. Tiles are foremost durable: tough, water-resistant, heat-reflective and help regulate ambient temperature. Decoratively, the breadth and width of contemporary tile designs make it one of the greatest creative assets in interiors.
Our award-winning Bush Onion 1 ceramic wall tile as a kitchen splash back, adding a subtle element of ochre red & geometry to the clean lines of this contemporary minimalist kitchen design, creating a space with a unique elegance and simplicity.
National Tile Week is an initiative of the Devon-based company British Ceramic Tiles, who turned to interior designer Julia Kendell, whose passion for emotionally-connected design inspired her successful TV work on DIY SOS and 60 Minute Makeover, inspiring her nickname as 'the Nigella of DIY'. Here are some of her tips and advice on working with tiles:
Bay Gallery Home's My Country Interior wallpapers, ceramic wall tiles & rugs are a very first in the history of interior design, bringing this beautifully versatile, intricate & joyful aesthetic into interior spaces and decors.
The venerable Artist behind our wallpaper: Lilly Kemarre Morton, proudly holding one of our My Country interiors brochure.
As we continue on our Art - sourcing trip in Australia we have had the opportunity to meet up with the artists involved in our inaugural Interiors collection and share with them the fruits of this collaboration, and its fantastic reception – namely our WIN Award.
It is one of the most rewarding aspects of this enterprise.
My Country GREEN wallpaper in its full-scale splendour, bringing Art & a touch of colour into interior space.
Our Australian Aboriginal wallpapers bring original Art into your interior spaces in a whole new way.
The inspiration for My Country PINK starts with the Central Desert land – its red dusty earth and sun-burnt grasses, and resplendent amongst it all the ghostly white of the Ghostgum tree with its beautiful gleaming bark & sculptural presence. Observing its solitary presence in this arid landscape, it is not hard to see why artist Ngwarraye paints it so distinctively, and why it is so engaging as a recurring pictorial motif in our My Country PINK wallpaper.
In our design process, we take every pains to produce excellent wallpapers, taking account of scale and pattern repeats and colour dynamics so that in the translation between original painting & interior design product we keep the spirit of the artwork alive and present you with exquisitely beautiful products that will bring character & joy to your interior spaces.
Alana Ngwarraye, the wonderful artist behind the original artwork forMy Country PINK.
Established in 1741 in Yorkshire, they are the oldest paint manufacturing company in Leeds, and have expanded into interiors, expanding their expertise on colours and bespoke client service.
"We are delighted to be stocking a unique range of wallpaper alongside our premium interior paints designed by Aboriginal artists in Australia’s Northern territory.
A chance meeting with Alexandra O’Brien at Bay Gallery in Tetbury during a recent trip down South led to the collaboration and we are proud to be supporting her work.
Bay Gallery has been working with artists from Aboriginal communities since 2008 and is the only dedicated Aboriginal gallery in the UK.
In collaboration with British manufacturers, some of the designs created in Australia have now been transformed into a striking and stylish collection of interiors products, including the My Country range of wallpaper.
The artists behind these designs take their inspiration from the land, family and nature. This rural theme fits perfectly with our own colour range which is inspired by the Yorkshire countryside.
We will now be selling Bay Gallery’s wallpaper range alongside our paints and would be happy to suggest the best colour combinations to use with them in your interior design scheme.
The artists are remunerated for the original purchase of artwork, and receive a percentage of interiors sales. This is an important source of income for these communities and helps towards mobility, educational and work opportunities.
The original approach came from the Aboriginal communities themselves which means our customers can be confidence that stock is ethically sourced and authentically certified."
As Spring finds its way back to England, we at Bay Gallery Home are getting ready for a sourcing trip into Australia's remote Central Desert region.
Bay Gallery Home's origins are intimately connected with this country, initiated when one of the Northern Territory communities approached founder Alexandra to represent them in the UK. The seeds of Alexandra's relationship with these artists can be traced back to the roots of her family's own connection with Australia, when a French ancestor arrived in Australia in the 1880's. From being early collectors of Aboriginal artefacts to working on Aboriginal accounts and nursing their communities, successive generations have maintained an association with these communities. Bay Gallery Home's relationship with the Central Australian Aboriginal artists is one of trust, founded on respect for their heritage and contemporary way of life.
A sourcing trip is an adventure in itself, full of dust and heat and a challenge to the best laid plans of mice and men – yet replete with treasure. Our month-long journey will start from Alice Springs, moving across the Northern Territory into the APY lands, visiting Uluru, Kings Canyon and our Aboriginal communities, including Papunya Tula – the birthplace of the contemporary art movement. We will then head up through the Northern Territory, crossing into Western Australia where we will make our first stop at Halls Creek, after 19 hours driving on dirt roads. After staying here for a few days, it will be time to head out again towards Kununurra, where we’ll be sourcing some Kimberly artwork. These artists notably still work with natural ochres, and have a completely different style to that of the communities we currently represent.
An important part of a sourcing trip is taking the time to meet with the artists, to understand the evolution of their art and re-establish relationships. Alexandra's young children will be travelling with her and are really looking forward to meeting and playing with the Aboriginal children. Language is no barrier to the young, it’s bound to be a moving experience watching them contemplate each other for the first time.
We will be open for business as usual, and will be updating you all on our epopees via Instagram and this website.
The Musée du Quai Branly houses the art and artefacts of indigenous cultures, with an Australian Aboriginal collection in its Oceana Section. It most notably holds the largest international commission of contemporary Indigenous art from Australia. In 2013, with the aim of integrating non-European art into the architectural concept of the building, architect Jean Nouvel commissioned a series of contemporary Aboriginal art installations to be painted on the ceilings, roof and façade of the building on Rue de l’Université. Eight artists were called upon: four women (Lena Nyadbi, Judy Watson, Gulumbu Yunupingu, Ningura Napurrula) and four men (John Mawurndjul, Paddy Nyunkuny Bedford, Michael Riley, Tommy Watson), each originating from different communities and cultures, reflecting the art of the territories and urban art.
Dayiwul Lirlmim (Baramundi Scales) by Lena Nyadbi, on the roof of the Musée du Quai Branly.
It is against this historical backdrop of interest and investment in the Australian Aboriginal art movement that buyers from Arteum came across our My Country collection at LDF, commissioning us to supply their museum shop with My Country wallpaper-covered stationary.
And for those with a further interest in the intersection of Australian Aboriginal Art and Architecture, here is a short video documenting the Quai Branly project:
Short film following the making of Australia's greatest indigenous art commission. Interviews with architects, planners and artists. The viewer gains an insight into the complexities of such an important project .
As expertly crafted translations of original Australian Aboriginal art work, our My Country ceramic wall tiles were created in collaboration with the expertise of Johnson Tiles 's Artiles service.
One of the three interiors surfaces ranges (wallpapers, rugs and ceramic wall tiles), the collection is entitled My Country, a reference to the Aboriginal philosophy and creative process, whereby all of creation is in relationship, at onewiththeland. The original artworks' particular provenance and symbols - inspired by mapping myths, rituals and sacred topography - results in a compelling, versatile aesthetic with a most subtle compositional depthof field, imbuing spaces with wider horizons of the imagination.
Featuring art by Aboriginal artists Geraldine Nangala Gallagher and Sarah Napurrula White, both from Yuendumu in Australia’s Northern Territory, My Country marks the first time that this aesthetic has been reproduced onto ceramic tiles. Each image and colour holds special meaning and spiritual importance to the Aboriginal people and culture.
Johnson Tiles used traditional lithography techniques combined with high-res scanning process to accurately match every detail and color of the artists’ paintings.
The beauty and quality of our tiles reflect their origins of indigenous creative process and high-quality materials and manufacturing skill.
Our inaugural Australian Aboriginal Art Wall Tiles, from original artworks.
Design Curial singled us out of 170 national and international exhibitors at Surface Design 2017, introducing some of the most innovative surfaces for the architectural, design and construction industries.
Here is some more press generated in the wake of exhibiting at the annual Surface Design Show in London, in this case an article by Magenta who singled out our My Country GREEN wallpaper – a good testimony to how impactful this artwork truly is! Here is an excerpt:
How thrilling for Bay Gallery Home's My Country collection to be recognised as Interiors Surface Design of 2016 by the World Architecture News WIN Award!
Here is our ever glamorous Alexandra picking up the award, which was presented by Piers Taylor, at a ceremony hosted at the stunningly refurbished Design Museum.
Visual language is integral to the Australian Aboriginal culture. Here (as elsewhere) Art is more than the final product that moves us, art is defined by its creative process. Here, all of creation is in relationship, at one with the land, and the artists are in relationship with their community, sharing stories.
Whether painted on musical instruments or on canvas, the artists recount mapping myths, rituals and sacred topography – they are metaphors for life's journeys, full of symbolism and references to history, botany, topography and the traditional rural Aboriginal way of life.
My Country ceramic wall tiles, core collection (30 cm x 30 cm)
