The Surrey Splendour featured our business in its latest Home Edit

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.

https://www.thesurreysplendour.co.uk/home/2020/10/8/at-home-edit-stylishly-surrey

Cotswold Life magazine featured Bay Gallery Home in 'Bringing the Buzz back to Tetbury'

Thank you to Tracy Spiers and Cotswold Life magazine for selecting Bay Gallery Home to appear in your Cotswold Life feature ‘Bringing the Buzz back to Tetbury. We have had quite a few visitors who read the article seeking us out afterwards.

Read the full article here:
https://www.cotswoldlife.co.uk/out-about/places/visit-tetbury-best-places-in-town-1-6786749

Here is an excerpt from the article about Bay Gallery Home:

Alexandra opened what is the UK’s only dedicated Aboriginal gallery five years ago and in collaboration with British manufacturers, has created a vibrant international award-winning interior design range called ‘My Country’, using original Aboriginal painting designs.

“It is the only Australian Aboriginal interior collection in the world and it has now made The List - House and Garden bringing Aboriginal interiors to world class interior designers. People are drawn to the colours and patterns and when I explain each piece’s creation myth, it takes them to another place.”

Each painting is multi-layered in terms of its meaning, structure, symbolic and spiritual significance. Within the canvas lies secret business that only the artist and their families are privy to. But what the eye sees is a feast of colour, celebrating and representing a culture and way of life in a land few of us get to see. The relationship and trust Alexandra has built with the people she represents, has enabled her to showcase something rare and special.

“This building is medieval, but what is fascinating is that where we are dates back to Neolithic where people 10,000 years ago would have been painting at Market Place, Tetbury with ochres at the same time as the Aboriginals.

“I think that the town was already impacted by Brexit and I think people need to understand that. As people return, I hope they realise just how many independent businesses we have, each selling so many beautiful things. I do hope the sense of fear lifts and people will come into our shops again,” she says.

More paintings have arrived!

On our website you can see new paintings by some of our many talented artists. They arrived yesterday and we sold one this morning so if you have your heart set on any of the paintings please don’t delay in ordering it.

The pandemic has forced people to reassess their lives in many ways. In the gallery we are finding people wanting to cover their walls in meaningful, exuberant art after staring at them for so long during lock downs across the world. As such we’ve selected artworks which keep you captivated letting your eyes wander aimlessly across the canvas. The new selection is a mixture of bold blues, oranges, greens and reds for those that need an uplift during Zoom calls or afternoons with the children. We’ve also catered for people who need a calming influence after a stressful day with pastel blue, pinks, browns and yellows.

The Aboriginal people have suffered so much but remain incredibly resilient. It serves as an inspiration to us every day to do the best under the circumstances - we’re hoping that the artwork will serve as uplifting inspiration to you too.

New face masks have arrived!

Teddy Jakamarra Gibson, Emu Dreaming face mask

A range of Australian made 100% cotton face masks featuring beautiful Aboriginal Artwork have just arrived! There’s a filter pocket on the inside of the mask and using the adjustable nose wire, you can adjust the mask for a close fit to your face. Elastic loops fit around your ears to hold the mask in place. 
One size fits most. They are machine washable; washing is recommended after every use.

This mask does not claim to give you respiratory protection from viruses but may help prevent the spread of germs to others.

The Artists whose work is featured on the masks receive a royalty from the sale of each one benefiting them and their Community.

To see more designs and purchase go to:

https://www.baygalleryhome.com/face-masks-1

Room Style Directions: ABORIGINAL BOTANICAL with Telescope Style

Sugarbag Dreaming by Rosemary Ngwarraye Ross as featured in this months Telescope Style Newsletter

A lush and verdant Australian Aboriginal art canvas provided the inspiration for this room scheme style direction. Blues and greens should ALWAYS be seen, especially against a restful, neutral backdrop with lively pink accents!

Take your cue from any global style – and avoid the dreaded ‘themed room’ – by juxtaposing authentic elements of pattern, colour and form with sleek, modern shapes and materials. Whether your budget stretches to designer pieces or thrift shopping rules – follow the pointers below for a look that is directional and full of personality, yet won’t date.’

Create a calm, pared back space with culturally-infused colour that zings!

1. Start with the art… 

We fell in love with this large scale, original, Australian, Aboriginal art canvas sold amongst many other canvases, by one of our suppliers, Bay Gallery Home. We decided to use it as the starting point for a room scheme. What appealed most was the combination of lush botanical detailing (up close the brushwork on these artworks is just breathtaking) with a lively, verdant colour palette. Vibrant limes, jungle greens, sky blue and pretty shades of pink all accented by electric blue convey the colours of the native Australian flora as seen through Aboriginal eyes.

To read more about how to achieve the perfect themed room follow the link to:

https://www.telescopestyle.com/australian-aboriginal-art/

Thank you to our visitors since we reopened

It’s great to be open again! Yesterday was especially fun and our ‘My Country’ facemasks were flying out the door. Thank you to all those who have visited us over the last two weeks.

Bay Gallery Home has been busy making more small lavender pillows after sending some out to the Neuro Critical Care Unit in Addenbrooks Hospital, Cambridge. We have begun work on a larger lavender pillows so let us know which fabric you’d like it made with via email: alexandra@baygalleryhome.com and we’ll send one out to you. The small lavender pillows are £10 and larger ones £25.

Our protective system for customers is working well so please drop in assured you’ll be safe if you follow the guidelines on the door.

EC Collective - Australian Distributors

The ‘My Country’ collection of wallpapers, fabrics, tiles and rugs is now available through the Elliott Clarke showrooms in Australia. Bay Gallery Home’s award winning translation of Aboriginal artworks into interiors proudly sits among international artisanal brands selected for the EC Collective.

Brisbane Showroom
UNIT 2/269 Abbotsford Rd
Bowen Hills, QLD 4006
Email: qld@elliottclarke.com.au
Phone: +61 (07) 3852 1107

Sydney Showroom
15-19 Boundary Street
Rushcutters Bay, NSW 2011
Email: nsw@elliottclarke.com.au
Phone: +61 (02) 9361 6199

Melbourne Showroom
441 High Street
Prahran, VIC 3181
Email: vic@elliottclarke.com.au
Phone: +61 (03) 9516 3333

Elliott Clarke & Co
C/- Abbode Interior Products
49-51 Magill Rd
Tepney, SA 5069
Email: info@abbode.com.au
Phone: +61 (08) 8362 9909

Elliott Clarke & Co
Tessuiti & Moo
Unit 1/145 Stirling Hwy
Nedlands, WA 6009
Email: showroom@tessutimoo.com.au
Phone: +61 (08) 9389 8439

Bay Gallery Home reopening Monday 15 June 2020

Joycie Pitjara Morton cotton blind. Design taken from painting by Joycie.

Bay Gallery Home is reopening Monday 15 June and we can’t wait to welcome old and new faces to our unique Aboriginal art gallery in Tetbury, the Cotswolds.

The Gallery is designed in such a way that it is easy to keep 2m social distance. If you would like to buy from us but you’re uncomfortable coming inside we’re happy to bring paintings, products from our ‘My Country’ interiors collections and our range of home wares outside.

We also have a remote payment system which works outside.

Inside the gallery we have a sink where you can wash your hands or use the gel hand sanitizer provided. Sanitizing wet wipes will also be provided. We ask that if you would like to look at something more closely you let us handle it for you. All products are sold in boxes only handled when unpacked - we do not sell the display items (unless it is the last one).

If you have recently travelled from overseas please make sure you’ve quarantined for two weeks as per our Governments guidance. Tetbury has largely been spared the ravages of Covid-19 by carefully adhering to the Public Health Guidelines. Please help us maintain the health of everyone here and our NHS staff.

Tetbury has a plethora of incredibly interesting independent shops and we are all looking forward to welcoming you to our beautiful Cotswold town.

Black Lives Matter

Geraldine Napangardi Granites, Snake Vine Dreaming

It hardly bares thinking Black Lives Matter even has to be stated.

In Australia our indigenous population have endured, and continue to endure widespread racism, discrimination, segregation and brutality. In November last year a young Walpiri man, Kumanjayi Walker, was shot in Yuendumu for breaches of his suspended sentence. He subsequently died while in police custody with a Northern Territory police officer later being charged with his murder. Kumanjayi is from a community represented through our art gallery.

Shocking, avoidable and in no way justifiable.

Reconciliation Week in Australian ends tomorrow so let’s hope people reflect on the events in America and at home by moving forward in a positive manner whereby it’s accepted all have equal human rights.

In the UK we see young black men ripping into each other with knives and increasingly using guns to inflict revenge in their postcode wars. So much was taken away from our young, particularly our black youths, during austerity. If Black Lives Matter(ed) to those in power community centres would reopen and youth programmes reinstated. Police funding could go towards supporting the young rather than installing multiple cameras on every street corner.

Black Lives Matter. Stop the Killing.

Brands To Love: A Stunning Home Collection by Aboriginal Artists by Patricia Martin

Patricia Martin is an American author, speaker, and analyst who tracks changes in the culture who recently featured Bay Gallery Home in her blog: Brands To Love.

Posted by  Patricia Martin 

http://patricia-martin.com

Good art is redemptive; just looking at it lights the lamp from within. When a brand meets that standard, it deserves a good long look.

Founded in 2008, Bay Gallery Home was started by former journalist, Alexandra O’Brien. She emigrated from the UK to Australia when she was four, before returning to England 20 years later. The gallery is nestled in the English Cotswolds in Gloucestershire and represents a range of artists from the communities of Australia’s Northern Territory. Featuring a breadth of works by emerging talent, as well as established artists, prices reflect that range from just over $200 to $5,000 US.

The award-winning My Country home collection, provides revenue streams for indigenous artists while expanding global awareness for their art. And oh, the art translated onto these wallpapers and fabrics is alive with flora and wild animals. Bold, beautiful abstracts drawn from Aboriginal mythology and culture explode with colors and patterns from the Australian outback, a place that stubbornly sits on my bucket list. Ms. O’Brien’s passionate approach is living proof that a visionary brand can deliver meaningful value to artists and their communities and everyone prospers. Sublime!

Take a look at Bay Gallery Home’s Australian Aboriginal art, ceramics, wallpaper here: baygalleryhome.com

Artist’s work featured in photo: Daisy Kemarre Turner

Photo Credit: Adam Carter Photography

'Stay Alert' - how to buy from Bay Gallery Home in the new lock down phase

Our Bush Onion cotton velvet floor cushion sits on our Water Dreaming wool rug.

Bay Gallery Home is hoping everyone is well and stays safe as the UK emerges from lockdown. As a gallery we’re in a grey area as to opening but each day I’m working in the gallery space (with no commute) so our products continue to be sent out via the post office and DHL. Everything is online so you can peruse the paintings, giftware, accessories and our award winning ‘My Country’ interiors collection then pick your choice up from the gallery (contactless) or it can be sent out.

We’ve noticed across Twitter and Instagram there’s been lots of lock down birthdays so you can choose something soulful and unique from Bay Gallery Home for your loved ones and friends.

Please get in touch via email or call Alexandra on 07776 157 066 with any queries.

EC Collective - Australian Distributors

EC Collective, part of Elliott Clarke, have added Bay Gallery Home to its stable of beautiful artisanal fabric & wallpaper houses from around the world.

Australian’s can now source our ‘My Country’: design with origin Aboriginal Interiors collection through the Elliot Clarke showrooms in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and their agents in Perth and Adelaide.

Thank you for all those who have patiently waited for Bay Gallery Home to get ‘My Country’ to Australia. We have made it. Our Central Desert artists benefit from the sale of our collection via royalties thereby supporting their career and their communities. We thank them for the amazing opportunity to translate their work from paintings onto the fabrics and wallpapers you can now purchase through the EC Collective.

For more information you can reach Elliott Clarke on:

www.elliottclarke.com.au email: info@elliottclarke.com.au or call: +61 (3) 9510 0722

Covid-19 update

Bay Gallery Home wants to reassure you that over the coming months, while the world deals with this dreadful pandemic that our gallery will stay open until the authorities tell us otherwise. Online orders will be fulfilled while the post office remains open. DHL has assured us that they will maintaining their delivery service for the foreseeable future. If circumstances change will let you know via the Blog, Instagram and Twitter feeds.

Sadly one our art centres has been forced to close so there will be no new works from them until the danger of infection has passed. We will post images of our latest shipment from them on our Instagram and Twitter accounts @baygalleryhome .

We hope that you all stay in good health and wish those affected a speedy recovery. If you have elderly relatives in the Gloucestershire area who need anything from the shops and you can’t get to your relatives please get in touch and we will try to help.

Wishing you all the best

Bay Gallery Home

Vinterior Magazine - Art 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.

Rubbish Art - beware buying fake, appropriated or sweatshop Aboriginal art

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”:

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Steer clear of sites like eBay where a lot of fakes or paintings done under duress are offered.

9. 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.

The List - House & Garden

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.

You can go click on the link to see our listing.

https://thelist.houseandgarden.com/united-kingdom/gloucestershire/service/bay-gallery-home

New Products arrive at Bay Gallery Home

Alma Nungarrayi Granites, Seven Sisters Dreaming umbrella

Amongst some of the fantastic new products we just had delivered are the Aboriginal design umbrellas. There’s four in the collection: Alma Nungarrayi Granites, Ruth Napaljarri Stewart, Theo Faye Nangala Hudson, Judith Napangardi Watson.

The umbrellas are a beautiful quality with a handle you can hang from your arm, buggy or walking aid. It also stands alone leaving no need for a ‘brolly bucket’ when you’re out shopping.

The umbrellas are available from Bay Gallery Home in Tetbury, Gloucestershire or online at www.baygalleryhome.com

Australian Catastrophe 2020

View of Country, Margaret Ngwarraye Long

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

Bay Gallery Home wishes our Customers, Artists & Collaborators a Very Happy Christmas

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.

We look forward to seeing you again in 2020.

We are closed 25th-28th December.

Bay Gallery Home x

It's Christmas time to shop in one of Tetbury's many independent shops

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

We are open 7 day a week bar 14-15 December.

Happy Christmas!