Private Home, Art Collectors
In 1882 a development was underway, the most prestigious for the area ever undertaken.The architect in charge was T.J. Crouch there were five house designs, all with three bedrooms, all but one with a maid’s room as well. Victorians loved creating architectural follies, maybe as a creative outlet because of a strict society?. So they tried their fanciful ideas. The home I visited was one such house. A private double-storey Victorian Italianate maisonette home with polychrome multicoloured brick and Victorian lace.
Entering the grounds of the impressive house, l was confronted by a giant bunny rabbit towering over me, giving me the impression I was ‘Alice in wonderland’. I felt a sense of anticipation and was some what relieved when the lovely home owner answered the door. Saying our hello’s and telling me to make myself at home, she wondered off to tend to her garden, and I set out to explore.
The owners are avid art lovers and house a large collection of paintings, sculptures and art objects, this size house with fourteen foot ceilings is perfect for hanging and displaying vast amounts. The paintings have been hung like an orchestra, together the effect of one adding to the whole. The family have a personal connection to the art, they know the artist, they each have a preference and opinion about the works. I was privileged to have been welcomed to express my creativity in such a home owned by cultured open minded people. The furniture set in the house is mostly handed down from family some pieces over a hundred years old.
When the owners bought the house their two children were of primary school age. It was run down, and in need of some care, the garden was a crazy mixed up mess of rose-vegetable garden, surrounded by barbed wire. After getting the interior cleaned up all they wanted then was to create a welcoming, warm relaxed out door setting their children and friends could enjoy. “It had to be informal and eclectic as life is to short to just follow trends”. The property is now surrounded by lush gardens. The front is a beautiful mix of hardy and indigenous shrubs, a massive palm tree and vegetable and herb beds planted in the rear that can been seen from the kitchen. They certainly accomplished what they set out to achieve, it is the setting of choice by all on a sunny day.
Rabbit sculpture by Yvonne Kendall ( old German chocolate mould)
Abstract painting by Angela Brennan
Horse painting by Euan Heng
Abstract painting by Jennifer Joseph
Charlie the cat Sculpture of bird by Bruce Armstrong
Yellow sculpture by Neil Taylor
Noel McKenna naive handmade cat plates and paintings
photography and writing by Bernadette Farrugia, editing by Joanne Watchel
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