As far as we at EL are concerned, choosing art is as important as choosing furniture, especially when you have masses of white walls to fill up in your tropical abode. Both wall art and sculptures add depth, colour and personality to a room, though they do need to reflect your personality, so buy something you really love. And don’t worry about what others think – art is strictly subjective.
(Tip: if you and your partner don’t agree on the same thing, just sneak in and buy it while they’re not looking; it’ll add a bit of excitement on the home front!) Sometimes it even makes sense to buy art before you choose a colour scheme for a room. After all, it’s much easier to buy sofas and chairs that link in with your artwork than the other way round.
Himapan Studio
Lauren Gibson, Australian
“I’m actually an artist but I’ve been on a 12-year hiatus (because, well, life and children happened!) so my skills are very rusty. I was looking for a way to wake up my creativity, but without too much pressure. I saw an article about various workshops in Singapore and the Himapan Studio one stood out – it looked unique and fun. You don’t need to be an artist or have any significant skills to attend and produce something amazing.
The studio is lovely – and France makes a great cup of coffee! It was such a nice way to spend a few hours not worrying about anything else. The piece I created is now proudly hanging in our guest bedroom. I thought it would be a unique way to make the room feel welcoming.
It was the first piece of significant artwork I’ve produced in 12 years and everyone was just blown away by it – particularly my friends in Australia. It prompted my local Singapore friends to ask about the workshop, and two of them have attended since. While the initial canvasses all look so similar, the end results are all so different. The best part was that it got me talking about art again and gaining confidence in my skills. It has been almost a year and I’m regularly painting again.
I’ve already created three more lotus leaf paintings with Himapan and when I get time I will probably do more. I’d like to take some back to Australia as gifts, too!
Himapan Studio
#01-03 Citilink Warehouse Complex
102E Pasir Panjang Road
9062 0376 | himapan.sg
Gallery 278
Albert Jeremy Wong, Singaporean
“Initially, I didn’t have any specific ideas for the artwork I wanted when I visited Gallery 278. I believe that art appreciation speaks to each character – I generally go with my gut feel if something intrigues me!
I ended up purchasing this portrait of Chairman Mao, with Chinese brush calligraphy. The artist is Richard Lim – he’s a local Singaporean and the resident artist at Gallery 278; he’ll even do commissioned pieces.
It was love at first sight for me when I saw this piece, especially when it worked with my budget (of course!). Normally, I choose colourful art for my home, but I picked this more striking piece to complement my character. Who doesn’t recognise this revolutionary figure?!”
Gallery 278
278 River Valley Road
6737 2322 | gallery278.com
Art Glass Solutions
Stephanie and Jason Sentell, and Pistol, American
“Being active travellers and scuba divers throughout the region, we were drawn to the large installation by Art Glass Solutions at Sculpture by the Sea at Bondi Beach in 2017 and at Cottesloe Beach in Western Australia in 2018. The piece was called Swirling Surround and evokes an emotion of being among a large school of fish within the sea, glittering in the sun.
We asked B. Jane of Art Glass Solutions to do a customised version of this work to be installed in our garden. We worked with her to design a small school of nine fish, swirling in a circular pattern, oriented towards our entrance. The number, shape and direction were all purposely considered to invite positive energy into our space; plus, it’s just beautiful and eye-catching from the street.
As an interior designer, I found it so much fun to be involved in the design and installation of a customised piece for my home, rather than just purchasing an existing artwork. It’s a creative journey to work directly with an artist – and a collaboration that directly involves me as the client. Together, we were able to design something suited to the environment, but also portable so we can re-install it if we move.
I’m confident this is just the beginning of many artist collaborations to come. Working directly with a professional artist makes all the difference to the experience of purchasing an artwork for your home.
Art Glass Solutions
8 Jalan Tembusu
9827 4760 | artglasssolutions.com
Louise Hill Design
Claire Chahil, British
“I was looking for something that would work with my décor colour scheme and I’d wanted a Louise Hill Design piece for a while but was spoilt for choice! As teal is one of my favourite colours, I knew I had found my perfect piece when Louise released the limited edition Teal & Peacock Blue print.
What I love about Louise’s art is that it makes you smile. They are very friendly pieces with lots of detail and quirky accents, which makes them lovely to have in your home. The colour scheme of this particular piece and the fact that there is an element of hand finishing with gold or silver leaf makes it really special.
This is my first purchase of real art for the home and I’m so pleased I took the plunge. It has really completed the interior design of my living room. My family and I are so happy with the purchase!”
Louise Hill Design
5 Westbourne Road, #01-01
louise-hill-design.com
LivingwithArt
Charlene Tan and Sarah Wong, Singaporean
“I’m pretty particular that each new piece of art added to the house should work with the existing pieces. I also look for a specific colour to fit the interior design of the room where I’ll be hanging it. I purchased four pieces from LivingwithArt Singapore including a customised abstract painting for my living room.
Originally, I was looking for a blue painting with a tinge of gold to go with the colour of my sofa but there were no pieces in the gallery that worked. It also needed to be large to fit the wall in my living area. Shu Fen came back to me the next day to say they could create a customised painting for me. I was able to give some input in terms of the colour as well as requesting a bigger splash of gold. In my opinion, this charming piece creates a calming and relaxing ambience. It took about a month for the artist to do the painting and complete the framing. It was worth the wait!
LivingwithArt were very considerate and really took time to understand my preferences – including the colours in my home – before they made any recommendations. I’d strongly recommend this art gallery if you’re looking for any artwork display for your home or office. It’s a great collection with impeccable service at an affordable price.”
LivingwithArt
#02-05 Tan Boon Liat Building 315 Outram Road
6917 6503 | livingwithart.com.sg
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This article first appeared in the October 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
