Decor Arts Now

Illustration by Arthur Rackham

At the center of the book The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton lies a magical setting: A neglected cottage, part of a Downton Abbey-like grand country estate and found at the end of a yew maze.  The cottage is perched on a cliff in Cornwall England overlooking the sea.  Its back yard is a hidden walled garden.

The novel is set in 3 different time periods united by a mystery that was inspired by the author’s grandmother.  One of the book’s main characters, Nell (like Morton’s own grandmother), was told at age 21 by her father that he was not her true biological father.  Unearthing the truth about Nell’s roots provides the action in the novel.

The cottage and its garden hold the key to this mystery.  The setting is spellbinding.  Once inhabited by the author of dark Victorian fairytales, Nell’s Australian granddaughter gains ownership of the cottage via a surprise inheritance from Nell upon her death.

It is a captivating concept.  Wouldn’t we all like to inherit a cliffside cottage overlooking the sea.  Especially one with a lovely walled back garden attached to a grand estate by a yew maze.

Here is what I think that might look like.

Awfully nice fantasy, don’t you think?

Illustration by Arthur Rackham

Credits:

• First, I would like to thank Carolyn from Diane James Home and Buzz blog for bringing this wonderful book to my attention.  Her blog always has something to offer, click here.  
• The website for The Forgotten Garden is charming, click here.
• Arthur Rackham is a famed ilustrator of fairytales from the early part of the last century.  First Arthur Rackham illustration via Melusina Mermaid blog.  Last Arthur Rackham illustration via Mary McAndrew blog. 
• Yew maze photo Marcus Harper for March House & Garden.  Magnolia close-up by Dianna Jazwinski for March UK Country Living.  Doorknob photo by This Ivy House via my tumblr.  
• First six photos of the inside of my imaginary cottage by Mark Bolton for the March UK Country Living.  Bedroom photo by Ian Kemp for the March Homes & Antiques.  Bathroom photos by Kristen Perers for the March UK Country Living.  
• Other garden photos are from the garden at the Bartow Pell Mansion Museum in the Bronx via the Pinterest  garden board I put together for them.  Please check this out–the BPMM has so much to offer.  
• Cottage photo via luxurycornwall.com.  
• Bouquet via Jamie Rugh at one of my favorite blogs, Found While Walking.  Read more about Jamie here.

Sometimes it truly is hard to know what came first: the chicken or the egg.

The current craze for displaying large letters as art in the home is just such a trend. 

There are a number of well established artists who work with typography sculpture.  Did they jump start the fad or are they responding to it? 

One such artist is Nicole Dextras from Vancouver, BC.  She creates large scale typographic sculptures out of mostly natural materials.  She used ice in these next 3 photos.  She views the melting process as symbolic of the interconnection of language and culture with the land.

N detail

Dextras also works with plant materials.

This next shot is of the wooden forms she created before she planted them with grass.  They are striking painted red to match the barn.

She considers the words and environment around them as one.  The word “late” is placed in front of the dilapidated barn in this next photo to signify that time is running out.

Another artist working in large scale typography is Alex Davis based in New Delhi.  He says his graphics are inspired by the type of writing one sees painted on vehicles.

Artist Jack Pierson’s work is most like what we see DIYers doing at home.  He has sometimes nailed his letters right on the gallery wall. There is one big difference, however.  His work can cost in the six figures.  According to Departures magazine, Pierson’s 2009 sculpture “Cry” is currently available for sale on the new internet art site, Paddle 8, for $150,000.

Pierson creates his word sculptures by combining found objects like old neon letters from the signage on bars, hotels and casinos.

So how is the trend being interpreted by the average joe?

Sometimes homeowners are displaying one or more letters randomly and in other instances the letters are combined to create a catchy phrase.

Makes you wonder what counts as “art” doesn’t it?  Have you considered hanging some letters in your home? 

Photo credits:  1. Raina Kattelson  2.-6. Nicole Dextras’ work from her website  7. Alex Davis’ work from his website  8.-10. Jack Pierson “Cry” from the March/April Departures, Pierson’s “Last Chance Lost” from edwinhimself blog and Pierson’s “Movie Star” from seoulartfiend  11.- 14. collected on my tumblr, bath first spotted on Haute Design, bunk bed shot via dwellers without decorators, “love” on dresser via Create Girl, ”S” from Desire to Inspire  14. March Homes and Antiques  15. March Living Etc.  16. March Homes & Antiques