Wow what a strange old time it is… most of us are under lockdown in our homes as the world as we knew it comes pretty much to a unified (temporary) standstill. We all feel like we’re actors in an apocalyptic movie, still waiting for Bruce Willis to appear and save the day.

Like everyone else I’m trying very hard to focus on the positives of being at home and keep my momentum going. It’s a period of reflection and creativity and naturally my mind turns to art. So I’m really pleased to be able to bring you the next episode of 4×4, featuring 4 women who uplift me on a daily basis with their style and aesthetic.

I’m very pleased to welcome fashion entrepreneur Elif Filyos Tezer of The Fashion Medley, Joanne Mooney of A Proud Home – a crafter and all round creative, Sarah Corbett-Winder of Sarah’s Actual Wardrobe who is also in house stylist at fashion retailer Boden and Zeena Shah of HeartZeena, an Art Director, stylist and author.

I’ve spotted art in the background of all these women’s social media feeds so I was intrigued to find out more…

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former lawyer turned entrepreneur Elif filyos tezer effortlessly combines fashion and art on her instagram feed. she’s also a founder of montreal store singulier mtl, whose vintage and hand selected pieces are the stuff of dreams.

Q1 What is your favourite art work and where is it from?
It’s this vintage painting that I found on Etsy. We are not rich or anything so I always look for vintage art pieces online that I can afford.

IT HAS THE PERFECT BALANCE – NEUTRAL WITH HINTS OF BRIGHT GREEN AND BLUE.

Q2. Why do you love it?
I was always into neutral colours before, everything in my wardrobe and around my house is black, white, cream, beige or wooden tones and quite frankly in the last couple of years I started to get really sick of it. I wanted colour in my life, but it’s really hard to go from neutral minimalist to crazy colour lady directly so I’m trying to ease myself in slowly. This painting has the perfect balance – neutral with hints of bright green and blue. Also its basically a nature morte (still life) but its an abstract cubist nature morte! It makes me smile every time I see it.

Q3. Where does it live in your home?
It stands above our electric fireplace in the living room, together with vintage statues, vases and some art books.

Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
Oh if only I could show you my Saatchi favourites! I love Erin Armstrong’s pieces, my favourites are Dissolution; Chemic and Through the French Quarter. Grégoire A Meyer’s Self Reflection is another all time favourite, also Martin Rondeau’s 4e Confession (I’ve been searching for other woven photography artists but so far couldn’t find anything as cool as his pieces). I’m a big Hockney fan so I’d immediately buy a Darek Grabus painting as well.

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Sarah Corbett-Winder is an in house stylist at Boden and founder of Sarahs’s Wardrobe, where she rents out pieces from her fashion collection. She spots the most amazing items and I’m an avid follower of her Instagram account where she documents her Daily Finds 

Q1 What is your favourite art work and where is it from?
Two paintings by Spanish artist Claudia Valsells that I fell in love with at Battersea Art Fair.

THEY MAKE ME STOP EACH DAY AND I GET LOST IN THEM

Q2. Why do you love them?
The shapes, the super chic colour combos, the frames, the simplicity but also the complexity. They make me stop each day and I get lost in them. I love them and I know I will forever.

Q3 Where do they live in your home?
They hang side by side in our kitchen, opposite the island, so they have prime pomp position. Our walls are raw plaster and this allows the pictures to really sing.

Q4 If money were no object which art would you buy?
I would buy Beans on a Plate 1979 by William Scott. I’m really drawn to simple, yet complicated art. Maybe that says something about me?!

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JOANNE MOONEY IS AN ALL ROUND CREATIVE WITH AN INCREDIBLE EYE FOR PATTERN AND COLOUR. FOUNDER OF A PROUD HOME, AN INTERIOR BLOG AND TINY THINGS, AN ONLINE CRAFT AND GIFT SHOP, SHE LOVES TO INSPIRE CREATIVITY IN THE HOME. I LOVE JOANNE’S SPIRIT – SHE’S MADE ME WANT TO START PUNCH NEEDLE (JOIN THE WAITING LIST ON TINY THINGS FOR WHEN SHE RESTOCKS!).

Q1 What is your favourite art work and where is it from?
My favourite work is Visions of Mandela by an Irish artist Eibhlín Crossan. Eibhlín is a contemporary Irish visual artist based in Longford in the Irish midlands

THE DETAIL IS AMAZING AND SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT COLOUR

Q2 Why do you love it?
I love Eibhlín’s use of colour & detail in her work. The detail is amazing and she is passionate about colour and this shows in her beautiful paintings.

Q3 Where does it live in your home?
I tend to move my pictures around the house a lot! At the moment I have it over our bed which I recently wallpapered.

Q4 If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
Pablo Picasso for sure!

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ZEENA SHAH WEARS MANY CREATIVE HATS. AN ART DIRECTOR, STYLIST, AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR with an online shop. originally trained as A PRINT DESIGNER, she has AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF FASHION and HER COLOURFUL AND STYLISH OUTFITS brighten up my day.

Q1 What is your favourite art work and where is it from?
I love to buy and collect art created by smaller unknown artists and designers. I don’t have a big budget for art so will often pick up postcards or replicas of more famous works and mostly buy pieces on travels that remind me of a certain time and place. My current favourites (it’s forever changing) are two by the same artist. They’re small hand painted prints – one a pink shell and one a ficus leaf.

I love knowing I’ve got a unique piece to treasure

Q2 Why do you love them?
The pieces are limited editions by a young Parisienne artist, I love knowing I’ve got a unique piece to treasure. They’re also beautifully hand painted and I was immediately drawn to the imperfect lines and the colour palette when I spotted them in a boutique on a trip to Paris last year. 

Q3 Where do they live in your home?
Both pieces live on our gallery wall at the moment in brass frames I picked up from the high street. They’ve moved around and been separated but really they belong together. They’re two pieces I am asked most often about as they’re so unique. They’re the perfect fit in the space we have. 

Q4 If money were no object, which art would you buy?
If money were no object I’d probably still buy a piece from a smaller artist. I mean the Matisse wouldn’t fit in our tiny flat anyway! I’d love something by Alexandria Coe or Venitia Berry. I like to support our female artists as much as I can.