This little home holds a lot of amazing memories for my lovely client, Nat.
She moved in a week before her 30th birthday, had some of the BEST parties, met her now husband, he moved in, they got married, had a baby girl, spent lockdown closeted away there and finally moved out 13yrs later!
(Thats ALOT of memories!)
Nat feels like all the parts of her life that mattered started happening there.
Nat and her husband knew the owner of the rental, she was a lovely Greek lady who used to live in the house when her kids were young and who also did the original renovations, she told Nat that the plaque on the front ‘Philomena’ means “loved one” or Beloved” in Greek.
It wasn’t much to look at from the front, a concrete fence squashed in between larger houses on busy Mullens Street in Balmain, but inside it had what Nat called the trifecta – a real fireplace, a built-in bar and a beautiful big working fountain in the back courtyard.
Not to mention gorgeous breeze blocks along the wall of the front courtyard that you couldn’t see from the street.
All of these factors meant we needed to think outside the box for this house sketch!
I’m one lucky artist because Nat trusted me to come up with something quirky and unique that embodied “Philomena” in a meaningful way, when it wasn’t possible to sketch the traditional façade of the home.
The brief was: A4 size, a touch of watercolour, especially to bring a pop of green to the monstera & snake plant they had at the front door, and perhaps a splash of orange.
Nat sent me many photos of the amazing interior and features to work with, and we ended up with this collage style, “down the rabbit hole of the past” type vibe!
I’m very proud of the piece, and most importantly, Nat and her family love it!
What a special keepsake.
Staedtler pigment pen, quality water colour + 300gsm Fabriano water colour card.
6 Weeks
A4 commision
abstract & quirky
An absolute pleasure. Jess brings a joyful energy that is infectious from the very first meeting. Adapting to each client is a skill that must be challenging as an artist but Jess makes this seem effortless.
I am so glad I placed well deserved trust in Jess to create this beautiful piece! I was so excited when I saw it and it brings great nostalgic joy every time I look at it.
Thank you Jess!!
With her collaborative approach, Jess allows her clients control to provide detailed input or, alternately, the ability to ‘trust the chef’ with a brief outline instead.
When discussing Philomena with Jess, she quickly understood the emotional connection & felt the sense of stories within this space. She then outlined the different styles or approaches she could take.
We agreed that a unique abstract design would work for Philomena in order to capture more of the inner charm of this home and wonderful period in my life. After I shared a range of images that held the memories/character of this place, Jess worked independently on something very special.
The whole process evolved organically, feeling very comfortable (& also fun!) plus there was never a hint of any pressure or stress involved.
I love the way this abstract design evokes a sense of tumbling down a rabbit hole of beautiful memories. The piece also has a fun treasure hunt element which encourages the viewer to look a little deeper to find all the hidden clues.
It’s a personal piece full of secrets that only those who visited Philomena during those years will appreciate – something many close friends are also enjoying!
Want to collaborate on a personalised piece for your home or office?
Join the list, and get the low down on my latest projects. I’d love to have you join the Jess Bracey community!
Copyright © 2023 Jess Bracey | Branding by Pass the Salt.
