Nebo Peklo: Prints + Home
I found some lovely home photos on flickr from Natalie Tweedie, aka Nebo Peklo, an artist/illustrator living in Glasgow, Scotland/UK. "My love of drawing flowers was born from studying printed textiles," Natalie says. "If I was asked to describe my work and style I would say it was organic, linear, detailed, intricate, an abstract version of traditional flower and botanical studies with a contemporary use of line." Most of us know about Natalie's watercolor and gocco prints, but after spotting them "living" in her own home, I had to ask if I could show some on decor8. Her home sweet home has a lot of breathing space, and that's quite refreshing as it's a switch for me to see rooms that aren't packed with color, pattern, and piled high with tschotskies for a change. Although in the right doses, accessories and lots of color can be wonderful adds, rooms can be equally pleasing if one decides to keep it simple. Some feel more creative in a minimalist space. Didn't Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe once say, "Less is more"? Here are some thoughts from Natalie, along with some images of her favorite pieces of art, including her very own prints.
"We recently decorated the living room and I picked the wallpaper to mirror the view of the trees from the window. The teak sideboard was found in a charity shop and I?ve had the original 60?s rocket lamp for nearly 16 years and it?s still going strong! Soon I hope to purchase hanging ?glow bowls? by artist Diana Fayt." -Natalie Tweedie
"My boyfriend and I bought our first flat last August and one of the main things that I love about my living room is the light from the windows and the view of the massive ash trees over the river. Having lived here nearly a year now I have seen the seasons change through the trees." -Natalie Tweedie
"On a recent trip to San Francisco I picked up the ?beauty? letterpress print by Hammerpress. It sits beside a small vase by Karin Eriksson whose work I love." -Natalie Tweedie
"I have a mini teak bureau that sits in my hallway and I like to use this to display some of the art I have. I have a ceramic log sculpture by Christine Buckton Tillman, a ?twins? collage artpiece by Dawbis, a Port2Port Press letterpressed calendar alongside some of my own artwork." -Natalie Tweedie
"My bedroom is very plain, which I really like; I don?t like too much clutter or decoration in my bedroom. I made the duvet cover from original ?still in the box? linen set from the 50?s which my mum found in a charity shop. I love the bright fresh yellow of the bed linen and this love of yellow can be found in my recent artwork. I have Tord Boontje garland lampshades in both my bedrooms in copper and gold." -Natalie Tweedie
"This is one of my new gocco screenprints created with my ink line drawings of poppies layered in blues, teal and yellow ochre. This is available online at my shop and is a limited edition of 49. More details here." -Natalie Tweedie
I love seeing work displayed in the home of the artist, so thank you Natalie for this glimpse into your home, and to enjoy your pretty prints! I also love that Natalie allows herself to build her space over time. I think this organic design process is really the key to having a home that truly reflects who you are as a person. Allow each room to grow as your own life unfolds, as you grow as a person, or couple. You don't have to order everything all at once and rush the process, stressing over it, making your hunt for a chair an obsessive, life or death, issue. Allow for some breathing space while you develop your ideas. What you like today may not be worth the investment, because tomorrow, you may be onto something else. Whenever I'm about to jump in and make a big purchase, I bookmark the item and allow it to sit on my desktop for a month. I frequently look at it, print it out, carry it with me, and "live" with it for a month before deciding on whether or not I will purchase it. Maybe you can give yourself this option sometimes, too. If pulling together your home is a stressful event for you, you're taking it too seriously and you may want to pull back and do something unrelated for awhile because your home will reflect whatever energy you are bringing into it. Sounds silly, but it's so true. You attach memories with each purchase. Let those memories be sweet.
Thank you Natalie for showing us your prints and the corners of your home. She appears to be a lady that prefers quality over quantity, a good lesson for us all. I read somewhere that you should think of decorating your home, not as a decorator, but as a curator. I can't recall who said that, but I absolutely love the thought.
(images from nebo peklo)