4×4 Episode 6

After a small hiatus (well OK 5 months…. this is a hobby after all!) I’m pleased to announce Episode 6 of 4×4. This episode features some truly brilliant style mavens with a fascinating selection of dream art (lots of old masters in this Episode!).
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One of my favourite fashion bloggers, Kate Hiscox of Wears My Money, joins one of my favourite jewellery designers, Sarah Parham of SVP Jewellery, alongside the wonderful interiors writer and stylist Ciara Elliott and super stylish style journalist and co-founder of Wear & Where blog Natasha Poliszczuk I loved reading the personal stories about their favourite art pieces and I hope you will too.
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Don’t forget to follow 4×4 on Instagram! I’m already lining up Episode 7!

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KATE HISCOX IS HEAD OF TV AT WARNER MUSIC AND ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE FASHION BLOGGERS. MIXING INVESTMENT BUYS WITH GREAT HIGH STREET FINDS AND A WICKEDLY DRY SENSE OF HUMOUR, HER BLOG WEARS MY MONEY IS A WEEKLY MUST READ.

KATE HISCOX

 

Its a real feature piece. We are very lucky to have such a big, original painting in our home.
Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from?
 
We have an amazing painting by an artist called Kate Bright. She is a friend of my husband, I think they worked in a bar together. We have had it for about 18 years now. She was going to get rid of it, but he rescued it by sending a van around to collect it from her studio. It has a companion piece that we also have, but currently we don’t have room in our house to display the other one, so it lives in our side passage! 
 
KateBright)
 
 
Q2. Why do you love it?
 
Because it’s stunning, and HUGE. It’s a real feature piece. We are very lucky to have such a big original painting in our home.
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Q3. Where does it live in your home?
 
It lives on the only wall in our house that is big enough! in the kitchen extension. The room we use most in our house. The room everyone hangs out in.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
 
Anything by Keith Haring, in particular the amazing mural in Pisa. Not that you could ever actually buy it as it’s on the side of a building  in Italy!
 
Pisaharing
 

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SARAH PARHAM DESIGNED A RING DURING A VISIT TO INDIA. BACK IN THE UK SHE WAS ASKED SO MANY TIMES WHERE IT WAS FROM, SHE DECIDED TO DESIGN A RANGE AND SVP JEWELLERY WAS BORN. SARAH’S ADJUSTABLE RINGS ARE MADE IN INDIA FROM RECYCLED GOLD AND STERLING SILVER. I HAVE A SMALL COLLECTION WHICH IS GROWING RAPIDLY!

Queen-of-Rings-Sarah-Parham

No, it’s not a great master, but it has a lot of meaning to me. It’s still in it’s original 70’s frame and on the back is a note – showing that the painting is meant for me.

Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from?
This is already very, very difficult and it’s only question one! I will have to choose two pieces for completely different reasons. The first one is an oil that my Gran painted of our gardener in Africa (I grew up in Lagos in the 70’s and loved my childhood out there).

The other is a commission of my chocolate Labrador Margot – I have commissioned pieces from different artists for both my dogs and I am sure I will do the same for the next. It’s by an illustrator called Andrew Buccaneer whose style I love.

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SVP Jewellery favourite art

 
Q2. Why do you love it?

As a child I always loved the picture my Gran painted. I can remember sitting in her painting room in Yorkshire with it on the easel and saw the piece come to life. No, it’s not a great master, but it has a lot of meaning to me. It’s still in it’s original 70’s frame and on the back is a note – showing that the painting is meant for me.

The commission of my dog shows Margot, eyes closed, surrounded by pheasants and rabbits (she loved to flush) and he made her chops just that little bit too deep which captures her brilliantly. I will be choosing a new artist to commission next year when I get my next doggie.

Q3. Where does it live in your home?

Margot is above the fireplace in the hallway, this means I see her every day when I walk through the door. My Gran’s piece is in the dining room which is where most of our art is hung.

 
Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?

I would invest in lots of different art – I am drawn to very graphic pieces probably because of my background. I still want the Panda by Charming Baker that i missed out on, I’d also love a piece by Patrick Heron – his composition and use of colour are amazing, I’d commission Grayson Perry to create a miniature tapestry depicting my life and loves and I would also buy a piece of his pottery. I missed out on a Banksy years ago (my husband didn’t like it) so I would buy the Grannie piece which I absolutely love.

 
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Half Pint by Charming Baker
Grannies by Banksy
Grannies by Banksy

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CIARA ELLIOTT IS AN INTERIORS AND FASHION JOURNALIST AND EDITOR. SHE’S ALSO CO-HOST OF FASH RE:BOOT, A COLLECTIVE OF FASHION CAR BOOT SALES THAT POP UP AROUND THE COUNTRY. I LOVE CIARA’S COOL INTERIOR STYLE AND FOLLOWING HER HOUSE REFURBISHMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

Ciara+at+the+Red+house

It brings me right back to my Dublin days and reminds me of when I met my husband Ben.

Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from?
I have so many pieces I’ve gathered over the years as some of my closest friends are artists. I’m not sure I can pick just one!! If pushed though I’d probably say one of my Joby Hickey canvases as it brings me right back to my Dublin days and reminds me too of when I met my now husband Ben.

Ciara Elliot art

 
Joby Hickey

A similar Joby Hickey piece to the one Ciara owns

Q2. Why do you love it?
It has such an international feel but it’s also so recognisably Dublin and just reminds me of my home city.

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Q3. Where does it live in your home? 
It’s by the rocking chair at the window.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy? 
 That’s a really good question. I recently looked at George Michael’s collection thats currently being auctioned for charity and he had some great pieces! I think if money were no object though I’d go for a classic Dutch master like Rubens or Rembrandt or an Italian Renaissance classic like Caravaggio or Michelangelo. Ha! You said money was no object! Or else if I could have something sculptural I’d love Gaudi to come build us a patio, or Joan Miro to create a sculpture for our garden…
 
CARAVAGGIO
Caravaggio ‘Lute Player’
Joan Miro Sculpture
Joan Miro ‘Woman and Bird’

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NATASHA POLISZCZUK IS A FREELANCE JOURNALIST, EDITOR, CONTENT AND BRAND CONSULTANT. FORMER DEPUTY ED OF GLAMOUR MAGAZINE, SHE’S ALSO WORKED FOR THE TIMES, THE TELEGRAPH AND ELLE MAGAZINE AMONGST OTHERS. SHE’S THE CO-FOUNDER OF SUPER STYLISH WEAR & WHERE BLOG, WHICH COVERS FASHION, INTERIORS AND TRAVEL.

NATASHA POLISZCZUK

It’s a beautiful, peaceful painting.

Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from?
A Jonathan Pocock landscape called High on Top. I bought it as an engagement present for my husband eleven years ago. It’s a scene of Harting Down – and even though it’s small, when you look at it, you just fall in to that expanse of sky. It’s a beautiful, peaceful  painting.

J Pocock 1

 
Q2. Why do you love it?
We chose it because it’s evocative of an area we both love – and it’s proved to be prescient. I grew up in a village at the foot of the South Downs. We were married in a house which sits in the Downs. And now we’re moving to Winchester, which is the start of the South Downs Way; we have dreams of spending our weekends exploring it with our two young children. Fortunately I have no issue with being sentimental about art!
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Q3. Where does it live in your home? 
In the living room, next to the chest of drawers where we off-load the detritus of the day, so it welcomes us home.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy? 
So much temptation! Whilst I’m drawn to Sargent’s Madame X (the painting that managed to scandalise Paris), and I like the idea of Monet’s huge waterlily canvases in the Orangerie, I think they’d be rather imposing housemates. Instead I’d go for a jewel-like Vermeer – perhaps Woman in Blue Reading a Letter. Vermeer made the everyday extraordinary – and so beautiful. And the private public. Who is this woman? Whats in the letter? Is it from her lover – or just a note about the laundry? Oh, and that light and the blue of her cloak…
 
 
Vermeer Woman in Blue
Vermeer ‘Woman in Blue Reading a Letter’
Sargent
John Singer Sargent ‘Madame X’ Courtesy The Met

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