Well hung

My walls are looking fabulous after Bryan the picture whisperer decorate them with art.

It took about three hours for them to all be arranged and hung.

I left Bryan to it for the most part because I was on lots of calls for work. I told him to just make it look nice. We had a few minor differences of opinion along the way and I listened to his sage advice.

So things aren’t quite as chaotic in the hallway as I envisaged.

It’s the second time I’ve trusted Bryan’s expertise. A few years ago he hung all the art in my old place.

As he worked, he couldn’t stop raving to me about his favourite holiday spot – Magnetic Island.

He was stoked when I told him yesterday that DD and I had gone there last year on his recommendation and loved it.

Bryan visits every July and stays in the same little cottage for two weeks to relax and recharge.

He loves sitting at Horseshoe Bay at sunset, eating fish and chips. DD and I didn’t get a chance to do that and Bryan’s pics look amazing. Maybe next time.

Here are a few of the works on my walls.

Most have a story behind them, which I love. Here are the short versions:

The underwater swimmer was photographed by Narelle Autio at Bondi Beach. My ex and I bought the photo at Stills Gallery, which was owned at the time by Mia Freedman’s mum. Not sure if she’s still at the helm. It hung proudly on the wall of our Bondi apartment, where we lived until the eldest was born.

The photograph above the inlay cabinet was taken by my dear friend Sam’s late father. We bought it at an charity art auction just before we moved to New York. I forget the cause.

The sunrise and sunset photos are by DD (bottom) and me (top). DD’s was taken at sunrise at Bilgola Beach and features the youngest and I in the surf. The bottom one was taken on Sydney Harbour when I was on a Christmas cruise on a private yacht with Manildra during my time at the Drinks Association – Manildra makes ethanol, which we sipped in some lovely Manly Spirits cocktails while on board.

As for the goat, it’s by an amazing artist called Michele Heibel. who used to work for me at Woman’s Day. I went to an exhibition she held in Cessnock and admired the goat, but couldn’t afford it as I think was unemployed at the time. One day it arrived in the post as a gift after my ex moved out.

The fish sculpture was gifted to me by my friend Wendy after I placed a bid on it at a charity auction of her late father in law’s art collection.

The ocean photos were given to me by my sister-in-law and my sister because they know how much I love it.

The collaged wall includes a lino cut that the eldest created in year 8. Seeing it alongside the other year 8 creations in an exhibition was one of those moments of clarity where you realise your child has proper artistic talent. It sits alongside a recycled artwork by the eldest that won an art prize, while the owl was created when the eldest was about seven years old.

The portrait of Neil Finn was a gift from DD. It’s a caricature by an artist called Mark Tippett, who has entered the Bald Archy Prize 10 times and been a finalist each time.

(A framed collection of Crowded House gig photos by my first boyfriend is sitting in the garage waiting to be reframed after breaking in the move.)

The ballerinas are another Narelle Autio shot that I was given for Mother’s Day one year and the mannequins below are by my friend David who I worked with at Cosmo magazine many years ago.

I am getting Bryan back in a few months time – pre his next Magnetic Island trip – once I have bought more art for the blank walls of my bedroom.