Sally Arnold ®

In Bloom II Exhibition at Casa Labia

2012-01-16T13:24:00.000+02:00

Jean Grose: Amaryllis, watercolour

Ian Garrett: burnished, pit fired pots with floral motifs

"Bloom" - exhibition bannner

Learning from flowers

2012-01-13T21:14:00.000+02:00

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the fast-growing, brilliantly bright sunflower offers guidance on how best to gather solar energy. Read more here:

http://www.tgdaily.com/sustainability-features/60746-sunflower-inspires-more-efficient-solar-layout

2012-01-11T12:09:00.000+02:00

Sally Arnold + Karoo Star Interiors are following

http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/

- written by a smart woman with a small balcony and a big vision

Etsy online store for handcrafted mohair cushions

2011-11-30T09:09:00.001+02:00

My latest kid mohair cushions from the 2011 "Stripe" range are now available online at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SallyArnold

Karoo Geometric Mohair Rugs

2011-11-23T11:38:00.001+02:00

A stunning silver-grey, yellow and cream (natural mohair colour) rug for a private client in Cape Town., photographed by Gary Hirson. Fully reversible and a dream to walk barefoot on. Available in more beautiful colour ways

New website and webshop for botanical paintings

2011-11-12T22:34:00.002+02:00

Contemporary Botanical Painting

2011-10-26T22:29:00.000+02:00

Alistair Macintosh, writing in the Mail & Guardian of Oct 26 2011, asserts that Narcissistic modern art cannot help us in these troubled times:

http://mg.co.za/article/2011-10-25-narcissistic-modern-art-cannot-help-us-in-these-troubled-times

He quotes Wassily Kandinsky from a century ago: The artist must "be a priest of beauty". Beauty itself is that "which springs from the soul", being anchored in the sacred.

Macintosh concludes: “I hear people yearning for what Kandinsky saw as prophetic art. Art that reveals hope. Art that breathes the flow of life into the veins.”

Eckart Tolle, in A New Earth, 2005, used this analogy of the sacred: “… these delicate and fragrant beings we call flowers would come to play an essential part in the evolution of consciousness of another species. Humans would increasingly be drawn to and fascinated by them” (p.2)

The flower, according to Wikipedia, first evolved from the vegetative stem of plants around 140 million years ago as a purely reproductive primordia (The principal purpose of a flower is the reproduction of the individual and the species)– and in direct complicity with animal and insect pollinators.

It has become one of a handful of symbols according to Tolle, with which modern humans may transcend the

cul de sac of ego-driven, materialistic 21^st century existence. “Without our fully realizing it, flowers would become for us an expression in form of that which is most high, most sacred, and ultimately formless within ourselves”. Apart from the fact that without flowers, there would have been no reproduction of plant life, ergo no further development of life on planet Earth, these exceptional manifestations of the reproductive energy of plants - and thus of life per se - are a prime symbol of our very existence within the cosmos.

Beyond the modish “green” and “eco” lobbys, these technicolour, sophisticated, beautiful and trickster flowers constitute spiritual building blocks towards an enlightened “New Earth”. Possibly for the first time in remembered history, artists of all ages and both genders are documenting and paying homage to botanical phenomena, collectors are collecting botanical art on a grand scale, and You Tube is showing gardener-artists from East and West as they lay down the veils of vibrating colour and light which constitute the ephemeral, spiritual qualities of a flower, its petals and leaves.

Flowers - and it follows - botanical art are in the vanguard of current human aspirations to preserve our ancient habitat on planet Earth. Their continued existence signifies hope, the quality Macintosh discovered people are currently so yearning for.

As a painter of life-pulsing yet ephemeral plant blossoms, leaves and pods, I feel the hour of botanical art has indeed come. Art that breathes the flow of life into the veins. Far from the madding crowd with its ego-driven insecurities, resulting paranoias and often alienating, international art market “art”, there is space for the uplifting, transcending power of a delicate, solitary flower in all its meditative beauty.

As Georgia O’Keeffe noted: “When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment”.

Beyond showing their pretty faces and embodying romantic allusions, flowers and their botanical accoutrements are both path markers and prophetic alarm signals accompanying the headlong human rush for more growth, more consumption and more profit. Ignore them at your peril.

Alonsoa unilabiata - Mask Flower

2011-10-23T10:56:00.001+02:00

A great painting to complement the "Bubble" runner

New reversible mohair runner "Bubble"

2011-10-23T10:49:00.001+02:00

Available in many more colour combinations .....

My paintings on sale at State of the Art.co.za

2011-10-11T13:23:00.000+02:00

Sally Arnold ® for Avoova

2011-10-04T21:42:00.000+02:00

"Grid" platter, in blue and natural eggshell

New botanical paintings 2011 - indigenous South African flowers

2011-09-09T20:05:00.001+02:00

Nothing like a crystalline Karoo winter to incubate dormant painting energy. Three 50 x 50 cm portraits of indigenous blossoms are almost done, and a big 100 x 220 cm view of blue waterlilies (especially their leaves) progressing alongside these. Claude Monet's the major water lily maestro, so I'm happy doing my own thing with the pretty blue floating, diaphanous blossoms... I think flowers are the most overlooked top secret of all nature's secrets. We think we see them - but do we really? Hundreds of insects and larger animals (e.g. bats) are tempted by these sirens of scent and colour to visit and help with pollination. Without flowers, no continuation of the species... the dainty Bauhinia and Moraea Villosa above, the dramatic Diascia (Mask Flower) coming soon

The making of a painted flower portrait 2: Moraea villosa

2011-09-09T19:58:00.000+02:00

After modelling the petals and further defining the flower centre, the stamens still need to be painted in detail. Fourteen hours of work, spread over several weeks. The layers of oil paint dry naturally, no chemicals are used to accelerate the process..... Almost there...!

Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art

2011-08-20T20:22:00.000+02:00

A whole museum just for Botanical Art - sounds like home!

The power of mandalas

2011-08-10T12:26:00.000+02:00

Simplicity says it all

2011-08-09T21:04:00.000+02:00

One painted vase - using design language from a Sally Arnold ™ woodcut dated 2004 - in a beautifully designed private residence in Swedish Malmö

A magical phenomenon called colour

2011-08-08T20:58:00.003+02:00

Colour is at the heart of evolution.

The first thing to remember is that colour does not actually exist… at least not in any literal sense.... What exists is light. Light is real. You can measure it, hold it and count it (well … sort-of). But colour is not light. Colour is wholly manufactured by your brain.

Think of the relationship between insects and flowers (flowers are not coloured for our benefit, but for theirs), or of all the different colours of animals and how they either blend into their environment or, like the peacock, stand out in order to attract attention....
Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14421303

I adore Amy Butler's sculpted floral rugs

2011-08-06T21:54:00.000+02:00

Pierre-Joseph Redouté - Belgian botanical painter

2011-07-24T20:25:00.003+02:00

I discovered this gorgeous painting "Bouquet of flowers", watercolor on vellum by Pierre-Joseph Redouté (1759 - 1840), 1839 which inspired me to new flower paintings, to be published soon

Jaume Plensa monumental outdoor works, Yorkshire Sculpture Park

2011-07-18T21:34:00.000+02:00

A master of lightness! How privileged I was to show "Cosmic Flowers" with Plensa's illuminated head nearby at St Tropez in 2006: http://www.sudafricana.com/sculp_cosmicgarden_StTropez2006.html

Artist Residency, Crans Montana, Switzerland

2011-07-18T21:25:00.000+02:00

Sally Arnold has been invited to a Spring 2012 residency at the beautiful Cite Joie, Crans Montana in French speaking Switzerland. It will be a wonderful opportunity to study indigenous Swiss mountain flowers...

Soft stripey stripes ....

2011-05-31T17:38:00.000+02:00

New handwoven kid mohair sofa cushions in dynamic stripes with soft "beaded" inserts - more colours to follow....

Guest collaboration with Avoova

2011-05-31T17:30:00.001+02:00

Sally Arnold ™ is creating 5 new designs for the expanding Avoova Ostrich Eggshell range, with a special focus on new colour trends and the international market.

Biodigital architecture based on flowers

2011-05-14T21:03:00.001+02:00

Phenomenal .... this is what architecture students in Barcelona are designing.... love it!

The making of a painted flower portrait

2011-04-26T20:19:00.002+02:00

This sequence shows the beginnings of a Moraea villosa - an indignous flower from South Africa. The background (acrylic) lightened in image 2, and a rather strong yellow ochre was added to the pthalo petal centres in image 3. The flower will be painted in oils. Once these ground colours have dried, shades of white and grey will model the petal surfaces, the coloured markings will be further developed and the centre of the flower will become sculpturally prominent. Watch this space....

Water architecture

2011-03-30T22:26:00.001+02:00

I really love smart urban architects! Though I love unspoilt nature even more, they're the next best thing.... check out these beautiful bubbles designed by Eriksson Architects from Helsinki for the Mentogou Water Institute + Eco Valley in China

Ambiente 2011 - the official story

2011-02-25T21:24:00.002+02:00

Dear Mrs. Arnold,

Ambiente 2011 was a roaring success. Together, we welcomed over 144,000 trade and professional visitors. This represents a 10 percent growth. With your new products and highlights you have provided inspiration for the international buyers who came and have motivated them as they look forward to the trading year to come. You and your company create the magnet that makes Ambiente what it is – the world number 1, with the broadest product range on the planet. We thank you for your commitment and are already looking forward to joining up with you again at the next Ambiente in 2012.

Ambiente Team

Ambiente 2011 success

2011-02-17T15:12:00.001+02:00

Ambiente 2011 was a wonderful success for a first visit, thanks to the DTI and SA National Pavilion! Sally Arnold™ received a distributor offer for Germany and Austria, sales and orders were great. Visitors loved the colours - accurately on trend with Ambiente's forecasts -, designs and very polished handmade look. The runaway stars were the big floor cushions!

More Karoo Zen lounge cushions

2011-02-08T19:50:00.001+02:00

Indigènes - Grande Provence 3

2011-01-24T12:45:00.001+02:00

Spider Lily II, 50 x 50 cm, oli and acrylic on canvas, price on request

Indigènes - Grande Provence 2

2011-01-24T12:42:00.003+02:00

Polygala Virgata, 50 x 100 cm, oil and acrylic on canvas, price on request

Indigènes - Grande Provence

2011-01-21T23:15:00.003+02:00

Focusing on indigenous South African flowers, this small show runs till February 16. Above: Aristea, oil and acrylic, 50 x 50 cms, price on request

Knitting in glass

2011-01-21T23:10:00.000+02:00

Seen at 15 on Orange, Cape Town - all the way from Murano

Grande Provence Gallery + Sculpture Garden

2011-01-14T20:16:00.001+02:00

Spending a few days in this idyllic wine estate setting in historical Franschhoek is a glorious build up to my upcoming exhibition Indigènes, January 16 - February 16

Karoo Zen lounge cushions

2011-01-10T23:11:00.001+02:00

Silky soft. lustrous kid mohair and a handloom combined to make this stunning new addition to the collection. In several sizes, colours and striped patterns, made with love and care in the Karoo. Don't leave without one.....

Weaving in architecture 2

2010-12-20T10:11:00.001+02:00

asymptote architecture: kaohsiung port terminal

kaohsiung port terminal, asymptote architecture, kaohsiung, taiwan
images and drawings courtesy of asymptote architecture

the interwoven structure of the curved
roof provides shelter to the natural elements
and illumination in the evenings when
various activities are taking place.
the design, a geometric, scale-like pattern
offers a continually transforming
environment, affected by light, shadow
and time of day

Indigènes" - sneak preview

2010-12-16T23:31:00.001+02:00

Weaving in architecture

2010-12-06T21:57:00.001+02:00

NL architects: tower of power

Countdown for "Indigènes", Grande Provence, 16.January 2011

2010-12-06T00:22:00.002+02:00

Eight new medium format Flower Portraits are almost ready for the Small Gallery at Grande Provence. Based on indigenous flora, they will complement a selection of drawings from Rome and later, a hand smithied indigenous flower sculpture and soft furnishings featuring organic marine flora. I grew up with a print of Tretchikoff's "Lost Orchid" from the late 1940's so this is a major source for how I understand flowers. Tretchikoff also knew that flowers have characters, and I'm delighted the 1st retrospective of his work will be held at the SANG in 2011.

Sally Arnold™ at Ambiente Living, Frankfurt, February 11-15, 2011

2010-11-16T17:24:00.001+02:00

Exciting news: my mohair rugs and cushions will be on show on the SA National Pavilion in the LOFT, dedicated to exclusive designer homeware, at Ambiente Frankfurt 2011. An incredible opportunity to show my skills and the beautiful mohair fibre to over 132,000 (Ambiente 2010) trade visitors. Thanks to the CCDI and DTI for so much support!

A brief history of flat-weaving

2010-08-20T00:08:00.001+02:00

The women of Anatolia have, for thousands of years, created beautiful flat-weavings that only recently have come to be appreciated by Western collectors. There are several reasons why the flat-woven Kilim is such a recent discovery amongst collectors. Most Westerners have formed pre-conceived notions about carpets, primarily that a carpet must have a knotted pile. Flat-weavings were seen as a minority tradition within a greater and older tradition of knotted pile carpets and rugs. The reverse is actually true. Flat-weavings predate knotted pile carpets by many thousands of years, and flat-weaving has dominated the five-thousand year old history of woven textiles in the Near East.

Another preconception that has kept collectors from recognizing the importance of flat weaving is the tendency in the West to regard weavings as floor coverings. The Kilim was used to create the walls of tents, to make saddle bags and containers, dust covers for furniture, for artistic as well as practical household uses. It was used as an expression of tribal culture, as part of a young woman's skill. A Kilim could be spread on the floor and used for food preparation. It could be slept on. It was never used exclusively for walking on.

South African Handmade Collection 2010 at Decorex Johannesburg

2010-08-08T23:03:00.000+02:00

KarooStar Interiors has the privilege of being on the Western Cape/Cape Craft and Design Institute stand, which won Gold for Best Stand in the SA Handmade Collection hall today.

Upcoming exhibition after 5 year break

2010-07-29T21:41:00.002+02:00

Sally Arnold™ will be showing a selection of new paintings and original soft furnishings from the 2010 "Indigenous" Series at Grande Provence Gallery, Franschhoek (ZA) in Jan 2011, watch this space for details. Image above: view of the gallery

2010-07-17T00:31:00.000+02:00

South African Handmade Collection 2010

2010-07-17T00:07:00.002+02:00

Sally Arnold™ is part of the South African Handmade Collection, which will once again collate with the legendary Decorex SA Johannesburg, promising to be a celebration of Joburg's most urban & chic spaces by talented style shapers, trend makers & décor creators. Trade professionals & consumers can indulge in the haute & the handmade; from 5th – 9th August 2010 at the Gallagher Convention Centre.

Fresh off the loom: "Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Acacia

2010-07-06T18:07:00.000+02:00

Fresh off the loom: "Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Orchid

2010-06-30T17:01:00.000+02:00

Mohair South Africa winter 2010 campaign

2010-06-09T18:53:00.001+02:00

Lovely violet - the colour of South African winter 2010 and Sally Arnold™'s Karoo Geometric rug....

KarooStar Interiors on Facebook

2010-06-08T10:12:00.000+02:00

Please tell your friends, thank you!

Sally Arnold™ on DETAIL360.com - German + English

2010-06-02T16:59:00.001+02:00

http://www.detail360.com/This highly professional site for architects, engineers and all collaborators in the building industries lists my European "Art on Building" projects

Inspiration for "Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Orchid

2010-05-31T18:18:00.000+02:00

Portrait of Orchids, 2007, 100 x 120 cm, private collection Luxembourg

"Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Orchid

2010-05-30T16:43:00.001+02:00

The first of the Artist's Rugs - as once-off, signed Artist's Proofs - will soon be manufactured in Cape Town by Rugalia.

Besides Acacia (see earlier posts), Orchid will be blossoming in a sculpted wool pile original. Watch this space for the finished products....

Press news South Africa May 2010

2010-05-26T11:24:00.000+02:00

House + Leisure SA, loyal supporter of my design aesthetic since 2001, features two Sally Arnold ™ mohair products this month: the North African/Turkish inspired, sturdy floor cushions, and the Lily Ottoman - both a seat and storage space, using wood from recycled wine oak barrels.

Portrait of Nerine

2010-05-25T20:02:00.002+02:00

Portrait of Nerine

2010-05-25T20:00:00.000+02:00

These indigenous veld flowers are dainty - I've blown them up to show how gorgeous they are....

Inspiration for "Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Anemone

2010-05-21T20:45:00.000+02:00

Wading in the rock pools off the Western Cape coast, I love looking at sea anemones with their wavy soft shapes and bright colours. Starfish also lie on the rocks.... an amazing watery world full of inspiration....

"Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition": Anemone

2010-05-21T20:40:00.000+02:00

Seaweed Rug

2010-05-15T08:57:00.000+02:00

Introducing "Artist's Rugs - Limited Edition"

2010-05-14T21:39:00.000+02:00

Inspired by a clump of seaweed on the beach at my sister Lizzie's house near Gourits River mouth, I designed the Seaweed Rug. Hand tufted and sculpted to a 5mm profile, and linking back to a 1973 cement sculpture "Growth" from art college days in Cape Town, this 80% wool 20% nylon rug will warm your wintry days + comfort you with beach vibes

Paintings which don't match the curtains

2010-05-07T19:48:00.003+02:00

Ornament I + II, crylic on boxed canvas, 30 x 40 cms each. R7500 both

Flora I + II, oil and acrylic on boxed canvas, 30 x 30 cms each. R7500 both

Press news South Africa April 2010

2010-05-05T15:41:00.004+02:00

"Lily" rug, tufted and hand sculpted wool, Property Magazine/Trends Issue, April 2010

Press news South Africa Feb 2010

2010-05-05T15:07:00.009+02:00

As a mentor in the rug category to "Design Time" school of interior design in Cape Town, I was thrilled when Cara Siegers (top) reached the top 10 fianlists in House & Leisure/Woolworths Green Design Award 2010.

2009 Stock to clear at cost

2010-05-04T22:53:00.003+02:00

Soft Seat "Euphorbia", resilient yet silky mohair flatweave over 100% cotton covered high density foam. Was R3304, now R1686, size: 40 x 50 x 50 cm

2009 Stock to clear at cost

2010-05-04T22:48:00.004+02:00

Soft Seat "Klapperbos", pure mohair flatweave, high density foam inner covered in 100% cotton, was R3605, now R2090. Size: 60 x 50 x 50 cm

2008/09 stock to clear at cost

2010-05-03T19:10:00.003+02:00

"Lily" floor cushions, mohair flatweave with napa leather bases and sturdy foam filling, were R7615, now R4230. Sizes: 114 x 114 x 20 cm.

2008/09 stock to clear at cost

2010-05-03T18:59:00.005+02:00

"Seaweed" + "Kelp": these sturdy ottomans, made from solid wood, foam padding and tufted wool seats with Karoo sheepskin sides are perfect for a bedroom or lounge area. Were R10470, now R5515. Size: 90 x 90 x 55 cm.

News from my Karoo design lab

2010-05-02T20:34:00.001+02:00

I'll be publishing new rug designs and art pieces for sale on this blog, instead of maintaining two separate websites. Coming next: Artist's Rug samples, silver bronzes and a selection of paintings. Sneak preview: see above

2009-10-11T18:16:00.003+02:00

Soft Seat "Acacia", mohair flatweave over a high-density foam covered in 100% cotton. Was R3605, now R2090. Size: 45 x 40 x 40 cm

Plants and flowers are an endless source of inspiration...... switching to my hand-woven, mohair collection, this is what a bit of Acacia blossom can do. Soft seat, anyone?

2009-09-28T07:29:00.000+02:00

Portrait of Saxifragae has been bought by collector Jesper Nielsen in Luxembourg. This was a record time for a sale of the sought after Flower Portraits, confirming their value for discerning collectors.

Monumental Sculpture for China

2009-09-05T21:50:00.000+02:00

August was spent working on a model for a monumental bronze in China at Three Lily Buds in Scania. Pink and orange pin stripes on the Sea Anemone will attract viewers and funk up the shape.

Inspiration

Flowers from Swedish Lappland

2009-09-04T23:39:00.000+02:00

After a break of 2 years, a new Flower Portrait was created based on web photos of flowers from Swedish Lappland. Portrait of Saxifragae, 120 x 120 x 4 cm, oil and acrylic, is being auctioned online to the highest bidder, bids close Sept.15 at midnight.