Yellow House Art
An hour outside of London, in an area that was historically known as a sleepy fishing village, lies the burgeoning and celebrated art scene in Brighton. Also known as London-by-the-Sea, Brighton is a cultural magnet and a hot spot for artists, and designers who prefer a bohemian, coastal lifestyle to the hustle of London.
To understand the scope and quality of Brighton’s art scene, one only has to attend its exciting annual event, the Artists Open Houses. The first installation of Artists Open Houses got underway in 1982 when local artist, Ned Hoskins opened his front door to the public. Over the years, other artists in the Brighton community joined Ned’s open door initiative. Today, the annual event has grown to include 14 walking trails around the compact Brighton and Hove areas. Every May, the city receives thousands of people who visit and tour over 300 artists’ open houses. Visitors come to interact with members of the art community and purchase original work directly from the source.
ANNETTE BUGANSKY CERAMIC KNIT CUPS
While it may not fit into everyone’s plans to fit an annual trip to Brighton in the schedule, textile designer and entrepreneur, Jehane Boden Spiers found a solution to offer a year round taste of the city’s Artists Open House event to curious and willing customers, 24/7. Jehane is the owner of online gallery and ecommerce site, Yellow House Art. The site was born out of feedback she received from visitors who passed through her yellow house in Brighton inquiring where they could purchase the artwork on display the rest of the year. In 2002 the Yellow Heart House website was launched and became the first Open House in Brighton to have an online gallery. The site carries a diverse collection of locally made pieces in mediums such as ceramics, jewellery, paintings, prints and photography. However, it was Yellow House’s wide array of entertaining items that first caught our eye at Counter magazine. We would like to add a couple pieces of Ken Eardley’s hand-made, brightly coloured jugs to our personal collections as well as the hand-built stoneware ceramics of Jane Muir who makes ceramic artichokes and plates of peas piled high.
KEN EARDLEY JUGS
ROWENA GILBERT CERAMIC LOW SWIRL BOWL
INTERVIEW: Jehane Boden Spiers, Owner of Yellow House Art
01 How do you choose which artists to work with?
I work at a highly personal level with artists, so good relationships are key.
02 How would you describe the aesthetic style of the artists you work with?
The style of work is quite personal to my own taste – I don’t have anything on the website which I would not want in my own house.
03 Does the list evolve with new artists and new products?
The list is ever evolving!
04 What is special about purchasing an item from a Yellow House Art (YHA)?
Customers buying from Yellow House are buying original art which has been carefully selected due to its high quality. Customers receive a much more personal level of customer service than at a big box store and we can guide and help clients through commissioning their own artwork.
05 For a first time buyer, what are some things to consider when purchasing a piece from YHA that would differ from a brick and mortar experience?
Due to the nature of some of the artwork, whilst many pieces are immediately available and in-stock, other items are available on a made-to-order basis. Therefore this could mean that artists need longer to make these items.
06 What are some of your favourite new pieces?
I am still yearning after these round jugs by Ken Eardley – I want them all!
