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Zarina Fernandez of The Workspace Stylist gives us her top tips for finding the perfect artwork for your workspace!

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Divya Bahukhandi has been painting for as long as she can remember, and she recalls the walls of her family home in India being full of her art. The beautiful surrounds and the simple life of her small home town shaped her sense of beauty and she now works to create artworks that are calming and bring a sense of joy to the spaces in which they hang.
While living in India, Divya started studying painting at a very early age with a guru under the apprenticeship system. However, it wasn’t a career in the arts that she originally pursued. ‘As I grew, I started to think of an artist’s life as a lonely one, especially growing up without the noise of social media, TV and phones (the TV came to our home when I was in grade six). In pursuit of a more social life, I started my engineering degree, but soon design presented itself as an option.’ Divya studied Industrial Design, specialising in Textile Design. After completing her undergraduate degree, she worked for a number of home fashion and apparel brands overseas. After love and marriage brought her to Australia, she continued working in the industry here.
It was only after she had her two boys that she gave up her full-time design job to start painting again. ‘For some reason, watercolour really attracted me – it just agreed with where I was in life at that point. I was ready to let go and be mesmerised by the unpredictable and spontaneous nature of the medium.’
Now based in Melbourne, Divya works from home while keeping an eye on her two gorgeous boys. She enjoys being surrounded by her ‘creative mess’, working predominantly with watercolour on paper along with watercolour and acrylics on canvas. She loves to create layers upon layers, exploring the depths and interactions of natural forms.
Inspired by scenes such as mist covered mountains, the untamed wilderness of the backyard, lush green rolling hills and wild weeds and plants, Divya loves to explore forms, interactions, shadows and details. ‘I love the idea of the never ending canvas of life; my artworks often create a sense of the art extending or reaching out beyond the canvas.’ When beginning her work, an idea could start with a colour or form that captures Divya’s imagination. Other times it is just a fleeting thought or a memory that she aims to capture.
A highlight for Divya is when she can see her work hanging in their new homes. ‘I love when I can create a perfect artwork for a client’s home. It’s an unmatched feeling of gratitude and humility!’ She also loves collaborating for special projects and being surrounded by the energies of other creative people. ‘I still remember the day I walked into the Forman store. Nick and Kara have been so warm and lovely! It is an absolute joy to be part of their creative journey, and I’m so thankful for their support and friendship.’
‘Another big highlight for me is when my boys like my work! It totally makes my day, although it’s a very rare occurrence!’
 
See our range of beautiful Divya Bahukhandi works here.

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When creating her expressive abstract landscapes, Prue Clay says she is ‘more interested in the hum of the landscape than how it looks to the eye. These paintings are a reflection of the feelings I felt when I immersed myself in the wilderness…’
 
Growing up on a farm in rural New South Wales, Prue has always felt a connection to the land. Her works are inspired by the landscapes around that area and also of Tasmania, where she travels regularly. She likes to immerse herself in her surroundings, observing the changing weather and drawing inspiration from the emotional connection she has to the landscapes.
 
Prue paints from her Brunswick West home, predominantly working with oil on canvas or linen. Currently in the process of building her home studio, she has set up a temporary studio in her dining room. ‘This works really well as it allows me to paint whilst looking after my two young kiddies.’
 
When in her early twenties, Prue contracted a rare virus which left her with impaired vision for three months. At the time, doctors were unsure if she would recover – something Prue describes as a life changing moment. Today, her eyes are still scarred, and she sees the world through patches of blurred vision. This unique perspective is reflected in the depth and colour of Prue’s stunning landscapes.
 
See Forman’s collection of beautiful Prue Clay works here!

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Brenda worked in fashion and interior design until she moved from the UK to Ibiza, in Spain, in 2004. Eventually, she started dabbling in painting and sculpture and by 2016 she was creating as a full-time artist. Her work still often reflects the beauty of the sea and island life. “I moved to Australia permanently in 2017 and it’s been an inspiration to live and work here. I love the diverse scenery, cultures and the general friendliness. It’s here where I finally feel like I’ve got into my stride artistically.”
Brenda now lives and works in Warburton in the beautiful Yarra Valley. “I have my little studio in my garden at home, overlooking my rainforest garden, where my constant visitors are the cheeky parrots who live in the garden and often pop into the studio when my door is open, hoping for sunflower seeds!”
Married to a music producer, music is a constant in Brenda’s home. “We both have very eclectic taste, so it can range from dreamy ambient, through to jazz, salsa, soul - you name it, we probably play it! I can’t work without it, though occasionally I will listen to a good podcast, if I’m in the mood.”
Brenda works with acrylic paints and soft pastels and describes painting as a constant learning process. “My influences range from Cy Twombly, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell… well, really most of the well-known American abstract expressionists of the 50s and 60s!”
“I turn up most days at the canvas, whether I’m in the mood or not. Sometimes magic happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s important to show up. I like the challenge of a big canvas. I find it really hard to paint on a very small scale, though I do try sometimes.”
“I recently entered my very first art show and was delighted to win ‘Best in Show’, with some strong competition from over 200 fellow artists! I love where I am in life in general and for me, developing a career at a time when most people are thinking of retiring is a huge plus. As George Eliot said, ‘It’s never too late to be what you might have been!’”
 
See Forman’s stunning collection of new Brenda Meynell work’s here!

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Nadia’s exploration of clay began at a very young age. Her father Giuseppe is an earthmover - still jumping on an excavator at 73! When he would return home with his truck, a young Nadia would remove the clumps of orange clay from the mud flaps. ‘I just loved working it through my hands. I would smell it, squish it and try to understand the integrity and language of this material without having to create anything with it.’

A qualified Early Childhood Educator, Nadia became more interested in art when studying at Melbourne University as a mature age student. ‘Architecture, colour, sounds and smells could not be dulled or avoided in the city. Eventually, this woke my senses to the many galleries in the area. From time to time, I would visit the galleries during long lecture breaks.’ Nadia is now a practising artist, along with her work as a specialist clay teacher in kindergarten and primary school settings. She is currently collaborating at Ruyton Early Learning Centre as an Artist in Residence.

Nadia creates her exquisite miniature works from her inner city Melbourne home studio; a space that Nadia describes as ‘small and intimate’.  She works with white Raku clay which, when worked with a sponge or tool, creates a wonderful textured appearance. She hand builds, paints and uses sgraffito technique to create miniature eyes, hands, ears and faces that acknowledge some of her favourite artists: Picasso, Dali and Frida. Her works are kept simple, using a monochromatic palette of black, grey and white underglazes.

Owls in arched shrines are common motifs in Nadia’s work due to her reverential love for the bird. ‘I believe their intuitive nature and vision are connected. The owl also happens to be my spirit animal, who I believe witnesses and marvels in nature’s intelligence.’

Nadia’s latest works are inspired by the ‘Lover’s Eyes’ – eye miniatures that were featured in jewellery during the Georgian period, evoking sentiments of love and remembrance. ‘With my eye pieces in particular, the participant or viewer has to consider how they will interpret him/her through the eyes only because the bodies are not revealed, and that experience will be different for each person.’

While Nadia has been creating miniature wall pieces particularly for those who live in small spaces, she also loves the idea that her small works ‘can be held in one’s hands as well as gifted to the ones we love and adore.’

 

See Forman’s range of stunning Nadia Robertson ceramics here!

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