Photo Credit: Fraser Band 07984 163 256 fraserband.co.uk
We chat to Lorraine Aaron, founder of Curious Egg and find out the inspiration behind running a successful art consultancy business
Can you tell our readers a little bit about the story of launching Curious Egg?
The idea came to us after lots of late night chats and long dog walks. We were both at a crossroads in our careers and when we stood back we realised the things we loved doing the most were travelling to new places, discovering new things and building our home to make it extra special.
At the time I was wrapping up a public art consultancy partnership with a fellow artist that had been pretty successful but it was in the depths of the recession and new developments which were the main staple of our projects had stalled. I had learned so much about bringing art into public places and how, if done with vision and ambition this could really impact on the way a building or outdoor space was used and enjoyed. I found so many cross overs between art, architecture, interiors, fashion and health. I wasn’t content to go back to making work for galleries or commissions. I wanted to explore these connections in a new way by bringing an artists eye to retail and a little theatre to interiors! Roddy‘s background is in ecommerce and marketing. He’s also interested in interior decor and has turned his hand to many a house renovation over the years.
We were both ready for a new challenge and the idea of creating something together that would allow us to make use of our life loves seemed the right leap to make.
You have a background in Fine Art and have a wealth of experience in the field. Can you tell our readers a little bit about your background?
I studied Fine Art Sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone college of Art in Dundee . During the degree years I spent four months studying at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago , Illinois learning bronze casting and metalwork.
I later studied in Florence for five months on a scholarship from art school. In the early years I started out my own business in hand-painted murals, it grew quite quickly to the point I was working full time hand-painting domestic and commercial interior refurbishments. It was good fun if a little lonely as I’d be up scaffolding into the wee hours when all the workmen had gone home!
I then held a studio in a sculpture workshop in Glasgow where I worked with other artists on projects and public art commissions before setting up my own consultancy practice with a friend and fellow artist. We worked with architects, planners, interior designers, public bodies and commercial developers. It was full of opportunity and frustration with a lot of hurdles to overcome in getting artworks integrated into these schemes. We had to be challenging yet diplomatic and flexible. It could take two years before one major artwork could be realised but then it was an incredible feeling to see it finally finished – really satisfying. Throughout these years I taught part time on a contemporary arts practice course teaching sculpture skills as well as drawing techniques and professional practice – generally preparing students for art school. It was a really rewarding experience and I still like working with young people today.
What is the process behind sourcing inspiration and interesting artwork for Curious Egg?
Well, one of them I’m just about to do which is to go scouting around the art school degree shows! I love it because I remember the excitement and anticipation of doing my own when I graduated and those fluttering nerves because you are showing your inner most thoughts and freshly baked skills to the world for the first time. Art is about commenting on and observing life and young people have a fresh outlook and a lot of interesting things to say. Sometimes viewing graduates work at a degree show and then following them one year on is a great way of seeing how they might develop as an artist. I keep an eye on craft and design fairs in the UK but my biggest love is travelling to new places and cultures and seeing what talents the artists and craftspeople have to offer. Just before we launched last year we did an epic three and a half month journey around Europe visiting 11 different countries and meeting amazing creative people from as far away as Slovakia. We have made so many contacts and have built a wide network and gradually we will be introducing some of the beautiful things they make into the Curious Egg shop.
You offer bespoke services as well. What is the process behind creating a one of a kind piece of art?
It always starts with the client and their world. I try to set up a meeting with them face to face ideally but sometimes via Skype. I take a lot in when speaking to someone, their personality, reactions and enthusiasm (or not).
By building up a profile of them as a person (or a company) I can lay out a set of parameters fro research; What kind of space they are thinking of putting the work? How is that space used? What else is currently in the space? What kind of light does that space have? What kind of materials and surfaces are already in the space? How do they want to feel in that space?
Bringing art into the home is like choosing a dinner guest – it should add something interesting to the conversation but not necessarily silence the room and it should be intriguing enough to invite more attention rather than being so bland that it’s ignored!
I then write a brief based on the parameters and profile and agree what will be included in the first design stage. This can then go several ways depending on the client. We can match up a suitable artist to commission on their behalf, help them to commission one themselves or the client can commission Curious Egg to create the work. It’s a flexible tailor made model and one which is very much connected to my consultancy experience. The best clients of course are the brave ones and the ones that allow the artist’s talents room to breath. The best outcome is a happy client but also a happy artist!
What is the ethos of Curious Egg?
We want Curious Egg to push boundaries and break the mould of what an interior lifestyle store can be. It takes a holistic approach making connections between contemporary visual art, interiors, travel, health and wellbeing. We look for products that intrigue and help a person tell their own story in layers. We are not so interested in superstar stark design objects but instead pieces that have soul and that help inject a little quirk and personality between the layers and folds of every home with a few unexpected surprises thrown in!
We have so many plans and an exciting new development is about to be revealed. Most of all it’s a welcoming place where people can browse luxury items beside affordable and hopefully discover a newfound love of art and fine crafted objects in the process. By bringing art, interiors and other elements together under one roof, it’s an oddly shaped model that will continue to change form and explore new ground.
What interior trends can we expect to see for AW16?
I think there’s already a big swing towards the handcrafted but also using new technologies in parallel – ‘smartcrafted’! – and I think both of these will continue. People are appreciating the little imperfections and more unique natural forms that are created by hand. I think more organic textures will be seen in accessories and walls such as faux fur skins, powdery paints, handmade papers and irregular furniture. Layering and mixing materials (which I love both in art and interiors!). Carefully chosen plants, especially succulents and leafy greenery are having their biggest debut since the 1900’s! People are using them as statement pieces however tiny and they make for beautiful natural sculptures in our homes – I think this will continue to be very popular.
Can you give our readers some advice on how best to introduce unique art into their home?
First of all, whatever you buy, painting, prints, sculpture or other, it’s you that has to love it. Worrying about what the neighbours might say or whether your auntie will faint or friends sneer will only result in buying something meaningless and it will show. Buy it because it makes a connection with you maybe that’s by making you laugh, conjuring up images in your imagination or maybe reminding you of a favourite place. I think the best art gives you something back every time you look at it. A great place to discover exciting work is at your nearest art school degree show. You can usually find out dates for these in advance online. These are some of tomorrow’s stars and you can find some really affordable artworks by newly trained artists who are just beginning their career. High quality art fairs can also be good places to find out about up and coming as well as more established artists. Remember artists want to sell to you as much as the next person and will happily tell you about their work so don’t be afraid to ask questions! You can find some quirky frames at flea markets and antique shops that can work amazingly well with contemporary artworks.
Another piece of advice is not to be too precious. Art doesn’t have to live in a white space with nothing else around it -no matter how expensive. The French and Italians value art greatly but they are not frightened to include it in everyday settings. Art can work well in unexpected places like in a hallway beside the family coats and shoes, above the sink or door in a tiny box bathroom, hung on doors or just leaning casually on a shelf with other objects and books – it makes it all the more intriguing to discover.
When you’re not busy working, what do you like to do to unwind and relax?
We are thankfully grounded every day by our crazy high maintenance Vizsla, Miko who takes us out on gorgeous long woodland walks. Sunday pottering in the garden is a newfound love for me as a former three-storeys-up urbanite! We also love to take our beloved camper Martha to the idyllic secret corners of Scotland for quick weekend escapes. If we have a longer break we like to travel to far away places as much as possible.
What’s an average day like, if there is one?
Every single day brings a new set of tasks, challenges and opportunities – that sounds so clichéd but it’s true! One day I can be half way across the country meeting an artist or flying to a design event and the next I’m in my home office talking to customers arranging deliveries to unusual places, helping to process and pack orders, writing up product descriptions, blog posts or taking photographs or answering press enquiries- every single day is different.
A basic structure starts with Roddy getting up at 5am and exercising – that’s just inhuman to me but I’m usually slightly more pleasant to be around at 6.30 am which is when I tend to engage in social media over breakfast – I’m training myself slowly (!) At 8.30am on a Monday we have a meeting to plan the goals for the week then we head off with our long to do lists to our individual workspaces in the house – we planned to share an office but Roddy is a ‘left brain’ worker that likes a tidy organised desk and lets just say I have more organic methods of working – it’s better for us both this way! I usually to do the creative things like writing, designing things for the website and photographing in the morning and the admin and order packing in the afternoon. We try to eat lunch together unless I’m out on the road but otherwise we take turns to walk Miko in the local woodland and meet in the kitchen to eat, it’s a good time to catch up.
We’re only a two man team so we’ve had to do everything ourselves from scratch and inevitably things take longer than you ever expect them to. We tend to finish around 7pm and I try to cook something fresh wherever possible – I have a good few staples up my sleeve now! We then have a bit of down time although I confess I sometimes go back and finish a few work things before bed at 10.30pm.
We love that we don’t know exactly what tomorrow will bring!
Who are your favourite designers?
That’s tricky, coming from a visual art background I haven’t built up a huge list of heroes in the design world. I’m not a lover of self consciously formal design but I can appreciate design pieces that use interesting combinations of materials and colour. I think my first love of a design piece was by Ingo Maurer the lighting designer – his lights are like little poems and very sculptural. I like design that gives you a way in either though humour, surprise or even a tactile surface texture.
I’m more likely to be inspired by other cultures – I think the French sense of relaxed style is timeless and it leaves room for elegance and glamour without being uptight it also has a touch of eccentricity. Danish styles that are simple and rustic are also a favourite. I love the dark palette and quirky expression that Abigail Ahern has introduced to UK interiors and the bohemian glamorous style of Sarah Hersham Loftus. I also love some of the soulful interiors arranged by Marie Olsson Nylander.
Any top tips on how to get a designer home on a budget?
The best homes are relaxed, confident and individual. I tend to spend more on the small items. Just one or two high quality unique home accessories and a statement artwork however small will work hard for you and mean you can save a lot on the bigger surfaces. Paint transforms and although I’d always say go for a good quality paint (you can’t beat the depth of colour) if using a dark colour, you can use a cheaper one underneath for the first coat to save on the amount you need to buy. Use matt paint on walls as it hides a multitude of sins and avoid gloss on woodwork unless it’s a calculated part of the design – it tends to cheapen the look (don’t be swayed by the ‘gloss is harder wearing’ line!) I always opt for eggshell or satin finish instead which can be just as hardwearing and doesn’t yellow as easily. Lastly it’s the little details that change a room from ordinary to luxury. You might add a special door handle, sumptuous throw or even one unusual plant in a gorgeous planter can be a statement piece in itself. These things bring life and softness to any room that whispers relaxed luxury.
Where are your favourite places to eat/drink/shop across London?
I’m based in Scotland so my well known favourites tend to be in Glasgow – Finnieston is a buzzy up and coming area. I’m not as much of a frequenter of London haunts but when I am down visiting friends or for trade events I like to spend time in Greenwich which is more relaxed and familiar and I’m discovering Islington and Shoreditch for the cool little independents that are constantly popping up in unexpected places.
What’s your motto?
Be a trailblazer but take those that care about you with you and give back when you can.