How to make a house a home

How to make a house a home? It’s not a trick question. The answer really is quite obvious. You fill it with all the things you love; photos, memorabilia from that sun-drenched holiday in the Algarve and the eclectic trinkets which you’ve unwittingly amassed over the years. Yes, we should all de-clutter once in a while, but I am a firm believer in interesting homes. Homes which tell you about the people who live there. Not that they do all their shopping at John Lewis and Rockett St George but that the owners find joy in the outdoors, love a kitchen disco, have a weakness for mini glass animal figurines (okay, that may just be me) and have an uncle who can do a wicked pencil sketch. These quirky, personal items tell the story of our lives and should be celebrated.

  

When we first completed an extension on our home I was so excited to start filling the space with our family treasures. However, I soon realised that I had a lot more wall space than I had anticipated. I began to trawl the usual websites and high street shops and found a lot of art that would look beautiful but it just didn’t have the “heart” that I was looking for. I wanted to find artwork that was a bit different but still affordable.  Then I stumbled across a sensational artist called Taz Fawley who has Down’s Syndrome.  We have a son with Down’s Syndrome so her story, her success, touched a real nerve. We bought one of Taz’s prints and that was it really, I thought, who else is out there? Which other artists are being over-looked – and how can I find them?!

And, that is how Art Rabble came about.

Art Rabble is a social enterprise which means it is set up to do a social good. We want people to look beyond mass produced, faceless artwork and instead listen to the story, and enjoy the artwork, of one of our inspiring artists. Our artists have a range of disabilities, including Fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, mental health challenges, Downs Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorders. But, every artist has a different story to tell; why art is so important to them, where they have been and where they are going. Their experiences are varied and different but they are unified by one thing- that despite every set back, every hurdle, they are still committed to their art, to honing their skills, day after day. That’s the spirit and the “heart” that makes our artist’s work really standout. When you buy from Art Rabble you know the artist; how they have struggled and how they triumph every day. These are not sad stories or tales of woe. These are artists who are thrilled to sell their work, who love their art and really want it to be seen and shared.

So, how to make a house a home, just add things you care about. And, don’t forget the Art Rabble!

 

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