“Yeah, Anne that sounds great,” I mumbled down the phone.

I hadn’t thought about what it would be like to immerse myself in the colourful, floral, funny, some might say zany, over the top and down the rabbit hole world of the late Prince of Chintz.

Well, let me tell you. It was fun.

Why buy one when you can buy ten? More is always better. Mario Buatta, who was the most famous American decorator in the 80’s and 90’s  said there wasn’t a color he didn’t like, that he must have been born under a rainbow.

His favourite colors  being lemon yellow, leaf green and Prussian blue. He also liked full-on pistachios, apricots, and aubergine.

Some pretty plates from the auction – which is going gangbusters by the way. It’s a two day sale, there’s still time to bid.

The self-taught boy from Staten Island made good with his cultivated eye, steel trap mind and  great sense of humour.  He was famous when decorators were not. He was also complicated and moody- all the makings of an interesting story.

Anne was right (she usually is).  It is a good story.  Read all about Mario’s inventive world in our piece for British H&G here.

Back to shopping/ bidding- the exhibition made me realise I have always wanted certain things, I just never knew it, like this very practical bird cage…

or this ostrich candelabra

Cheers to Mario…

January, 2020

The post A Buatta-ful Sale- The Prince of Chintz’s Things are on the Block appeared first on Elena Bowes.

You can learn about these openings and a lot more in my article in Sotheby’s Magazine, just out now. “All Eyes on London” is a must-read on art, theatre, restaurants and more, if I do say so myself.  Just pick up your copy at Sotheby’s on Bond Street. Life made easy, courtesy of moi.

September, 2015 

The post New Gagosian, New Chalayan – Read All About it in Sotheby’s Magazine appeared first on Elena Bowes.

And for those willing to climb up several hundred steps, the cathedral offers stunning views both down to the distant cathedral floor where visitors become dots blending nicely into the mosaic patterned floor.

And outside lie panoramic views of skyscrapers, steeples, bridges, Tate Modern and the busy river life along the Thames.

But this wasn’t why I came to St Paul’s. I wanted to see the donkeys.

Twenty-five brightly-colored, life-size asses trotted from Cairo to St Paul’s Cathedral in an inter-faith exhibition called ‘Caravan‘. Artists from the West and Egypt, of varying religions, were asked to decorate these fiberglass forms, sculpted by prominent Egyptian artist Reda Abdel Rahmen.  Known to be loyal, hardworking and stubborn, donkeys symbolize peace in the Bible and the Qur’an. They are also humble animals, associated with the poorest of the poor. Designed to build bridges between East and West, the donkey exhibition will soon be auctioned off by Sotheby’s with all proceeds going to Egyptian charities helping the poor, regardless of whether they are Muslim or Christian.

October, 2013

The post Donkeys Bring Message of Peace to London appeared first on Elena Bowes.