In the frame: Louisa Guinness

Louisa Guinness , House & Garden, February 1, 2017

Clockwise from top left-hand corner:

 

MAN RAY

Man Ray was endlessly inspired by the female form. I waited a long time to find these earrings. He made them in 1968 and Catherine Deneuve modelled them in the same year. They're so typical of what I like to collect - striking yet surreal, although truthfully they're only vaguely wearable. They were designed after a lampshade that he made in 1919 and it was a shape that herepeated throughout his work over the years. 

 

TONY BEVAN

I think Tony Bevan is an overlooked British painter. We have one of his paintings hanging over our fireplace. He's a great draughtsman. He uses a deep, strong red in his work, which is such a mov- ing colour. There's no one else quite like him. You can look into his paintings and see something  different every time. I love that ambiguity. 

 

FRANCOIS-XAVIER LALANNE

One of my favourite things in our house is this cow by François-Xavier Lalanne, which I bought about 15 years ago. The bronze cow, called Vache Fleurie, is a very strong character with so much presence. I love the fact that when it is empty it's a sculpture, but when you add flowers it becomes a vase and looks rather surreal. It's a beautifully designed piece and, despite the fact he's not enormous, he always manages to dominate the room.

 

HITOMI HOSONO

I love the delicacy of Hitomi Hosono's work and the extraordinary attention to detail. The pieces she makes feel very complete; they are so much more than decorative objects. You can almost feel the touch of her hand and every work is so personal. If you lift the lid on the box I own, a gold interior is revealed - it's a beautiful surprise. 

 

ALEXANDER CALDER

The first examples of artist jewellery I ever bought were a necklace and brooch by Calder. Buying these pieces set me on the path to doing what I do now. He didn't set boundaries between art and sculpture or prioritise objects like we do today. There's nothing I like more than being able to see the touch of the artist and with these you can almost feel the hit of his hammer. They're earthy, yet calculated: nothing is there by accident. Calder went everywhere with wire and pliers in his pocket. He was always making things; even as a child he made jewellery for his sister's dolls.

 

INGRID DONAT

I've always craved one of Ingrid Donat's creations. Much of her work is inspired by Giacometti. I work in the world of metal and really appreciate when people do interesting things with it. Ingrid's pieces have such character; they are animated. I grew up with quite traditional roots and, as I've got older, I've got more involved with the contemporary art world. If an object can bridge both of these worlds without much effort, I'll definitely like it. I think Ingrid's work is the perfect embodiment of this;  it seems ancient but modern all in one breath.