Octavia Dickinson is an interior designer. After graduating from the Courtauld Institute of Art she joined a leading international gallery, before deciding to change career paths and has worked as a decorator ever since with an impressive portfolio of clients. Her own London home featured in the October issue of House & Garden.
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Norman Ackroyd: Derwent Lake, 1985, Brook Gallery: I have always loved Norman Ackroyd, I think he is one of the best and most interesting printmakers alive today. How he plays with light and dark to create such evocative images.
Howard Hodgkin:
David's Pool, 1979 - 85, Eames Fine Art: So bright and colourful, you can’t help but feel happy looking at Howard Hodgkin’s work. I would love to have this in my bedroom to wake up to every morning.
Nigel Swift:
Four Birds, 2020, Eames Fine Art: An incredibly peaceful work, and I love how the birds and moon jump out at you.
Tom Hammick:
The Dark Woods of England, 2019, Galerie Boisserée: Tom Hammick is a firm favourite of mine, for his colour, imagination, and thoughtfulness. There is always some sort of journey going on. I could look at this work for a long time trying to figure out what is happening.
Christo & Jeanne-Claude: Wrapped Trees, 1987: Galerie Boisserée: I love the dynamicity of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s whole output. That these are the sketches for larger, ephemeral pieces make these collages all the more precious.
Maurice Maillard: Comme, 2018: Galerie Documents 15: I definitely have a love for monochrome art, I love the simplicity and how the light and dark dictates the image. This is a very mysterious but beautiful work which I know my husband would love a lot as he is fascinated by space.
J.M.W Turner: Inverary Castle and Town, 1816: Gerrish Fine Art: When looking at art, it is normally the draughtsman’s line that first gets my attention. For me, being able to draw is essential for a talented artist. Turner definitely knew how to draw. I love the contrast of the different types of line, and also his absolute belief in his line.
Theodore Roussel: The Sea at Bognor, 1895: Gerrish Fine Art: This print is so whimsical and pretty. I love that the print has been pasted on this patterned mount.
Bridget Riley:
Bagatelle 2, 2015: Julian Page: Bridget Riley is wonderfully clever. So simple at first glance, her shapes move, jumping from the page, making sure you have to look again.
Nick Archer: The Last Light, 2018: Long & Ryle: This work takes me back to my childhood in my parents’ garden. It feels enchanting, a midsummer’s eve out in the garden. The colours are totally magical and mesmerising.
Tom Hammick: Voyage North, 2012: Lyndsey Ingram: Another Tom Hammick. The sheer size of this makes it a masterpiece in the arena with the great landscape artists such as Turner and Claud Lorraine. I love that you can see the wood grains on the paper. The colours are so beautiful. Where is the boat going? You feel like you are there, lying on the boat in the calm sea, looking up at the universe.
Cyril Power: The Tube Station, c.1932: Osborne Samuel: have always adored Cyril Power and in fact these are the works I always look most forward to seeing when visiting LOPF each year. The lines are fantastic, so dynamic. They are so of their time but totally timeless.
Patrick Procktor RA: Cataract, Aswan, 1985: The Redfern Gallery: This print by Procktor reminds me of the summer, and lazy days in the sun. I love his use of colour and how he captures a relaxed, voyeur view of a scene. I also love the hanging textiles depicted in this print. It makes me want to jump on a plane to Egypt.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes: ¡ Que guerrero !, Una reïna del circo, Otras leyes por el pueblo, Lluvia de toros, 1816/1823 Goya is unarguably one of the best print makers in the history of print making. Here he has portrayed a whole circus audience though most of the background is black out. He has utilised light and dark so beautifully to capture the marvel of this type-rope walking horse.
Joe Tilson:
The Stones of Venice, Ca' Contarini Fasan, 2017: Stamperia d’Arte Berardinelli: I have fallen for this series of Joe Tilson’s stones of Venice, wonderfully colourful, totally evocative of the playfulness and joys of Venice.