My home: Tina Brown

Stepping into Tina Brown’s Paintworks apartment there is an immediate sense of light and space, as well as warmth. It’s a welcoming home, meant for mooching around reading, musing, cooking generous plates of food and the sound of friends’ chatter. Incidentally, Tina uses her apartment as an art gallery in a vein similar to a supper club – in a home setting, but with art. 

Tina says: “I feel showing work in a domestic environment enables the viewer to more readily envisage artworks working in their own space. It is also a more relaxed, less intimidating experience for visitors and I find that people are more open to ask questions and express opinions.”

Tina moved into her apartment four years ago. “I wanted somewhere with a contemporary feel that was also reasonably energy efficient. I liked the regeneration aspect of the development at Paintworks and the fact that there is a large event space available for hire – particularly interesting for me as I curate contemporary art exhibitions.

“I moved from a fairly large, old rambling property with a contemporary extension, situated in a Hampshire village. It was the family house, which I decided was too large once my children had flown the nest. Plus, village life had lost its appeal and moving to a vibrant city was far more attractive and challenging.”

Downsizing was a challenge, which Tina took in stages; giving items to friends and family, donating to charity or sending to auction. Her apartment wasn’t always moonlighting as an art gallery. In the first two years, Tina ran pop-up galleries in various parts of the city. “But in my quest to downsize and for health reasons, I decided to run ‘appointment only’ exhibitions along with opening private view evenings and artist talks.

“Art by appointment in a home setting can keep you on your toes – constant tidying etc, but I’m lucky enough to have lots of storage space in which to ‘disappear stuff’, however, remembering where things are can be an issue!”

Tina has shown work by artists both local and from further afield including Midge Naylor, Jimmy Galvin, Ione Rucquoi, Paul Bennett, Carol Peace, Enya Lackman-Curl, Helen Warner, Nicholas Lees. She sources artists through visiting studios, art fairs, graduation shows, private views, research online and word of mouth.

On the roof of the apartment building is a garden and long wooden table with enough space to fit at least 12 people. The view of the city and green hills in the distance is both invigorating and beautiful. There’s clearly a social aspect to living within the Paintworks and one Tina enjoys.

“I find life at Paintworks invigorating and fun and there is a great bunch of people living here. I love the fact that solar power heats the water in the apartment and sheep wool insulation keeps me warm in winter.”

For more information on Tina’s exhibitions and viewings, visit www.courtyardgallery.org

Photography by Lukasz Cypis Kaminski