Rebecca Commissaris
Long time customer of Everyday Needs, Rebecca Commissaris is an artist and architect in Freemans Bay. She practices at Cheshire Architects while maintaining her own art studio at Strange Haven on K-Road. Her upcoming book and corresponding exhibition titled Can I Borrow Your Spoon? chronicle her 3000 km walk on Te Araroa Trail where she painted the landscape daily. Rebecca recently received a scholarship to Yale’s School of Architecture, where she will begin graduate work in July. She continues to paint daily, convinced that a habitual practice automises the brain, allowing the creative and emotive mind to innovate in unexpected ways.
1. Ruth Castle Lemon Basket
My partner and I eat a lot of fruit. Like 10 kilos a week. After shopping, one of my favourite things is to organise fruit by colour and form. This basket further satisfies my enthusiasm for well-organised fruit. At the moment it is loaded with limes from our trees. The chartreuse green is striking against the dark wicker.
2.Handmade Large Serving Spoon
These servers are almost too beautiful to use. But I don't believe in reserving prized possessions for special occasions only. The Kauri timber has darkened over time and residue oil from salad dressings brings out a wonderful gold fleck in the grain.
3.Apple Farmer’s Basket
Our kitchen has only open shelves and counter-tops, nowhere to hide anything. A nice consequence is that I purchase only beautiful things; glass jars filled with nuts and grains, hand-thrown teacups and my apple basket. It’s usually sitting in the corner of the kitchen, loaded with watercolours, paintbrushes, a picnic rug and some dried flowers. The pattern and density of the weave make anything inside look beautiful.
4.Birds & Other Animals with Pablo Picasso
I look through this book quite often. Every time I open a page, I am amazed by how with a single line Picasso captures a hawk or a penguin. His line-work is so effortless and confident.
5.DP X EDN Zipper Pouch
This little bag goes with me everywhere. In it, I keep all my essentials: cards, pen, pencil, a miniature scale ruler, my 12-pan tin of watercolours, paintbrush and a hand-made sketchbook. Since it’s semi-waterproof, it protects my main bag from watercolour stains and ink spills.
