Perspectives is a series by Fineline on the impact of meaningful art in the home. In this piece, Toronto resident Andrea Bartliff shares her love of local art and explains how a piece she recently purchased from Live in Colour – a stained glass diamond crafted by the artist Attiya Khan – has brought beauty and connection to her home massage and yoga studio.

Interview with Andrea Bartliff

Choosing Art with Meaning

My home decor style is minimalist, contemporary and simple. Our walls are neutral, colour scheme of furniture is whites and greys and we don't have a lot of superfluous "stuff." What does pop out is our art - in terms of its colour and placement.

I love supporting local artists as I feel like I have brought a piece of them into my home when I am surrounded by their pieces. It is an extra bonus if I also happen to have a personal relationship with them.

A Stained Glass Diamond

The Live in Colour diamond piece speaks to me in many ways. I love diamonds because as a body worker, they remind me of the trapezius muscle, one of the largest back muscles that provides movement and support.

I also love diamonds because there is a sacred geometry in them, two triangles, one pointing up and the other down. The triangle is a symbol of perfect balance and harmony so I feel that in this diamond piece. The singular red diamond in the centre is the heart of the piece and I feel that energy. The bevelled blue glass ripples like water. There is a balance of symmetry, structure, fluidity all in this gorgeous piece.

A Gift for the Home

I purchased the stained glass piece as a gift for my husband, but I feel like it was a gift to myself as well. He also loved it, but I feel like the process of picking it out is quite special. Each piece sparked something different in me and I can imagine that is true for each person. Part of the joy for me was in seeing all the pieces and choosing the one that spoke to me.

I hung the piece in our downstairs window first, between two beautiful large potted plants. It didn't have a chance to radiate its absolute beauty there so I began to move it around the house. I finally settled on my massage/yoga space, west facing, in the large window. It is fantastic there. I spend my days in that room so the piece is with me all day, shining and reflecting the light. I also get to share the piece that way with all my clients who come into the space.

Art that Lights Up Conversations

Everyone comments on the diamond. Friends, family members, small children. It lights up the room. I actually changed the art in my room to complement the stained glass; I also added more plants. People keep asking me where I got it and also if they can touch it, which I love. It is precious but not as fragile as you’d think.

A Source of Radiance and Connection

The piece makes me feel bright, radiant and alive. Like my most beautiful qualities are being reflected in that piece. I also feel like my family members are in it - each diamond is one of them - and also each human being is there. And then with the sacred geometry, I feel some sort of ancestral connection through the piece. It just keeps on giving to me. A real sense of connection to myself and others through it.

Collection

Read More: Light Balancing the Shadows

Featured interview with Live in Colour's Attiya Khan.