Drawing homes draws attention
Artist and designer Kamila Modzelewska has always loved ‘‘cute houses’’ – now she’s turned that love into a business, writes Kylie Klein-Nixon.
When artist and designer Kamila Modzelewska moved to Wellington from Poland earlier this year, lockdown with a stunning view of the capital’s villa-dotted hills inspired her to start drawing.
Now she lives with her Kiwi partner in Wellington’s lush western suburbs – overlooking a valley filled with ‘‘cute houses’’, her favourite subject – where she has a small business drawing portraits of homes for house-loving Kiwis.
Howlong have you been in New Zealand?
I moved here at the end of February this year. Right before the lockdown.
Iwas born and raised in Poland. Then, when I was 21, I moved to Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, and that’s where I met my partner – he’s half Kiwi, half Dutch.
After three years together, we decided it’s time tomove, but we had different ideas about where we want to go. So Iwanted to go to Australia, hewanted to move back here. So I went off to Australia, and we were in a long distance relationship.
Thatmust have been tough.
It was pretty tough. We were visiting each other, hewould come to Melbourne and Tasmania and Iwould come visit him here, but we wouldn’t see each other for two months, the gaps in between were pretty big.
This year I decided to move here for him.
And obviously, because New Zealand is such an incredible place.
We found this house just before lockdown. We didn’t even realise what was coming, we were just looking for a nice place where we can have a lot of space to create and enjoy ourselves. And then lockdown happened.
Whatwas it like in this house during lockdown?
It was actually really nice. Becausewe have a deck.
Having this open space really [made it OK]. I imagine if you live in a dark apartment it would have made you feel quite claustrophobic not being able to leave the house. But here, like, you just sit on the deck and enjoy the view.
Have you always been drawn to architecture?
Yes, ever since Iwas a little girl. I loved drawing and building houses with Lego. Then I started my art education when Iwas 14, and I studied interior design as well. I’m interested in art and design and interior design and architecture. It’s a bit of a blend.
When did you start drawing Kiwi houses?
That was during lockdown. Iwould just go for walks around the neighbourhood, up the hill, and Iwould see a lot of nice, charming, adorable little houses.
It really inspired me. I just love drawing houses. I don’t know, there is something about it. It’s especially here, where they’re all very full of character.
Then you started taking commissions?
Most of my commissions are made as gifts for someone else. I just really liked the idea that someone will receive a gift of their house being drawn andmake their day better.
A lot of people have a very deep connection to their homes. They might have been built by their grandparents or that’s where they lived their whole life. It’s often quite a meaningful gift. You have somany memories connected to a house. So, even though it’s just a building, it kind of represents the whole period of time. It’s like a symbol.
Do you have a house that you’re particularly connected to somewhere in the world?
Not really. I always moved a lot, so I learned not to get too attached to one place. Even when Iwas little, my parents would move all the time. Iwould change schools a lot.
In Amsterdam, it was the same. Because of the housing situation it’s so hard to stay in one place for long, Iwould move countless times. So, I don’t really have one particular one that Iwould say is mine.
Would you like to put down roots somewhere?
Iwould love to buy a house one day.
Do you have a particular style that you like?
Iwould say a traditional-looking house rather than modern. Simple. Iwould prefer to go for something withmore character and history, rather than freshly built.
That’s what you prefer drawing as well?
Definitely. I like when you can see fretwork and the detail. That’s my favourite thing.
You’ve recently started doing a few lino cuts, tell me about that.
I learned how to do it back when Iwas a teenager at art school. Then my boyfriend’s mother was teaching printing techniques in Golden Bay. So I started getting into it again. I was like, ‘‘Oh, this is kind of fun.’’
Most professional vinyl artists, they use a press. So I always thought, ‘‘Oh, I can’t really afford to buy a press.’’ But then my boyfriend’s mother showed me how to do it without. You can just use a wooden spoon.
It really suits the style of your art.
That’s the other reason I started, too. You make one lino cut and you can make endless copies.