SARA BERMAN

The ebullient Londonbased artist and former fashion designer shares five of her sources of inspiration, from vintage glassware to Spanish getaways

“THE MOMENT MY FEET HIT THE LAND, I FEEL A DEEP SENSE OF CONTENTMENT AND PEACE”

1 KILIM RUGS

They have been made for centuries across large parts of the world, and I am fascinated by the idea of the narratives embedded in them— both in their making and in their role as domestic objects.

2 VINTAGE GLASSWARE

I have been looking a lot at Venini [Murano glassware] in particular, as I am very interested in its collaborations with important artists and architects of the time. I am also really enjoying the refractions made by the glass and the challenge of painting it.

3 RUSSELL AND CHAPPLE CANVASSES

I cannot live without my canvasses; I have them made at bespoke canvas builders Russell and Chapple from Belgian linen. I am pretty obsessive about them, as they really are the foundations of the work.

4 ALVAR AALTO

He was not only an incredible architect, but also a brilliant thinker whose works span architecture, glassware, furniture, sculpture and painting. Aalto was making this work in parallel with the rapid economic growth and industrialisation of the time, which led to massive changes in how these things were made.

5 IBIZA

I’ve been going to Ibiza for 20 years and it never loses its magic. I stay in the northwest, avoid the clubs and bars, and my golden rule for beaches is that if the bay can fit a boat, avoid it. The moment my feet hit the land, I feel a deep sense of contentment and peace.