At Home with Adairs: Maus Haus

APR 21|7 min read

Welcome to: At Home with Adairs.

How do our homes shape the way we live? In our latest series we explore the living spaces of some of our favourite Aussies and New Zealanders and find out what home means to them.

Introducing Brisbane-based artist Claudia Osborn – a.k.a Maus Haus. We spent a day with the talented designer to learn more about her creative process, discuss our new collaboration and chat about her home.

"I would describe my artistic style as bold, simplistic and earthy"

Claudia is painting a landscape scene in her sketchbook. The photo is taken over Claudia’s shoulder.

How long have you been creating? And why do you love it?

I have been creating for as long as I can remember. My parents were both hobby painters and encouraged drawing and painting throughout my childhood. I absolutely love creating because it allows me to get out of my mind and pull focus into the physical world. It’s then incredibly satisfying to step away and view what you’ve made.

Claudia sits at her desk in her workspace having a coffee. The desk is surrounded by art and plants, and is in front of a window.

What inspires your artwork?

I really believe that anything is inspirational if you’re looking out for it. I have a huge list in my notes app full of random illustration ideas. For example, one day I was going through my high school art journal and found a part where we were learning about still life. I made a note to try a still life in my style and a few months later when I needed inspiration, I looked at that list and found it.

What is your creative process?

It starts off differently. Sometimes I’ll see a photo of a cool landscape and make a sketch based on that, or I’ll be bored one day and sketch out one of my houseplants. It usually starts with a digital sketch on my iPad, then I refine it into my usual style of bold shapes and warm colours. Most of my paintings come from my digital illustrations too. I’m quite pedantic about composition, the precision of the shapes and complimentary colour palettes so I want to be sure I’m getting it right with my paintings.

"The Adairs collection in three words - earthy, warm and happy".

Tell us about your home – who lives here, how have you changed it over time, or made it feel like your own space?

My partner and I bought our home right at the end of 2019. We took our time to get used to the space and then started to slowly collect, build and revamp furniture pieces. We built our coffee table out of an old bed frame, revamped our dining table and chairs, and renovated the bathroom. We were inspired to start adding more colour after I painted the mural in the entryway.

Now with the addition of our daughter it has been a fun challenge to fit in all the baby items!

Can you talk us through the inspiration behind some of your favourite artworks / key Adairs collection pieces?

I really enjoy Pink Mountain. It has elements I have used before where I play with the ridges, shadow and light of mountain peaks. This one is inspired by how light and colour play during sunset. The Day/Night design is also a favourite of mine. It started out as a concept of a snow globe, and while I was playing around with the shapes, it morphed into this sort of reflection of the mountains. This kind of process I really enjoy because I get to explore and play with different ideas without pressure.

Claudia stands holding her baby with her back to the camera. Behind her is a yellow sideboard with plants and art on top.

What does home mean to you?

It is the place where I feel the most secure and comfortable. A place that I look forward to going to after a hard day. On a material level it contains the objects, colours and plants that I like to surround myself with.

A front-on shot of a yellow sideboard, with a coffee table and couch in the foreground. There are plants and home décor pieces throughout the scene.

What’s your favourite thing in your home? Do you have a favourite space? Any favourite pieces?

I do love my little workspace. It’s packed with plants, paints, and various ‘Maus Haus’ merch. The view is quite nice to just stare at and day dream. I also love our green couch. I was searching for the perfect couch for so long, and it finally appeared in an Instagram ad one day - the algorithm can be so good sometimes. It was my first “out-of-uni–and-grown-up” purchase.

Is there any advice you would like to give to aspiring local artists and small business owners out there?

Be passionate about what you do, because it all definitely lasts longer than if you’re just in it for the money or the ‘following’. Maintain a healthy relationship with your bookkeeping from the start (you’ll save a lot of time down the line). Be open to evolution and change. Try to make a work space that is entirely yours and dedicated to what brings you peace. It doesn’t have to be very big, just a little corner where you can shut everything out and concentrate on your work.

What’s next for you and Maus Haus?

I would like to focus more on painting and seeing how my style evolves. Whether that be on paper or other miscellaneous objects; it’s always fun to challenge yourself. I also want to get back into motion graphics and start bringing some of my illustrations to life!

Explore our captivating collaboration with Maus Haus

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