Chloe Blades is an artist and bookseller whose work explores domesticity, nostalgia, and the "real estate" of the feminine imagination. A staple of the Auckland literary scene at Unity Books, her practice is inseparable from the written word. She translates underlined quotes and the energy of the bibliophile community into bold, color-rich portrayals of motherhood and shared tables.

Her "imagined tablescapes" serve as a sanctuary, where spaces carved out for tranquillity and humour amidst the exhausting contradictions of early parenthood. Drawing inspiration from the sun-drenched nostalgia of Greece and the domestic abstracts of Jacqueline Fahey, Chloe captures the essence of moments she fears losing. For her, painting is a vital act of sanity, transforming the mundane rituals of home life into a vibrant visual archive.

"My work is fueld by the dichotomies of motherhood: an overprotective love paired with unparalleled exhaustion. I paint imagined tablescapes where I can find stillness and humor, honoring the idea that a woman truly owns the real estate in her head. It is a way to bottle up the essence of a moment and find poetry in the stacks of books and stolen minutes of quiet."

– Chloe Blades