The Artist’s House: A Night at a Sculptural ParadiseThe Artist’s House: A Night at a Sculptural Paradise Nestled within the tranquil grounds of Jupiter Artland, just outside Edinburgh, lies the Artist’s House—a unique vacation home where art seamlessly intertwines with nature. Upon arrival, guests embark on a captivating journey through a sculpture park dotted with masterpieces by renowned contemporary artists. As they approach the house, a whimsical collection of animals greets them, creating a whimsical atmosphere. Stepping inside, they are immediately enveloped in an eclectic showcase of original artwork, including a vibrant textile by Grayson Perry. The home’s interior boasts a blend of modern amenities with the charm of reclaimed wood and quirky accents. Beyond the walls, the vast garden offers a tranquil retreat, where guests can relax in the Swedish wood-fired hot tub or tend to the young orchard. The open-plan living room, with its large square window, provides a serene setting to admire the swaying trees. The bedrooms feature freestanding roll-top baths and a curated selection of art and design books. Guests can wander through the rooms, savoring the works of renowned artists as if they were exploring a private gallery. Jupiter Artland, a renowned sculpture park, becomes even more enchanting when experienced firsthand. The site-specific works blend seamlessly into the landscape, transforming the scenery into an interactive art exhibition. As guests navigate the park, they discover hidden gems and immerse themselves in the artistic vision. The Artist’s House offers a magical experience that transcends the boundaries of a mere vacation home. It provides a sanctuary for art enthusiasts, nature lovers, and anyone seeking a unique and unforgettable escape. From the whimsical sculptures outside to the curated artwork within, the house invites guests to embrace the transformative power of art and create memories that will last a lifetime.
SSaturday morning at the Artist’s House. We step out of our front door, stroll past the pony, the donkey and a 40-foot orchid towering into the distinctly untropical skies of West Lothian, and break into a run. Two children, two adults and a dog tugging at the end of her lead, all bound for … a sculpture.
Charles Jencks’s Cells of lifeto be precise. A collection of eight swirling green hills connected by a causeway and fringed by lakes in which land and sky are reflected, upside down, in endless formal conversation. It took eight years to create. It is a monumental statement on the cellular process of mitosis by one of the world’s greatest landscape architects. It is also the most beautiful playground you could ever imagine. And we having it all to ourselves.
Staying at the Artist’s House at Jupiter Artland is the fantasy of a night locked in a museum come true. Except the museum is a world-class 300-acre sculpture park. And for two nights, we have the keys to a completely unique house, filled to the brim with original art. (Hence, please note, the slightly alarming alarm system.)
Vacation homes don’t come more magical than this. In the morning we wake up to a textile on the wall opposite our bed by Grayson Perry called Gay black cats. In the evening we peer through the French double doors at the panorama that stretches out from the terrace like a blanket stitched with a thousand blinking lights. A magnificent view of the Firth, with the trio of Forth Bridges casting angular shapes on the horizon. A view that, in such an elevated setting, begins to look like a work of art in itself — which of course it is.
The Artist’s House is filled to the brim with original art
When it wasn’t raining, we’d be in our garden, with its young orchard and old pines, cooking coals on our Big Green Egg barbecue. Or kicking back in the Swedish wood-fired hot tub, watching the steam swirl into the air. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. But it’s a sign of how special the Artist’s House is that we don’t take the Scottish weather personally. We just make ourselves comfortable. We watch the trees sway through the large square window in our open-plan living room, which is clad entirely in reclaimed wood, dark glossy floors, soft sofas and quirky fringed lamps. Or running a bath in the freestanding roll-top bath in our bedroom. Or leafing through the collection of art and design books. Or wandering the rooms, gazing at the art – by Phyllida Barlow, Peter Liversidge, Nathan Coley and more – as if the cottage were a gallery. And it is.
In the Artist’s House you will find interesting and eclectic works of art
Jupiter Artland, just five miles west of Edinburgh, is an award-winning sculpture park that was shortlisted for the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year Award in 2016. It’s now a major player in the art world. The owners, Nicky and Robert Wilson, who live in the Jacobean mansion at the centre of the park, bought the estate in 1999 and have opened the grounds to the public each summer since 2009. Scattered around the park are site-specific works by artists including Tracey Emin, Anish Kapoor, Jim Lambie, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Antony Gormley and more, set into the landscape like boulders balanced between the branches of coppice trees. (One of my favourite pieces here, by Andy Goldsworthy.)
But you experience it all in a completely different way when you stay on site. With the familiarity, the work and the old farmland it is located in, suddenly become less and more strange. It is a total immersion. Guests of the Artist’s House can even request a bathing spot in Joana Vasconcelos’ gate — a heated swimming pool. Even out of season you have the whole place to yourself. A magical experience like no other.
Cafe Party, the bistro at Jupiter Artland
In the morning I walk the dog around the surreal exterior of Cafe Party, Jupiter Artland’s bistro. The chef is David Millar, who recently represented Scotland in the BBC’s Great British menu. The mirrored walls make the dog’s hair stand on end and she starts barking at her reflection. I start laughing, at no one but myself. In the afternoon we wander through the woods, veering off here and there. My daughter assumes the positions of Laura Ford’s creepy Crying girlsleaning against a tree, her hair falling in a curtain around her face. My son peers through the hole cut in the stone top of Hamilton Finlay’s Temple of Apollo. On the way back to the Artist’s House, we catch a glimpse of Nathan Coley’s enormous illuminated text standing alone in a field: “You Imagine What You Desire.” That’s it. If I had to imagine what I wanted in existence, it would be this enchanted house, in this enchanted place.
Chitra Ramaswamy was a guest at Canopy & Stars (canopyandstars.co.uk/theartistshouse). Two nights self-catering for six people from £1,100
