Wednesday, June 30, 2010

What do you think about hanging Art on patterned Backgrounds?

Sometimes I experiment with images and patterns on the computer which is of course much easier (and less costly) than doing this in reality. Virtual images give you the possibility to test your inspirations quite realistically without the effort of re-decorating. On the other hand nothing can replace the "real thing"...

So what is your opinion about placing art on patterned backgrounds, be it silk or "only" wallpaper ignoring any potential trends or "what-to-do's" or "what-not-to-do's"? I am really curious about what you think.

Here are some examples:









Tuesday, June 29, 2010

An Asian Style Paravent with opulent Carvings

This Asian style paravent belongs to a couple of wood carvings which are opulent and a sensuous feast of forms and ornaments, something that the viewer is supposed to discover by looking at its details and touching it... (Read more about it here)

This paravent could be an excellent room devider and has therefore more to offer than just being an eyecatcher for any interior design.


Bodhisattwa
polyptych, hand carved,
77" x 69" x 10", 30 kg,
©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to see how this work could be integrated please check  interior1 and  interior2 - both showing a completely modern interior.
The following photos are detail shots of this paravent, which has been carved from solid pine and not from illegally cut tropical woods.








 




The following two photos show how the paravent looks like when it is half folded and completely folded from the back.


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Friday, June 18, 2010

The Palace - a Silk Scroll as an alternative Decor

I am always looking for alternatives and different ideas. I think any room with a traditional interior design could also become something very special with a tiny exotic touch, something not everybody calls her/his own. This could be any object or a very special piece of art.

Today it is quite common to mix styles - every epoch has at least one speciality - so why not take advantage of the parts which we like and avoid the rest we may not like.
Curved lines are combined with straight ones, bright colours are mixed with subdued hues and as long as there is a certain harmony depending on layout, objects and space everything may be used if you like it.

Natural taste is as is known very subjective and driven by subconscious vibes. Yet there is another taste that can be taught and learned i.e. you need to learn about the rules of composition. These are in principle the same rules you need to know when creating an excellent piece of art. A good painter will always recognize whether a painting is unbalanced and inherits severe mistakes - a good interior designer will know immediately when objects (including furniture) are positioned the best way, where colours, textures and patterns compliment each other and where focus is necessary to lead the eye: when everything plays together to form a harmonious unit. Harmony in my opinion is the most important part in a room in order to feel peace and affinity.

Here is a great quote that says it all.
"A harmonious room will be achieved when the rules of scale, balance, contrast and rhythm are followed. In addition, a harmonious room will have furnishings and other elements that relate to one another within a interior decorating scheme." (Interior Decorating)

What I have done here was virtually replacing the original display cabinet with this silk scroll.The original image (see below) had an open build-in display cabinet with a collection of very beautiful and probably very expensive china. But you have to see this in detail very near. From the distance this somehow retreats into the background despite the lighting. I would be looking for an eyecatcher, something that draws you in even from a greater distance.


  original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com 

the original design

The scroll is from the series of ornamental silk scrolls which depict motifs from southeast Asia/India. The Palace is an hommage to the sophisticated ancient architecture you can find in India. If you would like to read more about the "making of" this extravagant piece and see a lot of large detail images please check this link.

"The Palace" 
( from the Ornaments series)
75" x 23", silk scroll
©Petra Voegtle
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

A Bedroom with warm Colours and a Mystery on the Wall

This bedroom looks wonderful with its warm colours. I love cozy bedrooms. The magnificent bed with its breathtaking headpiece just adds the right touch to a romantic feeling. What about dreaming here of an amorous time travel back into the Italy of the 19th century into one of these ancient palazzi? A room such as this could be very inspirational...

Normally I am not a friend of ruffles but used in a decent way as in this room they are a perfectly matching decor and by far not as decadent as the interiors of those ancient palazzi.

The original painting on the wall was also a good match but I would add a bit more mystery of course, a touch of ancient lives and a bit more exotic scenery. So I virtually replaced the original painting with this silk painting/collage of Machu Picchu from the Magic Symbols series.

  original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

The series of the Magic Symbols describes the icons and secrets of ancient cultures mankind has surrounded himself since the beginning of time. The single images are multi-layered, each telling different stories about the human past, the beliefs, the fears, the longing for protection and hopes for a fullfilled life. No matter how old thoses symbols are and from which region of the world they come from and what they stand for - they keep returning from century to century, from one language to another.

While the landscapes of the ancient cultures might have changed due to climatic or socio-political transformations their heritage has not. They left us the fundaments of human civilization.

"Machu Picchu"
(from the Magic Symbols Series) 
40" x 13", silk

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Monday, June 14, 2010

An Entrance Hall with one of the most beautiful Landscapes in the World

Yes - I have shown you virtual room examples with this painting before but the more pictures I see from beautiful interior designs the more possibilities there are to place fine art.

What I especially loved here is the wonderful door, very sophisticated but not overdone. The filigree cast iron makes the whole ensemble wonderfully light and unobstrusive. Often doors of big entries are plump and excessive - not so here.

 original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com (left part)

The left part of this image is the original source photo - so I just added the right half as if the wall was elongated. It could be - couldn't it? I do not derogate the work of the interior designer in any way - on the contrary. I consider my art being a potential compliment to the ideas and composition of the interior designer.

About the painting: I have been there, seen this breathtaking landscape with my own eyes and will never forget about it. See some of the photos I have taken here. I wished I could go back with the camera and the easel and do what so many artists have done before me. So many motifs I would like to share...

The painting consists of 5 panels which are painted on silk. The photo does not do justice to the work - it takes you into a 3d-view when you are in front of it!





"Monuments of Guilin"
(from the Magic Landscapes series)
 

Polyptych, 40" x 65", silk
©Petra Voegtle
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Friday, June 4, 2010

FINDS: Handthrown Porcelain Sinks by Neil Estrick

Today I want to start with a new series about Finds from the Internet. These are ideas for interior design which I find remarkable, simply beautiful or just eye catchers in any way.

I'll start with a find I made on Etsy: hand thrown porcelain sinks with a Celadon glaze. They are absolutely beautiful and would be a bijou for your bathroom. They are created by Neil Estrick, located in Greyslake, Illinois.

He opened the gallery and studio in Grayslake, Illinois in 2004, with an emphasis on creating and selling simple, functional, well designed pottery. Since then, the business has grown to included pottery classes for adults and children, as well as instruction in oil painting, watercolors, glass beads and jewelry, and now an online store. For more information on him and the shop, please visit his gallery on the Internet.
His work is food safe, dishwasher safe and microwave safe. Every glaze he uses is lead free. Neil also welcomes special orders.

More information you can find on his blog.




with courtesy of Neil Estrick
 all images are ©Neil Estrick

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