GUEST POST: Inmod

Today’s guest post is from Katie, a blogger at Inmod, an online retailer of modern furniture, lighting and décor.

Hi everyone! Taking a note from Petra’s inspired art blog posts, I’ve decided to match up her beautiful artwork with select pieces of furniture that we offer over at Inmod. I don’t know about you, but when I’m thinking of a piece of art, a photograph or drawing for interior spaces, I think of the art drawing in from something within the room, typically a piece of furniture. So, let’s get started!

The first pair we have is the Hayworth Sofa matched with the Ho’okipa silk carving that is 46” x 16”. These two would be a great fit firstly because of the similar colors and secondly because of the texture. The silk carving has interesting texture that coincides with the smooth text of this modern sofa. This sofa is 72” wide, so the carving placed horizontally would look excellent if hung above.

Petra has a wonderful collection of photography that includes many bright blossoms, which I found a perfect match for the Fiore Chair. I chose three of the photos and tiled them above the chair, which would be perfect for a sitting area in a corner of a living room or bedroom. This is a great art/furniture combo for the lover of color.

Finally, I dove into the drawings section of Petra’s collection to find the perfect match for Inmod’s popular Ball Chair. As the Ball Chair is a fun, whimsical piece of furniture, I was in search of a drawing that was equally as fun and full of whimsy. I think I hit the nail on the head by pairing the Ball Chair with Petra’s Vanity drawing, how about you? The oversized drawing measures 58” x 32” – and its character is the perfect accompaniment to the Ball Chair. 

What do you think? What thoughts do you consider when pairing artwork to rooms within your home?

Be sure to check out all of the awesome modern seating available at Inmod and match some pieces of your own choice with Petra’s lovely array of artwork!

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Thank you so much for this lovely post, Katie!!!!

A rustic Hallway with a Pigeon Painting

These days I read so much about pigeon haters again and about people who save songbirds and raptors, have a heart for all kind of wildlife but when it comes to pigeons, especial the ferals, their hearts turn into a stone and they would rather extinct them from this planet. Why is this so? I don't understand this. People are the cause for their misery and people condemn them, pursue them and shoot them just for fun.

A whole industry has grown who gain their profits through destroying the vermin of this planet and as vermin they declare the feral pigeon, even blackbirds and other birds which impend to reclaim a piece of nature which was taken away from them by the human species. The birds are considered to be a danger for human valuables such as cars, roofs, gardens. Loudly arguing that pigeons spread diseases which are dangerous for human health, offering even studies which are meant to prove their arguments but which are poorly executed and paid by the very same industry. Fact is that mammal pets can be far more dangerous for human health than any bird at all simply because of the specifications of bacteria, viruses and parasites which are limited to pigeons and other birds only.

The ferals are the offspring of carrier pigeons which are bred for sport, fame and income and when they don't deliver their expected accomplishments they are set free - when they are lucky - and euthanized when they are not so lucky. Not to talk about those who get lost on their "missions". And sometimes they are "used" as pets and share the common fate of other pets who get sick or are abandoned when the "owners" realize that there is a lot of work involved and time and occasionally money.

Is this the way we have been empowered to treat the fellow creatures on our earth?

Any creature on this world has a right to live - who are we to determine which species is the noble one and which is doomed to die? This is nothing else than what all nazis on the whole world do!!! So why is this bigotry still cultured?

But thank heaven there are also loving hearts who deeply feel compassion for the tortured souls and do whatever they can to save the lost, the injured, the sick only to realize what incredible gifts they have got on their hands. Anyone - I am sure there is no exception - who has ever taken care of a pigeon and realized what amazing birds they are, widely underestimated and misunderstood, will never again be able to escape the mystery of their knowing eyes, their affectionate love for their savior. These birds are highly intelligent with capabilities science only just begins to notice.

For this reason I decided to "hang" one of my pigeon paintings again in a room that I like very much: a beautiful rustic hallway in blue and white - noble colours indeed and just right for the painting The Gathering. Without the painting I feel there is something missing, a little eyecatcher, not too bold to destroy the serenity of this room:

 (original image source www.housebeautiful.com)

This is the original acrylic painting. If you would like to know more about this series please check this link. The original is currently not for sale but I have fine art prints on heavy cotton in various sizes in my Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vyalaarts . Other sizes can be made available if needed.

"The Gathering"
(from the Pigeons series) 

26" x 18" acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

And if you would like to read more about pigeons in general and what they do go here to the Pigeon Tales, a diary about their lives and more...

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Please - add more Excitement to the Living Room

The first object that caught my eye in this vignette of a living room was the small tv - not one of these pretentious huge screens that just jump unpleasantly into your face everywhere. Instead it nuzzles decently into one corner of the room. The first time where I feel that the tv does not disturb the whole interior. Very nice!

 with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

The second object that caught me eye were the panels on the wall and I thought - no - this is much too dark and boring. What a shame. This room needs a bit more excitement. The chandelier though is breathtaking - therefore I felt the silk painting, I would hang instead of the 2 panels, would add the mystery that complements the crystal chandelier.

And this is the complete silk painting Underworld from the Magic Landscapes series:

"Underworld"
(from the Magic Landscapes Series)
silk, 40" x 21"
©Petra Voegtle

And check out this post if you like - with quite a few photos of real caves.

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A Bedroom with blank Walls - oh no!!!!!

Now - even if this were only a guestroom - the blank walls would be an "abomination". To be honest - I really don't like overstuffed rooms, especially not bedrooms but this is a bit too minimalistic. Although the bedspread and the little folk art side tables add a certain feeling to this room it still looks bland and cold. Not really inviting. And that's what we normally do with guests - don't we? Unless the unloved mother-in-law is rummaging through the house....

 with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

I would add some mystery to this room - an apsara face for heavenly dreams, a kirtimukha mask to face off all evil and one of those devine Buddha faces as they can be seen in Cambodia to protect you and keep your soul in perfect harmony:

"Lucky Dragon, Apsara, Buddha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14" ea.
©Petra Voegtle

I would even add some sheers (very few) loosely draped over the frame of the bed just to match the colours of the silk carvings.

These three faces are the Angkor Faces, Apsara, Lucky Dragon and Buddha, a small series of silk carvings. Faces and Figures of Angkor is a series about the ruins and remnants of the temple area of Angkor Wat. The reliefs are all worked in silk, inspired by carvings in stone. They are a reminiscence of all the unknown artists of the past of whom we have neither memory nor documentation - only their unbelievably beautiful and sophisticated works, works that have survived hundreds of years.

Silk carvings are silk sculptures or reliefs created with a technique that I developped out of the trapunto techniques you can find in quilting. Instead of a single layer of stuffed material it consists out of multiple layers.
These works are all mounted on wooden stretcher frames and can be used as is or additionally framed.

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