A Silk Painting about a very special Place - Machu Picchu in Peru

As the next post will be about Peruvian textile art I am re-writing this post from a long time ago. Machu Picchu has always been a mysterious and magical place for me and I cannot get enough from listening and watching all sorts of documentations regarding this sacred place. To visit this spot in reality must be an incredible experience where already due to lack of oxygen the sucseptibility to spiritualism probably grows noticably. How could this place leave anyone untouched?

The silk painting Machu Picchu belongs to the Magic Symbols Series. I love the warm colours and the golden ornaments leave a feeling of preciousness. Even if you choose an art print instead of the original it will leave the same feeling as I use to add gold pigments by hand after the printing process to all prints where the original has been painted accordingly with gold metallic pigments.

Machu Picchu is truly a magical place, an archeological site which still holds many secrets. Thousands of tourists undertake each year an incredibly exhausting trip to this place which is not easy to reach as it is hidden high in the mountains of the Andes. 

"Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). Often referred to as "The Lost City of the Incas", it is perhaps the most familiar icon of the Inca World.
The Incas started building the estate around AD 1400 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a century later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was unknown to the outside world before being brought to international attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.
Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and is considered a sacred place." (from wikipedia)"

Whatever might turn out to be the real purpose of Machu Picchu - there is no doubt that this is a place full of magic and an incredible aura. Until today artefacts are found at this site and may lead to new discoveries.

"Machu Picchu"
40" x 13" 

silk, stitched

The ancient golden ornaments certainly add a special touch to the historical city and dreams about the lost treasures of the Inca people...

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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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Matching Colours again...

I must admit that I really have fun with matching colours. The challenge is to find objects in rooms which repeat or complement a certain colour. As I can do this only virtually I never can be sure whether you see the same as I do colourwise, depending on the value settings of your monitor. Never mind...

The painting shown here belongs to the series Reminiscenes - I have written about it here . The fun part is that these paintings are very colourful and fit into many interiors, be it modern, classic, romantic or any other style. I find they can really brighten up the day and change a bad mood to the better. The important point is to mount them in a complementing frame (which I have done here virtually again) and then place them into the right context:

 original image source and with courtesy of 

http://www.livingetc.com

"Amarillo"
(from the Reminiscences series)

26" x 18", acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

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Adult Content in the Living Room

I love this room for its simplicity. I absolutely love the floor and that it was not destroyed through paint whether it might be trendy or not. Wood can be so beautiful especially when it is old and talks of many years of usage. It can be even more beautiful when it is cared for as in this room. I also love high ceilings in old houses and I love old houses because they have character and personality. You probably have guessed so...

I also love the simplicity of the furniture that gives this room  its personal character - so if this were mine I would not have changed a single thing besides... Well, I must admit I have  certain weakness for little extras, which are not common, which can be a bit provocative so I would have chosen a different wall piece than the original one, such as this...

 original image source and with courtesy of 

http://www.livingetc.com

The mural is a heavy, hand carved, sculptured wall piece, named Mithunas, which means "lovers" and which took me more than 6 months to finish (inspired by India's temple ornamentations in Kajuraho. This mural is however my own original design).
If you would like to see more details please check this link on my website or click on the photo below.
The mural has been treated with a varnish that is my own recipe so that it looks like old ivory. This increases the preciousness of this art piece and makes it look like an ancient carving. Finally it has been polished with beeswax that makes the wood smooth and shiny.

 "Mithunas" 

55" x 46" x 7", 70 kg

hand carved, pine
©Petra Voegtle

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Exotic Flair on a traditional American Medium

What could be more decorative than this art quilt - which means it belongs on a wall not on a bed. It is entirely handquilted with silk and finally handpainted. Inspired by the apsaras bas-reliefs in Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the Indian Epic Mahabharata this beautiful wallhanging will be an eyecatcher for every room. You can find the links to various stages at the end of this post.

There is something very personal about this art quilt because it brought me back to painting. While other artists, coming from the media “painting” suddenly turn their interest into working with fabrics and textiles, in my case it was totally the other way round. While I may go back to quilting from time to time and "test" my inspirations on rather unusual themes and materials again, it was the creation of fabric images and quilting that brought me back to painting, that I stopped doing for various reasons many many years ago.

The “Apasara” motifs existed in my head a long time before I even travelled to Southeast Asia. Memories from the 70′s and Indian influences that flooded the western countries during the hippy era already existed in rudimentary pieces in my brain. Through the years of travelling I developed a greater interest for the culture of the Khmer and I studied many photo documentaries in books and on film.

Although I have never been in Cambodia physically I got to know the country and its people through tales and contacts outside the country itself – many Cambodians still live in exile and have found new homes.

I have shown this art quilt a couple of times in various vignettes and now I want to show you the details of this piece.

"Apsaras"
52" x 69", silk art quilt

©Petra Voegtle

 

 

The following pic shows the back of this quilt which has been embellished addtionally with hand applications of satinee leaves.

The last 3 pics show the hand stitched, intricate details of the dancer's jewellery.

 

 

 

If you would like to know more about the background and "making of" this beautiful art quilt please check this link
Please use these links to get an impression of how this art quilt appears in the environment of a beautiful room: interior1, interior2 and interior3

Btw - this quilt has been juried into and shown at the main show of the big International Quilt Festival in Houston in 2004. Citizens of Houston will know what this means...

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Cool it down with a Painting

This acrylic painting Aquamarine is certainly not meant for collectors of crystals and minerals only but for anyone who feels seduced by the translucency of these natural beauties.

"Aquamarine derives it name from the Latin term for seawater - and one look at this elegant gem's blue hues easily explains why.

According to legend, aquamarine was the treasure of mermaids and had the power to keep sailors safe at sea. It was also thought to possess a number of other mystical properties, including the ability to help couples smooth out their differences; protect against the wiles of the devil; cure headaches, insomnia and other ailments; quicken the intellect; and attract new friends. It is the symbol for youth, hope, health and fidelity.

It is also the birthstone for March and the recommended gem for couples celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary." (from Gallery Mona Lisa)

The painting tries to reflect the translucency of this marvellous crystal and also the various hues an aquamarine can show due to light and various reflections.

"Aquamarine"

(from the "Minerals" series)

40" x 13", acrylic on cotton

©Petra Voegtle

  

  

  

  

 

You would like to see how this painting appears in a room? Please check these links:

interior1, interior2, interior3

If you would like to know more about the "making of" this painting please read here

And here are some photos of the real crystal:

 image source realgems.org

 image source http://www.irocks.com/

image source realgems.org

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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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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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It's all about Colours...

When I enter a room or look at photos of rooms my spontaneous reaction is a response to the colours. This is the most important impression for me. Everything else that fills a room comes much later and can be even totally secondary. It is the colour that spreads the emotion,gives you a feeling of being at home and peace of mind. Yet sometimes I feel repelled, even sense a kind of hostility and alieness.

This bedroom may not be spectacular and probably the interior designer did not mean to create an extremely sophisticated room but in my opinion s/he's done a wonderful job to create a room that is calm, cosy and peaceful. Exactly the right background to find a good sleep after a long busy day, a room where you still read a couple of pages of a novel before you switch off the lights.

I could not help it but I thought the silk carving would be a nice compliment for this room, colours are wonderfully matching and the Lord Ganesha would certainly watch over your sleep...

original image source from My Home Ideas/ Southern Accents

"Ganesha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 39" x 19"
©Petra Voegtle

What is a  silk carving©? This is a development by the artist - it was evolved out of the trapunto techniques of quilting. The intent of this technique is to create a symbiosis between carving and fiber art. The surface of the fiber is transformed completely into a relief. The upper layer of this piece is made from one single piece of silk - nothing is sewn on top to add depth. Additionally paints and pigments are used in a manner to give the visual impression of other materials such as stone, wood, metals.
If you would like to read more about the "making of" please check this link.

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Dark Rooms

In the meanwhile I have seen a lot of images about interior design and one point really sticks out - many rooms are incredibly dark, especially hallways. I would like to know what the reason for this is. I could possibly understand this in geographical regions where sunlight is abundant but still I could not stand dark rooms, even less in areas where the winters are long and dark.

The design of this hallway is harmonious but very dark especially as the adjacent rooms seem to be dark as well unless this has been photographed in the evening but I doubt it. The illuminated graphics on the wall cannot really lighten this space up, the pottery - although wonderful - adds to the sinister feel I would have in this room.

In order to show how paintings can make a difference in similar rooms such as this one I added these silk paintings virtually, in order to add a bit of colour and another feeling to a dark room.

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

The two collages/paintings belong to the Magical Symbols series and are painted on silk. They are also stitched to add more texture.

"Minoans I and II"
(from the Magic Symbols series) 
40" x 13" each, silk
©Petra Voegtle

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If you would like to see details of these paintings, Minoans I and II please see this link and this link.

Two Art Quilts on the Wall

I have shown one of the quilts several times already. But this time there is the possibility to hang two of my works which fit very well together. As an example I chose this livingroom with a wonderful huge window which lets in a lot of light. This livingroom is reminiscent of a sunroom which I absolutely adore because it gives a feeling of having an inside garden where you could grow a lot of nice plants. Plants turn a room int something vivid.

The original art on the wall made the room a bit too conservative - I would prefer a bit more exotic touch, especially as the colour palette is quite subdued. But check for yourself. I have added a pic from the original room...

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

the original image

The following image is the silk art quilt Buddha and you can read more about it here. It is an unusual piece as it consists of 2 top layers instead of one. In a way it is 3-dimensional.

"Buddha" 

38" x 34", Silk Art Quilt
©Petra Voegtle

Details of the second art quilt you can find here including detailed photos.

 "Apsaras"
52" x 69", silk art quilt
©Petra Voegtle

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A fresh Breeze from the Sea...

Normally I am not a fan of baby blue i.e. light blue especially not when - thank heaven - only middle aged underwear turned baby blue in the laundry because I forgot to take out a t-shirt that I had coloured myself in dark blue. Hmmm - the result was - disgusting. But this happens.
This sweet little bedroom made me somehow melt away and reminded me of clear summer days, with a fresh breeze from the sea. I just loved it. But of course I could not leave it as it was - I would add one of my paintings of course and thought of this one Contemplation on a Feather from the pigeon series. I just couldn't help about it...

Check out the pigeon series here if you like with lots of detail pics.

pending approval from My Home Ideas
please click here for the original image source

Contemplation on a Feather
(from the Pigeons series) 
18" x 26" acrylic
©Petra Voegtle

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