Too much Contrast

Although I like clear lines and a minimalistic decoration in a room depending where it is and what the surroundings are, I find this one to contain too much contrast. In tropical landscapes you have plenty of light and the abundance of vegetation often needs a counterpart of simplicity. In this case though the contrast is too harsh in my opinion and the placement of the two additional colour spots increases the contrast even

This could easily be softened by different artwork above the bed such as this wall hanging and the silkcarving on the opposite wall.

The wall hanging above the bed is an art quilt made entirely of silk and handquilted with silk. The small wall hanging on the opposite wall is a silk carving, also made of silk and hand stitched with silk. Both have been painted with silk dyes and metallic pigments.

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

You can read more about this art quilt here. There are also more detail photos to see.

 

"Apsara"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14"
©Petra Voegtle

The above silk carving has been mounted on stretcher bars and is ready to be hung with or without additional frame.

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Wrought Iron Bed and a Golden Nymph

I really love this little bedroom. It is incredibly sweet and full of romantic. And of course the wrought iron bed. I never had one but I find these kinds of beds wonderfully oldfashioned and somehow I always associate a feeling of happy childhood with them. Strange isn't it? Wrought iron beds are definitely not for kids only...

This could be a gorgeous bedroom in a cottage. I could imagine a scenery with an old rose garden and many large old trees around the house and and ...

...and of course I would not leave this room alone, without a single art piece on the wall. I have one that would complement the bed, the colours perfectly:

The silk wall hanging has been entirely hand quilted with silk thread and painted. Even the intricate patterns on the figure's dress is painted with metallic pigments.

"Golden Nymph"
50" x 26", Silk Art Quilt
©Petra Voegtle

Normally this is hung with hand made wooden dowels but the wall hanging could be also mounted on a stretcher frame and additionally framed - see link.

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Beautiful Silk Art for large Bedroom Walls

In tropical climates you need to build large open spaces in order to be able to abandon the airconditioning. And if you want to decorate large empty walls - who would not - you will need large art pieces (according to one of the interior design rules: proportion and scale).

Just like this one: a silk art quilt with a theme that depicts some of the most beautiful mystic figures of southeast Asian epics: Apsaras.

I think you would agree that this wall looks a bit too blank and empty and without any decor one could feel a bit lost.

The art quilt has been entirely handstitched. The motif shows 3 apsaras placed in a fantasy forest. It is an hommage to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and its ancient art with hundreds of apsara sculptures, which have been carved into the stone walls of the temples. Ancient cultures, where silks were common in clothing and the interior of houses...
 

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

Btw - you can find more detailed pics under this link.

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You think Quilts are out? Never....

Do you honestly believe that a quilt couldn't make it into a well designed big hallway? Why? Because you think a quilt belongs on a bed? Not so!
In my last post I was showing a very special art quilt with an exotic flair and motif. This time I chose something with a motif that should be familiar - Cygnes (Swans). I prefer the French name because it sounds much more delicate, more appropriate for those beautiful birds.

Would this beautiful huge entry hall not be predestined for a large art piece such as this hand stitched silk quilt? And would the grand piano in this place not be the perfect complementary object as if made for each other?

The original painting is certainly making a point but an art quilt would be a real eyecatcher - wouldn't it? Something that not everybody has on the wall.

The art quilt was made from silk, hand stitched with silk and finally painted. It is an hommage to one of the most beautiful birds on our planet, a bird that stands for grace, elegance, innocence and love:

"Cygnes"

76" x 54" silk art quilt

©Petra Voegtle

This wall hanging has been part of a project called “Piecing a Quilt of Life” an international project dedicated to empowering senior women by recognizing their creative abilities by Fiber Artist Dottie Moore in Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was part of an exhibition in the Rock Hill Museum for nearly 8 months and was featured on TV in the HGTV channel. More links...

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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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 very feminine Bedroom with a very precious silk Artquilt

I like this room for its feminine aura. Colours are soft, soothing, calming - exactly right for a lady's bedroom. The grace of this room yet could be enhanced by the "right" artwork - my suggestion would be - if it were my room - a precious art quilt, entirely made of silk and handquilted with silk. The quilt has been handpainted - including the intricate pattern on the godess' sarong. You can see details of this quilt using this link or click on the image of the quilt below.
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original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

Normally I don't do this and leave it to the viewer whether s/he likes something or not but in this case I find that the interior designer of this room was lacking a good idea for decor as s/he placed those pink bags and feather boa on the wall. It simply looks cheap and it diminishes the lovely aura of this room. But this is only my personal opinion:
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If you click on the image below you can read about the creation of this quilt, its inspiration and background. I have mounted it here in a virtual gilded frame because this fits best into above room. There are other possibilities to hang this quilt though depending on the environment...
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"Golden Nymph"
50" x 26", Silk Art Quilt
©Petra Voegtle
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More than just a Cover for your Bed...

I love this sweet little bedroom. It could be in the cottage of my dreams, somewhere on the coast of Cornwall or Dorset, white sand dunes not far away, listening to the sounds of soft waves washing little shells and other little treasures ashore. No-one around. This could be a place to hide from all the rushing and bustling a city would impose on one's life.

Sweet dreams, memories of foreign countries and cultures, nymphs of the forest floating through your dreams or are those the apsaras who danced and played the music for their devine masters of the universe? A place for a poet...

The art quilt on the wall is called Apsaras, a reminiscence of Cambodia's temple bas-reliefs in Angkor Wat of thousands of heavenly apsaras. It is made entirely from silk, has been hand quilted with silk and painted. And it was juried into the famous Quilt Festival in Houston.

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

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

A heavenly Massage...

Wouldn't you love to get a massage in a lovely room such as that? I thought the little art quilt on the wall would add even a bit more elegance.
Please check this link to learn more about the little artquilt

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

"Golden Nymph"
50" x 26", Silk Art Quilt
©Petra Voegtle

In the Library with a Dragon on the Wall...

I know this is the time to go outdoors and enjoy spring, colours and scents. But there is also a time for relaxing, reading a book or two, taking a break or listen to some music.
The Dragon on the wall is a handquilted silk art quilt - one of those which do not belong on a bed. (Click on the link and you'll find more details about this wall hanging)

original image source from http://www.design-theory.com

"The Dragon"
50" x 70", silk art quilt
©Petra Voegtle

Dreaming of foreign Countries and the most beautiful Sculptures of Women...

Quilts are for the bed! But there are silk art quilts which belong on a wall. Such as this one. And it is an hommage to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and its ancient art with hundreds of apsara sculptures, which have been carved into the stone walls of the temples. Ancient cultures, where silks were common in clothing and the interior of houses...

This silk art quilt is called Apsaras, it is completely handquilted with silk and painted. Gold pigments were used to highlight jewellery and ornamentation - but this is not all...

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

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

An opulent silk Art Quilt in a Designer's Living Room

There are a lot of people who do prefer the minimalist interior of their home. Whether it's an overall aversion against all kinds of ornamentation, a longing for being trendy (whatever that might mean) or simply someone with a love for straight "things" without any curlicues - there is a demand out there for the pure. The problem is that these kinds of rooms often appear cold, repellent and even hostile. The solution for this is to offer at least one counterpiece.
What I mean with this, is this example. A room furnished with only the basics and then a piece of art on the wall that seems to be quite the contrary: opulent and decorative. But in this context it does not change the demand for a reduced interieur at all but it offers a place for the eyes to rest on and feel comfortable.

For details of the art quilt Golden Nymph click here

original image source from http://www.modernes-interieur.de

The Dragon - an Art Quilt in the Foyer

Admitted - this is only a very spare interior but imagine what you could do with a silk quilt on the wall like that one. Dragon would be everywhere an eyecatcher especially for people who love this lucky symbol. It adds an exotic flair to a room, especially due to the fact that this is not Chinese massware but an original. Detailed photos and description in English you will find here.

original image source for the designer chair is http://www.modernes-interieur.de

Handquilted Silk Art Quilt - Golden Nymph

There are multiple possibilities where and how to hang this small silk quilt that was painted and handquilted. Please see detail photos here with a description in English. And please don't forget to click on the image for enlargement.

Original source for the chairs is from Villa Schmidt, http://www.villa-schmidt.de

"Golden Nymph"
50" x 26", Silk Art Quilt
©Petra Voegtle