Showing posts with label golden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label golden. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

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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Thursday, October 20, 2011

An incompatible Composition

What a lovely little cabinet in this hallway! But what did the decorator think when s/he hung that abominable board with those plates above the delicate cabinet - it looks as if it were coming down any minute to strike the little cabinet dead. That board with the plates is much too heavy and needs a different place.


I would certainly hang a fine silk painting mounted in an ornamental gilded frame above this gorgeous cabinet such as this one. Not only do the colours of the painting adulate the fine paintings on the cabinet but it compliments the filigree carvings of the wood much more.


The painting belongs to a series of silk paintings which depict the symbols of ancient cultures.

"Celts"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
silk, 40" x 13"
©Petra Voegtle
(sold)

There are thousands of magical places on this world and only very few I have seen myself. Stonehenge was one of them at a time - some decades ago - where tourism did not overflow the whole area yet and where they did not request yet astronomical entry fees and where the stones were not fenced from any touch yet. But times change...

Stonehenge has always been a fascinating motif for painters and poets and will remain so as long as it exists. I could not withdraw from its spell myself and so this painting on silk Celts became part of the Magic Symbols series. If you would like to know more about the painting please read here.
~

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Saris on the Wall - as Paintings

This is a wonderfully airy hallway - space in abundance, no clutter. There is plenty of room for decoration if you want to do this and I have some suggestions.
My brandnew work would look fabulous on these walls, an eyecatcher in colour and some teasing for the viewer because not everything is as it seems...


If you look at the original setting there is too much blank space in my opinion and a focal object is needed. I don't know why the interior designer placed this chaiselongue in this room as its purpose is not quite clear to me - maybe it is only an extension to the garden/terrace area but even then I miss some additional seats.


The two paintings belong to my brandnew series about Patterns. I painted in various red shades on heavy watercolour paper and finally added block printing with ancient Indian handcarved wooden models from my collection. The graphical elements were highlighted with metallic pigments to evoke a more authentic feeling of those heavily embroidered saris Indian women tend to wear for their weddings.

"Sari I"
(from the Patterns series)
20" x 15", acrylic on paper
©Petra Voegtle

The second sari piece was shadow printed with 2 colours, green and gold, which can be seen in the detail photo.

"Sari II"
(from the Patterns series)
20" x 15", acrylic on paper
©Petra Voegtle



If you would like to know more about this series please check my blog Images and Imagination which is all about art...
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Monday, September 6, 2010

Machu Picchu - a Silk Painting about a magical Place

This silk painting Machu Picchu belongs to the Magical Symbols Series. I love the warm colours - just the right thing to warm up your room when the temperatures start to go down again at this time of the year.
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"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
40" x 13", silk




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

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Celts - a Silk Painting of a Magical Place

There are thousands of magical places on this world and only very few I have seen myself. Stonehenge was one of them at a time - some decades ago - where tourism did not overflow the whole area yet and where they did not request yet astronomical entry fees and where the stones were not fenced from any touch yet. But times change...

Stonehenge has always been a fascinating motif for painters and poets and will remain so as long as it exists. I could not withdraw from its spell myself and so this painting on silk Celts became part of the Magic Symbols series. If you would like to know more about the painting please read here.

"Celts"
(from the Magic Symbols Series)
silk, 40" x 13"
©Petra Voegtle
(sold)




~
Please check the following links if you would like to see the impact in a room with a painting such as this:  interior1, interior2, interior3, interior4

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

~

Thursday, January 14, 2010

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:
.


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
~

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Hornets on Silk and a Chaiselongue...

Most of you probably do not love this insect but I would like to break a stone for them.

This silk scroll is an hommage to an insect which has a very bad reputation due to many myths which need to be rectified. Exaggerated stories of hornet attacks and the effect of their stings such as "Seven hornet stings kill a horse, three an adult and two a child" simply belong to that world of fairy tales. Such myths which exist for generations have led to the hornet to become an endangered species in many areas of Central Europe, due to merciless human pursuit.

Hornets are extremely beneficial. If you have hornets in your garden you should be very glad because hornets hunt wasps and other insects. They are not attracted by sweet smells, they are not interested in any human food and therefore don't bother you when you are in the garden. On the contrary - they keep wasps at distance. They are not aggressive at all unless you disturb their nest.
Hornets belong to the most sophisticated architects in the insect world. Their nests are extremely beautiful and were the inspiration for this painted abstract silk scroll.

The original artwork on the wall was something different. But I thought this scroll, mounted on a frame (instead of a silk scroll hung on dowels) would complement this chaiselongue wonderfully, composing antique style with modern abstract art that reflects something very precious - nature on silk.


with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original
image source

"Hornets"
43" x 24", silk scroll

©Petra Voegtle

.
Similar to the nests of hornets are the magnificent nest structures of wood wasps. I have added some photos I made from pieces of a wasp nest, photographed against light so that you can admire the structures and patterns of these incredible architects:


photography ©Petra Voegtle
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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

A modern Sunroom

There is no knickknack in this room - only clear elegance, no extra embellishment. The emphasis is on the view to the garden, unspoiled, without distraction. This place lives with the light that enters this room without any barriers, giving a feeling as if you are sitting directly in the garden. A modern understanding of a sunroom I would think.

The silk carving on the wall is merely a connection with the feeling that we all embrace from time to time, a longing for something else we do not own, another sphere, another time, light in times of darkness...

If you would like to see details of the silk carving use this link.


with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original
image source


"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle
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Sunday, June 14, 2009

A Niche with a Longing...

The original photo contains quite a few empty golden picture frames on the wall which are supposed to be filled. I thought this silk carving may be another potential complement for this lovely niche. Colours would be perfect including that little gold pigment that has been used in this silk carving called The Longing.

If you would like to see details of the silk carving use this link.

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


"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle
.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

A stylish Dining Room with a Silk Carving on the Wall...

This room has a great light - therefore the dark furniture and accessories do not diminish that feeling of a light room. I also like the open living character a lot - this gives air to breathe and makes the room larger than it actually is. This is very cleverly done!

So I thought that the facing wall would be the perfect place for this silk carving which is called The Longing. This silk carving has a long history and was started in 2004 already until it was changed lately into this final result, resembling a bas-relief in bronze now. But it is entirely made from one single piece of silk!


with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle

Thursday, April 30, 2009

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

Thursday, April 16, 2009

An Angel's Face on the Wall...

A bedroom that emanates innocence, a long gone era, simplicity and a time full of tenderness.
The silk carving on the wall is an Apsara, one of those heavenly statues and sculptures carved into the walls of Angkor Wat's temples.
If you would like to know more details about Apsara from the series of the Angkor's Faces and Figures please check this link.


with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source


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




Sunday, March 1, 2009

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

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Magic of Machu Picchu in the Bedroom...

Well - this is only a part of a showroom and people may not have floors like that in their own home but nevertheless it shows beautifully how matching colours and the elegance of simplicity of form can build up a magnificent composition.
This silk painting Machu Picchu may send you dreams you have never dreamt, dreams of adventure, discovery and the secrets of ancient cultures...


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

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

Thursday, February 5, 2009

The Charm of old Walls and ancient Motifs

In one of my later posts I talked about the charm of old walls. This is another example. While I wrote about two silk paintings from the Magic Symbols series and ancient Minoan culture in my German blog I am showing here how wonderfully these paintings would harmonize with the old walls of this room.

Details about these silk paintings can be found here or click on the photos below.

original image source from http://www.forum-dueren.de



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


And what would you say about an interior design that is nearly 4000 years old? Doesn't these images reveal a charm that could be originated in any contemporary grand mansion? But these images come from the grand palace in Knossos on Kreta:

(from http://www.historywiz.com/minoanarchitecture.html)

( from http://www.antikefan.de)

Monday, January 26, 2009

A Sofa and a Silk Painting...

What do you think about this sofa? Isn't it a hoot? I must admit I just love it and have the perfect matching silk painting: Sepia. A shame for an artist and her work? Not at all - just the perfect match of two beauties, ready to be staged in a living room or loggia or...

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


"Sepia"
(from the Magic Creatures Series)

silk, 40" x 13"
©Petra Voegtle

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

The Bedroom that needs more Heat...

No doubt - this is an elegant bedroom and many people think a bedroom should not contain much more than the bed itself. But colours such as these need a compensation in my opinion. So why not bringing in a little bit of heat through the silk scroll on the wall.
Detail you can find here.

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

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Ancient Cultures in a modern Living Room...

Silk paintings about ancient cultures fit very well into a modern interieur. When we think of even much older art such as the cave paintings which have been found in Australia we realize that their forms seem to be timeless.

original image source from Schütz Flechtwerke, French catalogue, 1999
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