Showing posts with label grey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grey. Show all posts

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Bonjour Tristesse - but not in the Bedroom please!

Please do not get me wrong here - I find this bedroom extremely elegant, stylish and very well designed. All the elements complement each other perfectly. But it looks really depressing. There is something important missing: a piece of colour!

I know - a bedroom should be kept mostly in  "neutral" colours, because it is meant for relaxing, getting a good night sleep, yadayada. But I would not want to sleep in a room with depressing colours such as these. Yes - depressing because that abundance of greys and blacks would rather remind me of a funeral parlour than a bedroom in which I could feel well.


A single piece of bright colour would do the trick: f.e. with this brightly coloured silk scroll, mounted on a simple stretcher frame without the upper and lower part as can be seen in the original scroll (please see below). But check for yourself. It would not change the design of this room but add a tiny bit of life and friendliness, warmth and excitement and keep off depressing feelings...




The original silk scroll was handpainted and additionally quilted with silk thread to add texture and depth.
This kind of scrolls is reminiscent of ancient Chinese or Japanese scroll paintings - their construction yet is completely different and has been developed by myself.

While traditional Japanese and Chinese silk scrolls are made from very thin painted silk, that is glued to paper which again is normally covered by patterned silk, my scrolls consist of 3 layers of fabric and no paper at all.

The middle piece is constructed like a quilt with a layer of very thin batting between the top layer which is the painted silk and the back. Headpiece and footpiece are normally made from silk as well, which has been fused to a thin layer of rayon fabric.


"Desert"
48" x 24", silk scroll

©Petra Voegtle

Finally top and bottom part of the scroll are sewn with a narrow tube at the end to be able to push a dowel through the fabric which is used for hanging. But as I said already - top and bottom part could also be removed in order to mount the middle piece on a stretcher frame.
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Friday, November 19, 2010

Stenciling and Painting - a happy Serendipity

Lately I am experimenting again - with ancient Indian wooden block prints. But sometimes things do not work as they should as in this example. I did a faux marble painting and wanted to use one of my block prints which I have collected the past 20 years or so but then I realized to my horror that after heavy glazing the surface of the painting would not take the paints from the prints - I had to look for a different solution.

As I knew I could paint on the glazing but not print - the idea of stenciling on the painting came into my mind. I have always admired the work of Melanie Royals from the Royal Design Studio. Melanie is not only the company's president and creative director but also one of the most innovative and creative people of the decorative arts, what I have seen from her work.

This said I finally draw and cut some stencils for the painting and could in fact add the graphical element I wanted. Framed virtually in a nice frame I found out that this would be the perfect complement for wall and sofa in the following room vignette:


Below is the image with the original art piece on the wall:

 original image source and with courtesy of 

I must admit that the original art piece on the wall looks quite interesting on that textured wall and the colours are a great match but still I find it a bit gloomy. The Grey Marble painting is a more friendly alternative and its patterns complement those of the wall.

And here is the painting itself framed virtually in a nice frame:


"Grey Marble"
(from the Patterns series)
25" x 15", acrylic on paper
©Petra Voegtle
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Sunday, September 26, 2010

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...

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Light as a Feather...

I apologize for not posting much these days but I was (and still am) very busy working on a new painting series. So you may understand that I need to set priorities. As much as I love blogging and looking for new opportunities to show you what wonderful interiors can be found out there - sometimes not everyhing you like to do is manageable any more and I wished I had another pair of hands and more than 24 hours a day.

The painting here is the latest that I finished and I thought I show you two beautiful environments where the very same painting looks completely different, depending on frame and surrounding colours: in the very light room it looks dreamlike, with a touch of romance, in the dark room the painting serves as a kind of optical brightener, giving the elegant room a more cheerful touch.

As I already said the painting is the startup of a new series about one of my favourite subjects: pigeons (finally). It is called Contemplation on a Feather. As you may know I am writing a documentary and diary about a feral pigeon family who lives on my balcony since nearly 2 years now. This diary contains many stories and photos about pigeons, who are extremely underestimated and misjudged. These birds are highly intelligent, make very funny companions and are absolutely amiable. If only more people would realize how special these birds are. Maybe you will change your mind too if you start reading my blog Pigeon Tales. You will learn a lot of things you probably did not know before.

If you would like to see more details of the painting please use this link.


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



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


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

©Petra Voegtle
.

The painting looks very different depending on the frame it is mounted in. This is just an example I like very much because it looks so romantic...


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Friday, July 24, 2009

Butterflies and Moroccan Style

As far as I can take a peak into this room - I love every little aspect I can can see in this image, the silvery sideboard, the table, the vintage coffeepot, the candleholders and all other accessories which give this room such a personal note, one of a traveller...

And something else you can see in this room that I would have added if this were mine: the silk scroll with the butterflies, called Panaxia. This could be another potential memory if you were travelling to Rhodos, the Greek island.

There - each August - a natural miracle is taking place.

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

"In the western side of the island of Rhodes lies the Valley of the Butterflies (Petaloudes). This is one of the most attractive destinations on the island. During August, thousands of butterflies of the genus Panaxia (species Quadripunctaria Poda) overwhelm the valley in order to reproduce. During the rainy period, the Butterflies in the caterpillar stage remain in the Mediterranean thicket feeding on the foliage. As the end of the wet season approaches, towards the end of May, the final stage is concluded and the butterfly in all her perfection makes her appearance in the form recognizable to us all. They move constantly towards areas of highest humidity is greatest, always following the "water ways", as the dry period progresses, they finally arrive at the valley.

Unfortunately, over the last few years the population of the Panaxia has been constantly in decline, due to several factors, one of the most important being the disturbance by visitors. The butterfly has an atrophic peptic system, meaning has no stomach. From May until the mating period (for the males), and until the egg lying period (for the females) they do not eat. They survive from the energy stored from their previous lives as caterpillars. The disturbance of visitors is forcing the butterflies to fly all day, consuming valuable energy. Visitors should not be denied the enjoyment of viewing the butterflies at rest, but it is prohibited to disturb them in any way (hand clapping, whistling etc)." (from Rhodes Guide)
I have seen several documentations about this and I wished I could experience this in reality - it must be pure magic. That's why I created this silk scroll. Check out more details under this link.

"Panaxia I"
43" x 24", silk scroll

©Petra Voegtle

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Sunday, July 5, 2009

Greys - not dull and not vain either...

Normally I am a colour person but lately I have seen some posts on greys used in interior design, be it in the kitchen or in the living room or somewhere else. It took me by suprise that all of these rooms did not look boring at all - on the contrary. With the perfect icing on the cake, let's say the right combination of greys and some additional creme colours with interesting graphics on the wall one can achieve an interesting composition. The large drawing that complements the graphical design adds a little kick to the whole in order to take a bit of the severity out of this room. Despite this it looks elegant and très chic. A room for contemplation and pondering on new ideas.


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

The drawing Vanity is from the Deadly Sins series which is not completed yet. It is supposed to contain all seven sins. The link leads you to the other finished pieces of this series.

The Deadly Sins, a deliberately chosen biblical theme is more actual than ever.

We currently live in societies where all the ethical values which are the basic requirements for human co-existance seem to deteriorate. While we may wonder about the sudden disappearance of advanced cultures such as the Mayan or any other we do not realize that we are on the verge of destroying our own, western cultures.

Instead of encouraging social behaviour we have started to lose the vision of unity and solidarity. Walls are built up instead of torn down, the global accessability paradoxically seems to increase the fear of the different.

Anxiously we try to keep our own space untouched, suspiciously we consider every change as intrusion into our personal rights and views. Jealously we try to keep our achievements for ourselves, instead of sharing our knowledge with those who need it in order to grow.
This fine art drawing series is meant to emphasize the ugly characteristics of human behaviour by exaggerating expression into grotesque.

The pencil drawings of the Deadly Sins (on 30gr chinese Wenzhou paper) are quite big and therefore handled like scrolls. They are backed with a thin pongé silk, mounted on silk/paper scrolls (painted or dyed silk backed with painted chinese Wenzhou paper) and finally hung on hand made wooden dowels, coated with acrylic lacquer (several layers) which are removable for easier storage or replacement of more sophisticated dowels.


"Vanity"
43" x 27"/58" x 32", drawing mounted on silk
©Petra Voegtle
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Crocheted Lace on Floor, Lamp and Wall...

This is such a cute little bedroom - maybe for guests or rather for yourself? I absolutely love this composition of the carpet with the crocheted border and the lamp that repeats the pattern and the colour hues. Both elements deliver lovely counterparts for the straight bed without gadgets.

I have added virtually a painting in an ornamented frame that repeats a lacy pattern as well, that could be another addition to this ensemble. The acrylic painting is White Wall from the Reminiscences series. Please check this link for details.


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

"White Wall"
(from the Reminiscences series)
26" x 18", acrylic on cotton
©Petra Voegtle
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Saturday, March 7, 2009

Colour Coordination in the Bedroom

I love bed linen such as these, with intricate patterns that embellish a bedroom. A wonderful match would be this silk painting on the wall with the appropiate theme: Ricefields at Dawn, a dreamy landscape to look at when you wake up...
Check out the link above when you would like to see more details of this painting.


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

"Ricefields at Dawn"
40" x 21", silk
©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"

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

The Landscape in the Entrance Hall

This entrance hall would be cold, clinical and a bit hostile unless you make it somehow interesting - with a landscape painted on silk. And what could be more fascinating than the landscapes around Guilin with their incredible archaic magic?
I can tell you - the photo does not do any justice to this painting. If you stand right in front of it - it becomes totally 3D! You think you can walk right into it...
Check out the details of this painting here if you like.

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


"The Monuments of Guilin"
silk, 5 panels, 40" x 65"
©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

Saturday, January 3, 2009

A Drawing on the Wall

I an elegant room such as this you cannot place too much additional work. So you need something contemplative. Why not a large drawing on Chinese Paper mounted on black silk.
The drawing is from the Deadly Sins series.

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


click here for the original
image source

"Vanity"
43" x 27"/58" x 32", drawing mounted on silk
©Petra Voegtle

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Frozen - a Silk Painting in the Living Room

I think this fits into the season. And what could be a better composition than the warmth of a fireplace and a cool landscape painted on silk?
If you would like to see more details of this painting or others please see my landscapes series from my website

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

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Celts - a silk Painting for a modern Dining Room

To my own big surprise I have realized that nearly all of my silk paintings go really well in nearly any interior. Depending on the theme and content they can either be hung as they are, in a gallery wrapped setting, which means they are mounted on stretcher bars, sides are clean and painted as well, or they could be mounted in voluptious frames - as shown in several examples. Due to the medium - silk - this is absolutely applicable.

If you would like to check out on details please see here (The painting itself has been sold though - the image is only an example to give you an idea).

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

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Living Room or Loggia in white...

And here is the counterpart - everything held in white so that the paintings can fully develop their colours. This could be part of a large living room, or a loggia leading into a conservatory...
From the Minerals series: Aquamarine and Tourmaline I - links will lead you to the detail photos.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

A Lounge or Waiting Room with Ambience...

Sitting in a lounge here and hearing soft classical music, potentially the water music by Smetana would be nice - wouldn't it? Why not using an ambience like this at the doctor's waiting room. Maybe this would destroy your bad vibes...
And while you are sitting there you could study the details of this silk scroll with all the tiny little beads...

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Iceworld and a blue Cupboard

I think this is for people who really love the colour blue.
If you would like to see more details of this scroll please check out the links here and here

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

Friday, November 28, 2008

Iceworld in a white Living Room

For lovers of a cool world - ice and snow. This silk scroll is about a world most people do not know - the artic world of eternal ice.
If you would like to see detail photos please check this link and part 2

original image source unknown

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Spheres in a Modern Living Room or Lounge

This silk scroll Spheres looks best on a black wall. Composed with white designer furniture gives it an elegant and sublime look. Light is important in this setting because only then the beaded scroll will reveal its secrets - the sparkling of hundreds of glass beads...
You can check it out here

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

Silk Scrolls in Modern Living Room or Lounge

The silk scrolls from the Hidden Gems series fit perfectly in a modern interior with designer furniture especially people who love black furniture and reduced decoration. The sophisticated details on these scrolls are only revealed while looking very close.
A hint of those can be checked out here and here

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