October 31, 2015
October 28, 2015
Creepy Crawly Decor by Jennifer Angus
Yes continuing with the odd decor themes for the week of Halloween. Todays post is featuring an artist who uses insect bodies to make pretty intricate wall patterns.
Jennifer Angus is a design professor at the University of Wisconsin but she is also an international "insect" artist who creates installations composed of insects pinned directly to wallpaper and textiles.
You may think you know what you are looking at, just patterned wallpaper, but upon closer examination, one discovers that it is entirely made up of insects. Actual insect bodies are used, they remain unpainted but showcased in their natural form to create beautiful design illusions to bring out our inner insect loving child days. She uses these exhibits to showcase beautiful insects from around the world in an artist's exhibition form, but to also teach about forest and rainforest preservation and to help individuals think about their own environment and behavior. Read here for more detail on her ethical use of the insects.
Jennifer Angus is a design professor at the University of Wisconsin but she is also an international "insect" artist who creates installations composed of insects pinned directly to wallpaper and textiles.
You may think you know what you are looking at, just patterned wallpaper, but upon closer examination, one discovers that it is entirely made up of insects. Actual insect bodies are used, they remain unpainted but showcased in their natural form to create beautiful design illusions to bring out our inner insect loving child days. She uses these exhibits to showcase beautiful insects from around the world in an artist's exhibition form, but to also teach about forest and rainforest preservation and to help individuals think about their own environment and behavior. Read here for more detail on her ethical use of the insects.
October 26, 2015
Palissy Ware Snakes
Palissy ware is a 19th-century term for ceramics produced in the style of the famous 6th century French potter Bernard Palissy. This distinctive style of pottery is characterized by three-dimensional modeled life sized replicas and real life castings of amphibians such as snakes, fish, lizards, frogs, and snails and other plantlife and shells which were arranged onto large platters or plates which he called "rustic pottery". The authentic Palissay ware is musuem quality and rare.
What better way than to celebrate the week of Halloween, than with Palissy ware snakes!
What better way than to celebrate the week of Halloween, than with Palissy ware snakes!
In 1851 Palissy ware was introduced by Minton & Co at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London which brought back the Palissy style of ting lazed pottery with animal and plant motifs which was also similiar in style to the Italian Renaissance style of maiolica which they call Majolica ware, Majolica Palissy ware but due to the time period it is known as Victorian Majolica. Wedgwood began to manufacture majolica about ten years after the Minton's and then many other potters thereafter began to manufacture their own version of majolica sometimes adding their own twist by using flowers, fruits, vegetables and birds and breaking away from the platter design but adding teapots, plates, jugs, cachepots and more. By the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, majolica production slowly came to an end.
I think some of the Portuguese artists in the 19th century Palissy style Majolica that kept with the similiar style as you can see the natural details from the scales on the snakeskin and fish, the detail of the leaves and ferns.
I think some of the Portuguese artists in the 19th century Palissy style Majolica that kept with the similiar style as you can see the natural details from the scales on the snakeskin and fish, the detail of the leaves and ferns.
Here are 2 pieces from my mother-in-law from Portuguese artist, Jose A. Cunha. You can see the scene depicts natural authenticity in both plates where the snake is attacking the frog.
Whereas the Majolica introduced so many other styles and was produced by a number of companies, some of the intricate scientific detail became lost, and other more "friendlier" reptiles were added, but the pieces are still beautiful.
From antique dealer Linda Ketterling from The French Tangerine
Wedgwood Fish platter from Charles L. Washburne
Minton covered lobster dish from Majolica Society
Get your own snakes plates at 1st Dibs
Top (L-R): O'Sullivan Antiques; O'Sullivan Antiques
Passages Antiques in New Orleans that carries alot of the 19th-20th century Majolica and Palissy ware from Architectural Digest
Blogger's visit inside Passages Antiques Interior Design Musings
October 22, 2015
Stylish ways to decorate with skulls
While skulls are all out and about right now because of Halloween there are ways to accessorize with skulls in your home decor from pillows, statues atop your coffee table, lighting to planters without being creepy. Isn't that the point of having gold skulls, less creepy, more chic?
Skull Wall Sconce from Moonshine Lamp
Casper Lamp from Arteriors Domino
One of the easiest ways to add a trend is with a pillow
Skull pillow Villa Villa Veien
Skull pillow Interior Magasinet
Decorative skull pillow My Domaine
Skulls look great on Accent Tables and on top of Decor Books
Skull accessory on console table Melissa Mercier
Quirky Skull Decor
Skeleton french canopy chair from Voila
Skull & Crossbones arm chair from Denoxa
Punk skull chandalier from Ty Pennington
Skull drawer knobs from Jade4Wood at Etsy
Etsy Skull Planters
1. Redwood Stoneworks 2. Mudpuppy 3. Brooklyn Global 4. Mudpuppy
Get your own Skull Accessories