Celebrity Series 75th Season Gala

I recently posted about the piano we decorated for "Street pianos Boston". Last night at the Celebrity Series 75th Season Kick-off Gala, our piano was featured and played by many talented musicians. You can visit and play this musical work of art at the Christian Science Reading Room, 194 Massachusetts Ave Boston, MA. 

Robert Torres from the Celebrity Series of Boston took these great photos at the soiree.

Celebrity Series - "Street Pianos of Boston"

We were asked by Sally Wilson and John Kelsy of Wilson Kelsey Design to work with them to decorate a piano for Street Pianos of Boston, organized by the Celebrity Series of Boston. This is their 75 year and our piano will be played at the "75th Season Kick-Off Party", and will be auctioned. After much discussion about what to do with our piano I hit on the concept of covering the piano with feathers, Guinea Hen feathers to be exact. Sally and John added the idea of the Ikat runners on either side, cascading down and over the keyboard, surrounded by a gold stripe. Sally arranged for Dave Taubeneck of Fantastic Finishes to paint the piano in Benjamine Moore - Mink and prep the center with primer, to accept our wallpaper. Meanwhile I designed and printed the wallpaper. 

Below is a "sketch" of the imagined end result.

The design

Artist Luke Jerram has toured "Play Me, I'm Yours!" since 2008, placing pianos in public spaces for the enjoyment of the community. Play Me, I'm Yours! invites us all to engage with, and take ownership of our urban environment. 

The Guinea hen feathers

Zoë, our daughter, played many pianos during the "Play Me, I'm Yours" exhibit, while it was in London last year.

Ikat border

The wallpaper install went off with out a hitch and then Dave of Fantastic Finishes applied the final clear coat and reassembled the piano. Below Lena is adding gold Aqua Leaf to the edge of the border.

FINISHED!

Please look for and when possible play the pianos around Boston from September 27th through October 14, 2013. Best, Doug & Lena

Wallpaper Restoration

We were recently asked to restore and add color to an old wallpaper. This is not the first time we have done restoration work but it was an exciting opportunity to bring our own sense of color into the project & not just duplicate or repair / retouch an existing work. No one has, to date, been able to identify  the wallpaper pattern. If anyone reading this knows anything of it's origin, I would appreciate hearing what you know in the comments.

First, the paper had to be stabilized. Wallpaper installer Bill Archibald, of Norfolk, MA preceded us and was able to secure the peeling seams and inject paste into the bubbles. When we arrived the paper was ready for a clear acrylic coat to further fix the paper and give us something nonporous to paint on.

Before:

After:

I think you will all agree that the color and contrast is a vast improvement. Thank you for reading. 

Cheers, Doug

Edward Hopper style landscape

We are currently working in Mt. Kisco, NY, restoring a landscape mural in the style of Edward Hopper. This mural was painted in 1997 by Lena Fransioli (my wife) and Brooke Sheldon (Brooke Wilson then). A few years back the wall suffered water damage and unfortunately, the mural was not painted on canvas but directly on the wall. The home owner had a local artist repaint the damaged areas and the difference in style and color between the original and the repair needed correction. The attached photo is of Lena sketching back the original layout over the slightly changed repair. Small changes in the composition can make a big difference in the flow of the mural. This mural began as a tribute to Edward Hopper, making the emphasis on the diagonal essential.

More on the floor we did last week soon.

Decorative Wallpapers

This post is very long because I have been busy adding to our line of wallpapers. Luckily it is almost all photos with few words. You have seen, in previous posts, our panels and murals, so I will concentrate on decorative work. All these wallpapers can be sized to fit a space & the color can be tweaked. We plan to have an e-store up before the end of 2012.

I find inspiration everywhere and below are a few examples, starting with nature.

Detail of moss depicted in the paper shown above.

A different kind of moss.

Detail from paper shown above.

Moss & Granite.

Detail from paper shown above, note the droplet of water.


Antique papers are a good source of ideas.

Detail from paper shown above.

Passion-B

Detail from paper shown above.


Old textiles can be a great source of motivation too.

Tree peonies 1.



Detail


Bubbles in ice. I have many ice inspired choices.

Detail from paper shown above.

Mushrooms


The following examples are created from our sample boards of faux finishes.
Malachite with color change.

Acid etched silver leaf.

Acid etched dutch metal (light)

Detail from paper shown above. (dark)

Etched gold-silver.

Acid etched dutch metal.

Cupric acid etched silver leaf.

Eggshell crackle.

Detail from paper shown above.

From a faux agate.

2-Etched dutch metal with color change.

Detail from paper shown above.


Antique tapestries are fantastic.

Detail from paper shown above.

Stork & Lion

Detail from paper shown above.

Toro

Chalet

Detail from paper shown above.


Bronze wings with verdigris.

Detail from paper shown above.


I have found revelation even in the kitchen, below are creations from fresh baked bread crust. They are rather South Western in feel.




Old stencils from the California Missions.

Parchment

Detail

Organic Star

Detail from paper shown above.

Fril

Detail from paper shown above.

Shagreen

Detail from paper shown above.

Abstract paint splatter.

Detail from paper shown above.


I would love your feedback, tell me what you are visually stimulated by. I will translate it into a wallpaper.