The Art of Lepidotera Migration: Paul Villinski

Lepidotera Migration is an organic-biological phenomenon centered around the migration of a multitude of butterflies. Below is an image of the Monarch butterflies migration:

Paul Villinski is one of our favorite artists and we have had the pleasure to work with him on a site-commissioned project on behalf of one of our clients. The work speaks for itself, but one central theme begins to emerge once you look at Paul's work as a whole: aviation. But for me personally aviation only scratches the surface of meaning in Paul's artworks. When I gaze at these thoughtfully recycled (yes, these butterflies are made of recycled aluminium cans) and meticulously placed forms a plethora of emotions, which trigger a variety of reactions, bubble to the surface. I tend to lose myself in Paul's work, there is something about the constructed patterns and colors--I feel a since of freedom juxtaposed with feelings of community and togetherness. There is also a hint of the delicate involving the biological form in time and space.

(Above: 60" x 60", created specifically for our client's entryway)

The images above represent a few of Paul's site-specific/commissioned artworks. What is amazing about Paul's work form a curatorial standpoint is that he can take a concept (like butterflies) and apply it to different and unique spaces. Here are few of his not-so-specific/stand-alone works:

The collection of Paul's work speaks to viewers about rebirth and renewal, both physically and mentally. Flying Machines and Glove Wings are two other projects that use recycled materials in the literal sense, but also uses these materials (gloves, chairs, flying gear, etc.) as a means of artistic reincarnation. Below you will find examples of each series:

Paul is represented by:

Morgan Lehman Gallery

535 W. 22nd St, NYC

Gallery Website

If you would like to see more of Paul's work, visit his website.

* You can see Paul's work on the hit Warner Brothers TV show “Gossip Girl” on Monday September 27*

Amaranth, Cerise, Fandango, Magenta, Puce, Rose, Ruby=PINK

Pink. Yes, pink. The very word itself evokes the senses. Whether positively or negatively, people always react to this brazen and confusing color. The actual, realized color is more complicated than it seems on the surface and maybe this is why we are so drawn to it: the color pink is a combination of red and white. Other hues of pink may be combinations of rose and white, magenta and white, or orange and white--eeeesh, see what I mean? It takes a small village of colors to create this inspiring and perplexing tone.

Before I go on a wild and crazy tangent, let's reel this post back in. Pink and interiors are synonymous with one another. Whether pink is used as an accent or as the overarching theme of the space, both have the potential to command attention and, at the same time, seamlessly blend and add balance--an oxymoron, but both statements are true. Take a look at these images and let the contradictions flow!

(David Hicks--one of our favorite designers)

Rugs are a fabulous way to introduce pink into a space.

We have placed both of these rugs in one of our client's home: the first down a corridor and the second in the daughter's room. They add just the right touch: one of elegance and history, the other a quiet playfulness.

Below are a few images of pink used sparingly as accents to a room. Rugs, pillows, cushions, flora, color worked into fabrics and linens, accessories such as plates, and painted wall accents can be used to add bits of color and freshness to a space.

Gold=Fancy! Part 2

There are two sides to every story and this is the fairy tale ending to the previous post: Gold = Fancy? While I thoroughly enjoy making light of the notion that if you accent it in gold they will come, in some cases it is inevitable and not always a bad thing . There are some fabulous gold accents out there that not only hearken back to past days of decadence and glamour, but also reach into the future in hopes of "de-Trumping" (as in Mr. Trump's fixation on gaudy gold and pink marble) what some cynics think of gold in our contemporary design culture. It sounds like a lot to handle and to be frank it is. It takes the right touch and a delicate, yet confidant design sensibility to pull off a stunning, not gaudy, gold accent.

These examples fit like Cinderella's glass slipper (think if the slipper were made of gold instead of glass): boring, gaudy, or just the right touch? You be the judge.

Gold = Fancy? Part 1

"Just send in a pre-addressed envelope with all of your unwanted gold. . . get your cash instantly"

Yeah, uh-huh. The above quote is from a long running infomercial on how to get cash for your gold, if only this kind of service was available for the exteriors/interiors of buildings in New York.

Gold = Fancy is one of our favorite jokes in office and for good reason. Take a stroll down almost any residential street in the city and there it is, shiny and inviting, painted on banisters, doors, corbels, basically on any exterior design element: gold. Sometimes this faux-riche color is laughable (I have to admit I laugh at it all the time) but it is used time and again in building renovations. Maybe I'm missing something? Could gold represent some sort of romantic Etruscan-Italian fantasy? A villa perhaps? Could gold represent a quotation of opulence from Beax-Arts France? To be honest I just don't know, but I will let you be the judge.

Just don't judge a book by it's cover:

A Farmhouse Seen Through A Different Lens.

Has anyone ever said "Those photos don't even look like my house. . .I never would have guessed it", sounds off putting but in the right context artistic and individualistic intentions rise to the surface. Everyone views the world through their own unique and varied lens, yes I know it sounds corny, but really think about it. Give a child a camera, or give two adults a camera, and see where the visual interpretation of the time, place, or object can take an outside viewer.

Case-in-point, last weekend I had the pleasure of spending some time in the Connecticut countryside at the beautifully restored, modern-yet rustic county home of my good friends over at Morgan Lehman Gallery. Check them out at: http://www.morganlehmangallery.com/ They have an amazing eye and a lens that is unique in the NYC art world.

I had my camera (which acted as a mechanism to capture the view from my personal lens) and ran wild with visual inspiration. Here is a glimpse though my lens: