KBAA had the pleasure of adding to the story-focused vision of Nemacolin by collaborating with artists known for blending romance, wonder, and craftsmanship. Across two destinations, The Chateau and The Grand Lodge, you’ll find a world of artistry. Here, we spotlight three artists about their process, point of view, and experience seeing their work come to life.
BAHMAN / A Juxtaposition of History and Modernity
Featured in The Chateau
For self-taught artist BAHMAN, beauty lies in transformation. His work explores life, love, and death through visual layers that merge painting, sculpting, and ornamentation. Drawing inspiration from 19th century Symbolists such as Böcklin, Von Stuck, Hodler, and Klimt, he creates richly ornate works that are sure to catch your eye.
Working primarily in acrylic gouache and oil, BAHMAN incorporates gold and silver leaf, rhinestones, and hand-shaped modeling paste to create dimensional textures resembling drapery, jewels, and fruit. Every surface is embossed except for the character’s face and hands. It’s a deliberate nod to Byzantine icons where the sacred was revealed only through the human form.
We loved his work from his “La Mouche” series and found it a perfect fit for The Chateau because of its homage to 18th century France. He created this series upon learning about “mouches,” small beauty marks aristocratic French would add to their faces that carried secret meanings of personality or flirtation. His large-scale paintings are adorned with silver leaf, rhinestones, and delicate embossing to capture the opulent spirit of the era while adding a touch of playful fantasy.
“My work is mostly about life, love, and death,” says BAHMAN. “Love is the force that unifies us and keeps us whole in this perpetual transformation. From rot, life is born and is nourished with love.”
BAHMAN, Artist for Nemacolin
We were so drawn to BAHMAN’s intricate craftsmanship and ability to connect with the story of The Chateau. The romance, grandeur, and intrigue we hoped to evoke is perfectly captured in BAHMAN’s pieces.
John Johnson / A Thoughtful Play on High Tea
Featured in The Patisserie at The Chateau
John Johnson is a longtime collaborator with the KBAA team. He’s been experimenting with art his entire life and over the years has honed in on sculpture being a main focus. His process thoughtfully tells stories by blending human emotion, connection, and visual aesthetics of a space. His “Tea Time” installation of The Patisserie is a perfect example of how he can interpret a brief and elevate into a celebration of elegance and ritual.
“Tea Time” features approximately 250 found teacups and saucers. The variety of designs, colors, and shapes were arranged with meticulous spacing, creating visual rhythm and unity. What appears as effortless to a visiting guest is a result of highly detailed craftsmanship by John. Each cup was measured to fit a custom-fabricated backer board where precise holes were drilled to perfectly fit within a strict depth constraint (caused by load-barring architectural posts in the space).
The teacups were mounted mounted inside two large gold shadowbox frames, each measuring 43”w x 130”h. The presentation elevated the overall look and feel, while ensuring the delicate china remained protected in this frequently visited space. We loved how this installation came together, perfectly complementing The Patisserie’s charming feel.
“These pieces reflect the elegance of tea time while showing the vast array of teacup styles, designs, and orientations. I enjoy the variety of tea cup designs all working together in an organized way.”
John Johnson, Artist for Nemacolin
In The Patisserie’s Parisian-inspired setting, “Tea Time” adds a moment of quiet delight. It invites guests to look closer, notice the details, and find beauty in the familiar.
Caroline Bullock / A Study of Stillness and Light
Featured in The Grand Lodge
Atlanta-based artist Caroline Bullock has been painting for over 25 years. Known for her cyanotype and mixed media approach, she loves exploring philosophical ideas about the nature of reality.
Her work featured in The Grand Lodge are from her “Stillness” series, inspired by the meditative quiet that comes when the mind is completely still. Through layered cyanotypes, water-based media, and geometric linework, she captures fleeting moments of peace and light. The addition of gold inclusion symbolizes presence and reflection.
“These pieces were inspired by the fluid peace that is reached in the mind when it becomes completely quiet and still,” Bullock explains. “My hope is that the work creates a space of quiet contemplation for the viewer.”
Caroline Bullock, Artist for Nemacolin
Her work was a perfect respite moment needed in The Grand Lodge, offering guests a sense of calm and grounding within the space’s woodland setting.
Benjamin Weiler / A Dimensional Study of Story
Featured in The Grand Lodge
Benjamin Weiler is a Canadian artist and craftsman who is known for bridging storytelling and design for all of his pieces. He created “Book Wall” for The Grand Lodge lobby by using recycled paperback books and folding each page by hand into geometric circular forms he calls Paper Cogs. The process transforms familiar materials into something sculptural and new, celebrating the tactile beauty of the written word.
“Book Wall” feels both mechanical and organic, and is the perfect greeting for guests entering the space. His work highlights literary moments and combines his own personal history to the larger theme.
“At its core, my work is about experimentation,” Wieler shares. “Each piece is a constellation of stories, a coral reef of words. I want the viewer to be transported to another realm in the same way a book can take you to another world.”
Benjamin Weiler, Artist for Nemacolin
We love how his piece for The Grand Lodge not only fit the visual color palette and aesthetic of the space, but also aligned with the theme of wonder and discovery. “Book Wall” invites guests to look closer and find new meaning within the familiar.
See these artist works, along with other incredible collaborations and curations in Nemacolin, in our Spellbound Spaces issue of ELEVATE by KBAA.
