Photo Courtesy of Anastasia Kovaleva

 

What was the collaboration process like between you and the KBAA team for the pieces in the spa?

My experience collaborating with the KBAA on a Chateau Elan project was extremely positive. I was so excited to work on a hotel project because I had a great chance to work with an amazing art advisory team and create beautiful and unique pieces of art for public space. KBAA is known for its vibrant and imaginative works of art that capture the essence of a place and its people. It was a great experience to learn about the different aspects of hotel design and how to best use the space to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Additionally, I was able to collaborate with the team to create a unique design that would be both aesthetically pleasing and practical. The project was a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow as an artist and designer.

Photo Courtesy of Anastasia Kovaleva

 

What was the collaboration process like between you and the KBAA team for the pieces in the spa?

For this project, I created custom pressed flower art pieces to bring a touch of nature to the hotel guestrooms. The pieces were composed of flowers and foliage, including wildflowers, ferns, grasses, and other foliage. The flowers and foliage were carefully pressed and preserved in a flower press for a long time. It’s a very time-consuming process from the beginning to the end. It takes a long time to find and preserve. When I prepare pressed flowers and leaves, I lay them out between the pages, but I have to turn them as they dry to make sure they keep their natural colors. By the time I use it for my art, I have touched every piece many times! Dry leaves and flowers are very delicate and have to be handled with care. It’s very painstaking work but I enjoy it very much.

I created very high-resolution fine art prints that provide for the excellent sharpness of flowers and optimum color graduation, making it difficult to distinguish from the original. It is also resistant to fading, so the colors won’t change over time. Furthermore, it is also resistant to water, so it won’t be ruined by spills or moisture. Finally, if the print is taken care of properly, it should last a lifetime.

Chateau Elan Spa Guestroom, Photo Courtesy of BLUR Workshop

 

The secondary location was in the public area of the hotel. It was my pressed flower compositions printed on acrylic with transparent background so it looked like the printed flowers were real pressed flowers floating off the wall. Acrylic art is absolutely safe for use in a space environment and is also very durable and can last for years with proper care. It is also resistant to fading, scratches, and most stains.

Chateau Elan Spa Guestroom, Photo Courtesy of BLUR Workshop

 

Can you talk about your inspiration for these pieces and the story behind them?

My main inspiration for this project is nature itself. I can see something on a walk or a picture. Sometimes the smallest flower or leaf can inspire the entire project. My head is constantly filled with ideas and images. I wake up with a picture in my mind that I have to realize, sometimes I rough sketch it, sometimes I know exactly what I need and start the project right away. My extensive experience in pressed flower art, inspiration from the colors and shapes of flowers, the arrangement of the flowers, the texture of the petals, the different sizes of the flowers, and even the way in which the flowers have been pressed were implemented in this project.