Posts Tagged ‘shopping in Venice’

Custom Lamp Shades, Venetian Style

Thursday, May 20th, 2010
Angela with me in her fantastic shop

Angela with me in her fantastic shop

    

On our first day in Venice, we visited the studio of Angela R. Greco on the Ponte Delle Ostreghe, near San Marco.  Angela and her sister have been in this same location for years, and make the most beautiful Venetian style lamp shades I have found anywhere on the planet.  Each shade is made by hand, and you can see their love for their craft in every piece.  Angela’s typical shade is made from Fortuny fabric, and stretched over a wire frame.  I love these shades because they have an exuberance of style not found in most American lighting.  They have the fantastic shape of the Venetian shield style shade, plus color and pattern brought by the fantastic fabric.  A stunning combination.  We chose this trip a small pair of shades in blue and silver for a pair of lamps in a bedroom. 

 

Angela hand sewing the lining of a shade while her sister looks on

Angela hand sewing the lining of a shade while her sister looks on

Besides being a fantastic place to find the fabulous, Angela’s shop is warm and friendly.  She loves to see people enjoy her work, and welcomes photography.  It is fun to see Angela and her sister again on this trip….in their matching smocks and pearls.

Lamps in the shop of Angela Greco

Lamps in the shop of Angela Greco

Bobby and I outside the shop

Bobby and I outside the shop

A carved wooden lamp base with a fantastic Fortuny shade

A carved wooden lamp base with a fantastic Fortuny shade

Art Restoration in Venice

Thursday, May 20th, 2010
The beautiful studio of Bruno Vianello

The beautiful studio of Bruno Vianello

A favorite stop in Venice is the studio of Bruno Vianello on Calle De Pistor in Castello.  Bruno is a painting restoration specialist whose work appears in the Accademia, the Hotel Danielli, and in many private Venetian collections.  Currently, he is working on a group of Biblical paintings from the 16th century in which he has beautifully restored the canvases; erasing years of soot and dirt; water damage; and bad patches by previous restoration.  Bruno typically deals exclusively in restoration for museums and private collections, but always has a few “treasures” available for purchase in his studio.  It is a treat to see such a talented craftsman.

A work in restoration for a private collection

A work in restoration for a private collection

Through the years, Bobby and I have been fortunate enough to have purchased a number of paintings from Bruno that are still in our private collection.  We are always inspired by the beauty of the art here, and it is easy to find pieces to love.