Charley Harper

Gold Leaf Design Group has always been heavily influenced by nature, and one of our favorite forms of inspiration can be found in the art of Charley Harper. His passion for the environment comes shining through in his artistic celebration of fish, fowl, insects and the niches they cohabit with humans in this modern world. In celebration of the life of Charley Harper, we’re currently highlighting our Charley Harper collection. For a limited time, every 6 birds you buy will get you an additional bird free. Buy 6 birds, get 7. Buy 12, get 14. And we do mean any Charley Harper bird. Mix and match to your heart’s content: any style, any material. See our whole collection.

Using graphic shapes and bold colors, Harper simplified complex elements, creating an utterly captivating style. Explaining how he arrives at his images, Harper said: “When I look at a wildlife or nature subject, I don’t see the feathers in the wings, I just count the wings. I see exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures. I regard the picture as an ecosystem in which all the elements are interrelated, interdependent, perfectly balanced... and herein lies the lure of painting; in a world of chaos, the picture is one small rectangle in which the artist can create an ordered universe.” Learn more at this awesome video!

Look who else likes our Handmade Paper

Hospitality Design included our paper in the August issue in their "Prints and Patterns" Trends section. And then, while at NYNow, our papers caught the eye of Rug News and Design's writer Marjorie Hill who was Walking the Market.

As mentioned last time, we have six beautiful and versatile styles of paper rolls as well as five unique wall art pieces that are already framed and ready for hanging. Take a look at our site.

And...spoilers....we're looking to expand our offerings in the new year.
We can hardly wait to show you.

What to do with our paper?

Our paper always attracts a lot of attention at trade shows. People love the color, the detail, the texture, and more. Something we've heard (or overheard at times) is..

"It is so lovely...but what could I do with it?"

Rug News and Design mentioned a few options... Room Screen, Wallpaper, a backdrop for a shop display. All great ideas. We've been liking the three-dimensional aspect of displaying the paper in soft rolls. It drapes well with the grain. As you can see.

We love seeing what our customers do with our pieces. Recently we received a photo from ID Design in Cincinnati. Carol Grubb, one of the owners, had a home in Cincinnati's Homearama showcase. She used our Solar paper as a wall-mounted "headboard". We love it.

Sustainable Good Press

We were pleased to see our framed handmade paper included in Interior Design's Spring Market Tabloid. These striking pieces of art are Earth-friendly. We take recycled cardboard, newspaper, sawdust, pineapple fiber, banana fiber and grasses and use traditional Japanese paper making techniques to create a dimensional display of texture and pattern.

We have a variety of styles and sizes. We also have six styles of paper rolls that look great on walls, as shown by our friends at Clarke and Co Design.

We also found our Woven Rubber Wall Art in the pages of Hospitality Design. Handcrafted from used rubber inner tubes reclaimed from the world’s abundant motorbikes and trucks. Each inner tube has served its purpose and has reached the end of its useful life…for transportation. Collected from repair shops and long distance truck depots, each inner tube has its own characteristics, identity and story. The rubber is cleaned, matched to each design, cut and then arranged into shape, creating a soft and durable outdoor safe piece of functional art. 

We have these sustainable products as both Round and Square versions. Check out all our Sustainable collections.

20 Favorites by 20 Gold Leafers: 11 – 15

It's time for another 5! To continue our 20th year celebration, we thought we'd quiz Gold Leafers on what their current favorite 2014 catalog item is and why. We'll be collecting these favorites on our website. You can also check out the previous 5.  

11. Carol: Organic Coffee Table

"I like the raw-nature look of it mixed with the modern legs. it has a midcentury look to it."

12. Amanda: Wood Ring Sculptures

"I love the variety in the woodgrain. It's a beautiful accent piece."

13. Cathy: Custom Redwood

"I like the versatility. They can be used in so many different ways; it's simple, sculptural and looks amazing."

14. Patricia: Seed Wall Play 

"I like how colorful they are! They POP!" 

15. Robert: Patchwork Owls
"It's very colorful, and I like that."

20 Favorites by 20 Gold Leafers: 6 – 10

It's time for another 5! To continue our 20th year celebration, we thought we'd quiz Gold Leafers on what their current favorite 2014 catalog item is and why. We'll be collecting these favorites on our website. You can also check out the previous 5.  

6. Bill: Organic Aluminum Furniture

"I like the versatility. They really pop."

7. Jose: Electroplated Croc

"It's sexy and fun."

8. Denny: Patchwork Heron

"I like the pattern. I have them in my yard."

9. Sherry: Ball Sway

"It reminds me of Christmas ornaments!"

10. Erin: Sunset Geo Trays

"They remind me of going on a safari. I love the color."

20 Favorites by 20 Gold Leafers: 1 – 5

Did you see our Birthday Video? We had a lot of fun making it, but really loved hearing from everyone who decided to drop us a line after seeing it. Some were new customers and some were blasts from the past. All were appreciated...so thanks.

To continue our 20th year celebration, we thought we'd quiz Gold Leafers on what their current favorite 2014 catalog item is and why. We'll be collecting these favorites on our website. 

1. Kevin: Baffling Belly Charley Harper Bird

"I'm a graphic designer and I've always been fond of Charley Harper's illustrations. The Baffling Belly bird is probably my favorite of the ones we have."

2. Keiana: Fiberglass Ducks

"I think they are playful, colorful, and cute....just like me!"

3. Michael: Rubber Woven Wall Art

"They are such a great concept. I love how modular the square ones are, they let me fit any space. And as a bonus, they are recycled."

4. Rachel: Ginga Sculptures

"I like that they are abstract and eco friendly...made of discarded metals."

5. Sarahrose: Discus Column Towers

"I'm not sure why, exactly...but but they always catch my eye when I come across them in the catalog or in the warehouse."

I am Gold Leaf: Sherry

Sherry in her own words...

My background is in interior design. I got started in Pennsylvania, working as a freelance designer, for about 15 years. What really gave me the push was my neighbors would come into our house, and ask me who our designer was! Before that, I lived in Australia for 14 years. The people were my favorite thing about living there, and the climate and beaches were beautiful.

I specialize in meeting my client's needs in a variety of styles. My experience at Gold Leaf has led me to working with larger hotel chains and customizing hospitality projects. My day-to-day activities include lots of phone calls and emails, then working with our production staff to create amazing works of art that look stunning in any setting.

Working at Gold Leaf, I enjoy having new kinds of projects every day. I'm constantly astounded by what we're able to do to meet our client's specifications. 


THE OFFICIAL GOLD LEAF QUIZ...

Name: Sherry Zwinklis
Title: Design Project Manager

My typical day starts at: 6:00 am
My typical day involves: Corresponding with my hotels and purchasing agents, scheduling, quoting, reporting, routing, and shipping. 

FAVORITES
Favorite season: Fall
Favorite Band/Singers: Flo Rida
Favorite quote: Opportunities are like sunrises. If you wait too long, you miss them.
Favorite magazine: Veranda
I would have liked to have met: Theodore Roosevelt

Favorite TV show: Scandal

TRIVIA

My top three hobbies / interests...Paddle Boarding, Sailing, Swimming
When no one is looking, I... make fun of people. 

I wish I had more... time and money. 

My ideal day would include: Brunch by the water, and then go for a sail in the afternoon. 
How many tattoos do you have? 0

How many scars do you have?  1

EITHER/OR
Peanut Butter....Crunchy or Smooth​? Smooth
Talker or Listener? Listener
Pencil or Pen? Pen
Beatles or Elvis? Beatles
Chocolate or Vanilla?​ Chocolate