Galeries Lafayette Followed by Musee D’Orsay

Posted on July 22, 2015 by sreicis

We are now in the afternoon of Day 3 in Paris. We still have some free time left, but we need to be at the Musee D’Orsay by 7:00 pm. When this tight on time the logical choice is one of the large department stores. My favorite is the Galeries Lafayette on the Boulevard Haussmann. It is in the shadow of the L’Opera, so an opportunity to pass by and admire Garnier’s beautiful structure as well. There is something for everyone at the Lafayette, including housewares, gourmet foods and a lovely selection of wine. Built during the Belle Epoque the main store boasts a beautiful dome skylight with a remarkable stained glass design. This alone is worth a visit to the store. Another special experience is taking the time to venture to the rooftop. This is a wonderful place to take a break from shopping and enjoy an amazing view of Paris. You are high enough to see much of the city but not so high to feel disconnected from it. It proved a wonderful stop for a quick glass of wine before jumping on the Metro again to meet our group at the Musee D’Orsay. The museum was once a train station, designed for the Universal Exhibition in 1900. The station eventually closed, and 47 years later was re-opened as the Musee D’Orsay – one of the most wonderful examples of adaptive re-use. Fine art and decorative arts from 1848 to 1914 are displayed in the museum. It is just as interesting to study to renovated train station as it is to admire the art work. A special treat for us from Buffalo was the art glass door from the Darwin Martin House that is on display. As this was our last night in Paris, we wanted to explore the neighborhood surrounding our hotel. Bercy has gone through some renewal which includes many interesting cafes and restaurants. We found a very nice spot to enjoy a traditional french meal in a part of town where once stood a brewery. Very fun!

Villa Maria at Versailles!

Posted on July 16, 2015 by sreicis

Getting to Versailles from Paris is simple on the trains, and it’s a short walk to the Palace. We were fortunate to leave the bad weather behind, at least for the stroll to the gates. The students were immediately surprised by the size of the Palace, and I knew that their awareness was still just a fragment of the true expanse and luxury. The best way to move through the rooms is with an individual audio guide. Keeping a large group together is more frustrating than helpful. We were fortunate to have a day that was less crowded, but that is a relative thing. Select a meeting place and meeting time and allow your members to move through the palace at their own pace. The large tour groups who follow a leader make it difficult for other guests and probably feel people jostling them throughout their visit. Seeing the opulence of the Palace made the French Revolution much more understandable for the Villa students. Visiting the private chambers and listening to descriptions of court life brought the monarchy to life, and students began to feel the place and space as it once had been. A few were able to visit the gardens, only to be caught in another downpour. Regardless of the inclement weather, the experience was wonderful and the lessons were powerful. As we left Versailles behind we began to prepare for the next adventure of the day. The poor weather was likely to work in our favor now. We decided we would head to the Eiffel Tower, where the lines were likely to be diminished, yet the clearing weather would give us wonderful views from the top of the tower!

Getting Value from Study Abroad

Posted on July 14, 2015 by sreicis

Speak to most educators and they will agree, you cannot underestimate the value of experiential learning and where better to experience art and architecture but in Europe. Students at Villa Maria College had this opportunity for ten days in May, travelling to Paris and London. Some had traveled to Europe before for family holidays but most were visiting for the first time and in the end all had an experience that left them memories to last a lifetime. And in addition to the memories the students were also able to earn three credits towards their respective undergraduate degrees. We had 19 participants on our trip which included Sandra Reicis, Associate Professor of Interior Design and trip coordinator, and Dr. Joycelyn Burdett, Assistant Professor Fashion Design and Merchandising serving as a second faculty chaperone. According to our group tour guide, this was one of the most ambitious and robust tours that he had led. Which gets us back to discussing value for the financial investment that a student makes in order to participate in study abroad. As in most cases, you will get out of your education something that is relative to what you have invested in it, and in most cases the investment I refer to is more personal than financial. Our ten day trip had an impressive itinerary. By most accounts it sounds like a month long trip. Prior to setting foot in Europe, students and their parents know that time will be used wisely and experiences will be varied and rich with wonderful sites, sounds and stories. After flying through the night with hopes that everyone gets a bit of sleep on the plane, a coach bus meets the group at the Paris airport and on the way into the city we start to see Paris unfold before us… and begin to learn about new things. A relatively quick bus tour of the city gives everyone their bearings. A photo stop by the Eiffel Tower gives the local guide an opportunity to share interesting facts, including a discussion on the weight of paint, and the suggestion that before the tower can be painted again it is likely that the layers of paint already on the tower will need to be removed to maintain its structural integrity. Next stop is Notre Dame which includes a discussion about the history of the cathedral, its architectural legacy, social and political influences and interesting facts about interior details and displayed objects… including the crown of thorns worn by Christ and a sliver from his cross. Everyone is given the opportunity to tour the cathedral at their leisure, visit the surrounding area with a stop for lunch, check out the books at Shakespeare & Co., where I encourage a purchase that includes a stamp inside the cover as a special souvenir and most important a chance to share first impressions. The cathedral is always larger than expected, the windows are more beautiful than imagined, the artifacts are more special and the experience is the first step in our global enlightenment. And just think… we have yet to check into our hotel. That does become our next stop though, where we freshen up and then off to our first dinner in Paris. And so the first day comes to an end, and already a sense of change is upon us. Anticipation of the next day is only calmed by the complete need of a good night sleep to prepare us for the second day of our wonderful adventure.

Visiting a Masterpiece….Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob

Posted on March 20, 2014 by sreicis

Although I take my sophomore class to Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob each year, I honestly say that it never grows old. This tradition has continued for over 10 years and it can be said that we have a pretty good system right now. The size of this year’s group put us into two separate tour groups. Pictured at left outside Fallingwater are Sara Rozeski, Kaeli Bigelow, Elena Pellegrino and Melissa Wheeler. The visit coincides with a studio project that explores residential design, domesticity and serving the needs of the those who reside in the space. Students are challenged to re-think what a home should be and inspired to create the home of the future. Sustainability and Universal Design are two factors that need to be incorporated, but the ‘idea’ of home is what generates much thought… as well as much thinking ‘outside of the box’. Whether you love Wright’s designs or not, I think everyone would agree that you would not consider these homes to be inside a box. Even more enjoyable is the wonderful sculpture garden installed by current owners, Lord and Lady Palumbo. Works on display include Andy Goldsworthy, Claes Oldenburg, and Sir Anthony Caro among others. The Red Army (1991) by British artist Ray Smith is in Painted Steel. Two section of the Berlin Wall are also on display.

Villa’s Freshman Class at the Darwin Martin House

Posted on November 3, 2013 by sreicis

Students in the Introduction to Interior Design class at Villa Maria College, taught by Professor Sandra Reicis, were treated to an outstanding, docent led tour of the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright designed Darwin Martin House Estate. Located in the city of Buffalo, close by the Olmstead designed Buffalo park system, the Martin House Restoration Corporation has done an incredible job restoring this architectural gem to its former glory. Still a work in progress, we were able to see the first completed room which would be the sitting room, the nearly completed restoration of the kitchen, the living room, dining room and library nearing completion as well as the recently rebuilt pergola and conservatory. Our tour director shared a wealth of knowledge with our students, which is surely to inspire them as they embark on their design education at Villa.

A Stroll Through the Show House 2013

Posted on July 31, 2013 by sreicis

As you entered the Show House and turned to the right, a space of note and interest was The Safe Room. Designers Barbara Reformat, Danielle Schiavitti and Debbie Ziccardi collaborated to create this unique and memorable room. All three are graduates of the Villa Maria College Interior Design program. New met old in the space with the introduction of a new generation of tile, Laminam by Crossville. This large format porcelain tile measuring 39″ X 118″ clad the walls of the anteroom to one of the Knox family safes. The tile is available from Tiles International in Orchard Park. The space also featured artwork from Rider Frames and Gallery.

Service Learning with Junior League

Posted on July 28, 2013 by sreicis

Every two years something wonderful happens in Buffalo, and it’s the Junior League Show House. This year was a slight departure, going to East Aurora and re-designing the beautiful rooms at the Knox Summer Estate. Students with the Interior Design program at Villa Maria College have been perennial participants in the process and have been successful with their proposals. This year proved no different, with the opportunity to finish one of the bathrooms at the estate….and it was the coolest bathroom ever. Our space was used by the Knox family to chronicle the heights and weights of the Knox children on the door and door frame. Preserved as a piece of wonderful family history, the Villa students played off this theme with their space, ‘Pencil me In’. Pictured to the right are Jason Cole, Therese Smith and Sandra Zygaj-Borowski painting our room. The soft, silvery quality of hand drawn pencil marks along with the daylight from the window, inspired the color palette and material choices. Playing off the horizontal pencil marks the students installed glass tiles and a unique, Roman shade was selected for the shower curtain. The horizontal fabric folds are contrasted with bold, vertical fabric panels, alternating between sheer and opaque to allow for natural lighting and insure modesty. The window treatments are one-of-a-kind fused glass panes with deatiling also inspired by pencil patterns. As we discovered during our research of the space, this room originally included a Picasso painting, and to pay homage to this fact, we included a serigraph of an original Picasso that was gifted to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery by the Knox Foundation.

The Benefits of Field Trips……

Posted on February 2, 2013 by sreicis

Once again the sophomore Interior Design class from Villa Maria College travelled to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a two day field trip. The studio class is exploring the use of fine art as inspiration for a design concept, and thus the first day we visited the Andy Warhol Museum followed by the Carnegie Museum of Art. Each gallery visit was unique and the student reflections were varied. The field trip was filled with shared experiences that strengthened the group camaraderie as well as improved classroom discourse. A quick stop at the University of Pittsburgh Cathedral of Learning included a photo opportunity for ‘Harry Otter’, in the space that was momentarily re-named Frogworts.The evening concluded with a fun dinner at the Hofbrauhaus and some shopping at Southside Works. The following day was the traditional trip to Fallingwater, the Edgar Kauffman summer residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright . Pictured are students, guests and instructor Sandra Reicis at the swimming pool and the classic view by the river.Then it was a visit to Kentuck Knob currently owned by Lord Peter Palumbo and also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.Several students selected works from the Andy Warhol Museum, and all students reflected on both these residences as they designed their ‘Millennium Dream Home’, the Studio 2 final project. Experiencing the spaces was critical to a true understanding of the design impact. The docent led tours at both locations were outstanding and provided a great amount of information and insight.

Villa Students at IIDEX in Toronto

Posted on October 3, 2012 by sreicis

Canada’s national design and architecture exposition was held September 20th and 21st at the Direct Energy Center in Toronto, and Villa Maria College Interior Design students were there. From left Jason Meneely, University of Florida joined our photo opportunity in the Teknion booth. Pictured further are Natalia Albul, Geraldine Liquidano, Jessica Foster, Lauren Whitworth, Kayla Alba, Sandra Reicis, Emily Dorton, Mary Gortzik and Stacey Skurzewski. Just a quick two hour drive away, Canada’s largest National Design +Architecture Expo and Conference, IIDEX Canada brings together over 15,000 interior designers, architects, facility managers, real estate and business executives in a national forum which powers the design industry in Canada. During two action packed days in September, IIDEX Canada’s 350 exhibitors showcase hundreds of innovative products and services, from all areas of design – workplace, hospitality, retail, healthcare, lighting and sustainable design. The CEU accredited international conference program ensures attendees receive expert advice on the issues shaping this rapidly changing industry. IIDEX also offers numerous opportunities to network, through receptions, award ceremonies and tours. Now in its 28th year, IIDEX holds a truly unique position in the Canadian design industry as the only major design exposition owned by a professional association, the Interior Designers of Canada.

After our visit to IIDEX we hopped back on our bus to visit the Historic Distillery District. Here you find a dramatic fusion of old and new. It’s a blend of Victorian Industrial architecture and stunning 21st century design and creativity. An internationally acclaimed village of one-of-a-kind stores, shops, galleries, studios, restaurants, cafes, theatres and more, we enjoyed strolling along the cobblestone streets.

The Distillery Historic District opened in 2003 and today it is widely regarded as Canada’s premier arts, culture and entertainment destination. We stayed for a wonderful dinner at the Boiler House restaurant and then hopped on the bus again for our ride back to Buffalo!

Villa Student Projects Presented in Australia…..

Posted on September 23, 2012 by sreicis

IDEA, the Interior Design/Interior Architecture Educators Association is comprised of universities from Australia and New Zealand offering programs in interior design and interior architecture. This year their conference and exhibition, Interior Design:- a state of becoming, was held September 6 to 10 in Perth, Australia, hosted by Curtin University. The conference opening coincided with the exhibition opening, An Interior Affair: A State of Becoming. This was held at Form gallery. Curators fo the show are Marina Lommerse, Curtin University, Australia Jane Lawrence, University of South Australia, Australia Sven Mezhoud, Monash University, Australia Stuart Foster, Massey University, New Zealand. The event was also covered by Gallery Watch, a television program dedicated to support and promotion of the Australian art scene.It was an excellent event to bring all conference participants together to socialize, theorize, meet and greet. delegates had expectedly travelled from across Australia and New Zealand but also included South Africa, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Canada, United States and other countries.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjo22EpFuAU

The conference theme explored the world of the interior as a state of constant and dynamic ‘becoming’ rather than ‘being’. Asking questions such as:- how do we reconsider the interior and the occupant becoming ‘old’? Where is the value in constantly ‘becoming’ new? How do we re-vision the history of interiors in the light of ‘becoming’? What are the potential roles and responsibilities for Interior Designers / Architects in addressing becoming homeless and ‘being’ disadvantaged? Sandra Reicis, Associate Professor of Interior Design at Villa Maria College, Buffalo, New York, saw the relationship to a recent Villa student project. The submitted abstract was reviewed by the conference committee and selected for presentation. “The Millennium Dream Home: quality of life and quality of surroundings”, documented the project research and design process, including the work of sophomore level students Harrison Walsh and Jillian Schultz. Challenged to re-think and re-define the American Dream Home the projects demonstrated inclusiveness and domicile adaptiveness, drawing on historical precedent and universal design principles to create well-designed and beautiful interior spaces. As demonstrated in the student diagram above, the use of rotation was integral to the final form and spatial design of the first floor plan by Walsh. Design inspiration was derived from works of fine art on display at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY. This fused glass piece, crafted by Schultz, was an inspiration from a work by Georgia O’Keefe. The story behind the art piece led Schultz to an exploration of courtyards and passageways, which became integral to her final project. The paper was presented under the topic of interior: in its everydayness together with presentations by Jane Simon, MacQuarie University, Sydney, Australia, Vanessa Galvin, Curtin University, Perth, Australia and Mary Anne Beecher, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. Other topics included interior: in flux, interior: as performance and interior: as virtual. The conference included Keynote speakers, Beatriz Colomina, see Interior Design live wire and Charles Rice. Images of the gallery show can be downloaded here.

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