Visionofsplendor - Vision Of Splendor

Cuixmala

This stunning and vast estate of 25,000 acres of land, beaches , lagoons was the private home of the late Sir James Goldsmith. Set on the Mexican Pacific coast near Careyes Cuixmala is a special place. The land is dotted with  villas , casitas and bungalows all in different locations and sizes.

With an incredible range of activities from horse riding, mountain biking , tennis , volley ball , kayaking, fishing , surfing to name just a few. The most interesting is that Cuixmala is set on nature reserve , home to 270 types of birds, wild boar , deer , foxes , crocodiles and the endangered Jaguar. Not to leave out the Zebras and the Turtle Protection Programme, the giant sea turtle comes to lay their eggs every year were the staff gathered them to protect them from predators and poachers until they hatch and then are returned to the sea. Guests are able to assist with the guidance of biologists, have look at the wonderful Eco Cuixmala Foundation Website for more information.

There is also a club house and a boutique and of course spa services. At Cuixmala you can rent individual rooms at the various locations or rent the whole estate for a big party or wedding. How amazing would that be.

So wish I was there right now, missing the sun and nature.

Que padre x

www.cuixmala.com

www.ecocuixmala.org

All photos via Cuixmala

SURFING ON ART

Into the Waves, found via Pinterest.

Border Lines in Collaboration with Stephen Bowers

Trio Back

Matthew McConaughey's Airstream via Architectual Digest Photo by Jim McHugh

Paulownia Planing Hull in Collaboration with Gerry Wedd

Paulownia Planing Hull Detail in Collaboration with Gerry Wedd

California Surf Mobile via Pinterest

Paisley in Collaboration with Quentin Gore

Paisley Detail in Collaboration with Quentin Gore

1969, LeRoy Grannis surfing Hermosa Beach . Photograph © LeRoy Grannis.  All rights reserved. via The Selvedge Yard

Swastika 

 Floral Fish, One True Religion & Gun 

Vintage Surf Shop Via Tumblr

Burnt Fish

Burnt Fish Detail

Paddle back to your boat and spot the little shark, sadly no credit. Found on Pinterest via Roxy Europe. 

Finless Double Ender

Finless Double Ender Detail

1966 Iconic Documentary Surfing  film by Bruce Brown

Smoker

Antipodean Willow Mini Simmons in Collaboration with Stephen Bowers

Magic Sunset Ride, makes me think of Dreamland. 

"Out of The Water, I am Nothing" Duke Kahanamoku

One day I was walking on the street and I saw poster with the most vibrant colours with silhouettes of  men carrying surf boards and written across were the words "The Endless Summer ". I have such a passion when it comes to anything to do with the water, beach or sun that  I got the poster to put on my bedroom wall at school and  then rented the film. I was mesmerised and that was how my love for surfing began. The very funny thing is I do not know how to surf ( I did a little windsurfing) but that does not matter to me, I love the culture of it, the life, being in tune with the ocean riding those waves. It is so beautiful to watch, my favourite place to go and take it all in used to be a spectacular beach in Bali called Dreamland,  as it was perfectly named by the surfers. Sadly this magnificent beach was destroyed by the Indonesian Government but that is another story.

Back to present day I stumbled across the most beautiful image of a surf  board. I was not sure if it was a board or a piece of art, but had to find out who made this beauty.

Walker Surfboards designed and handmade by Artist Peter Walker in Adelaide Australia. He began his impressive career at The Tasmanian School of Art and worked in his own studio in Tasmania for 14 years . Then moved  to Adelaide to head the Furniture Design Studio at the JamFactory Craft & Design Centre. In between and after he headed so many departments that I cant keep track, including 10 years as Associate Professor of Furniture Design at the Rhode Island School of Design in the USA. The list is endless, obviously a very talented man. Combining his other real passion of surfing  with his artistic talents he produced this beautiful line of unique surfboards and collaborating on some with renowned artists Stephen Bowers,Quentin Gore and Gerry Wedd.

I love them, one day I will get one , need to find  a place to put it maybe its time to move to the beach or walk around London with one, now that would be a funny sight. 

I have included some links to articles about Peter and there is also more technical information, board designs & how to order on the site. You must buy one now! 

All Walker Boards Photographs by Grant Hancock, courtesy of Peter Walker,

Other images sadly were on the internet without credit.

Walker Surfboards

Further Reading ,

The Age Article 

Megadelux Article 

Guido Mocafico

Lampropeltis getula nigrita

Roses

Boiga dendrophila melanota

Nature Morte aux Huîtres

Vipera Wagneri

Audemars Piguet Tourbillon répétition minutes squelette

Dendroaspis viridis

Salmopoeus irminia

Naja nigricollis

Bouquet de tulipes

Vipera aspis

Smith & Wesson 44 magnum

Vipera Ammodytes

Snakes, Guns, Spiders are not my favourite things in the world. Would not want to be at close range with any of these things. Flowers, food and watches on the other hand  are always part of my life. Guido Mocafico does convert my terrified view into one of beauty and awe, nature dangerous as it may be is designed to perfection just as a gun can be admired of its incredible craftsmanship. Not sure if I would hang some of these images in my bedroom but anywhere else the visual impact they make is mesmerizing.

Hypnotic xo

GUIDO MOCAFICO Italian, born in Switzerland in 1962, lives in Switzerland and works in Paris. Guido Mocafico studied Photography at Vevey school in Switzerland. Specialized in still life photography, his most recent images are published in magazines such as Numéro, Numéro Homme, Paradis, V Mag, Vogue US, Vogue France, Men’s Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The Face, Wallpaper He works for major brands such as Gucci, Chanel, Clarins, Shiseido, YSL, Clinique, Dior, Bvlgari, Armani, Hermès. Alongside his commercial and advertising activities, Guido Mocafico has developed a series of long-term personal projects, destined to be published in books and shown as exhibitions.

His work can be found at the following Galleries,

Hamiltons Gallery 13 Carlos place London W1 K 2 EU U.K. T / 020 7499 9493/4 www.hamiltonsgallery.com

BERNHEIMER FINE OLD MASTERS E.K. BU Fine Art Photography Brienner Str. 7 80333 Munich Germany T / +49-89-226672 www.bernheimer.com

All photos sourced via,

www.guidomocafico.com

Masterpiece Fair London 2012

Carpenters Workshop Gallery: Citylight LED Chandelier by Studio Molen, Taj Mahal Table by Studio Job and Fragile Future by Gordijn & Nauta.

Hamiltons Gallery: Dahomey 1967 Irving Penn

Made By Meta : Diamond's Are A girls Best Friend I by Matali Crasset, Brass and Steel Side tables by Gabriella Crespi, Diamon's A Girls Best Friend I Scones by Matali Crasset.

Masterpiece Interiors

Based Upon : Westminster & London on Liquid Metals and Resins.

Swarovski : Iris & Tord Boontje Blossom Chandelier.

Masterpiece Fair

Masterpiece is London's most spectacular Fair now in it's third year, here Traditional, Ancient, Contemporary and Modern meet. Showcasing the best of craftsmanship and culture. The Exhibitor's create incredible stands from a vast selection of Art, to Metalwork, Decoration, Photography, Jewellery, Classic Cars and more. Not only is  there such a large amount of variety but the actual exhibition space  is beautifully put together.

A Big Tent that actually looks like you entering a beautiful mansions, with high airy ceilings, cream coloured carpet, massive flower arrangements. Urban Caprice catering from some of my favourite London Restaurants, Harry's Bar, Scott's, Mount Street Deli and Le Caprice where my Sister and I could not get a table get a table for lunch as it was fully booked with a 1 hour wait!! Amazing but we had plenty of other choice only at Masterpiece could you find this. I choose just a few images of some of the work at the Fair that really stood out. I will do more posts on each one as they have such incredible talent in their books.

London knows how to put on a good Fair and Masterpiece is the most elegant in the world followed closely by PAD in October but that's another story. You will have to wait till June 26th 2013 for the next Fair so plenty of time if you want to visit or maybe try and get a space to exhibit.

Bravo London xo

All photos taken by Vision of Splendor except image 12 and last image sourced via Masterpiece.

More info on these links,

www.carpentersworkshopgallery.com

www.basedupon.com

www.masterpiecefair.com

www.madebymeta.com

www.hamiltonsgallery.com

Cabin Fever II

Winter Glow photo by Pawel Kucharski

Yellowstone Club Montana

Chalet Angora Megeve

Chalet La Tene Val D'Isere

Chalet Atlantique Courchevel

Drinks at Fire Pit via Tumblr

Cosy Cabin via Tumblr

Chalet Grande Corniche Les Gets

Chalet Shatoosh Megeve

Chalet Savana Megeve

Chalet Cyanella Megeve

All aboard the Snow Train via Pinterest

Chalet Tigre Megeve

Chalet Floralie Saint Martin Belleville

Chalet Brickell Megeve

Chalet Bellevue Courchevel

Vintage skies via Pinterest

Chalet Les Anges Zermatt

Chalet Tigre Megeve

Chalet Angora Megeve

Boston Cream Pie via Pinterest

Chalet  Maldeghem Klosters

Chalet Cyanella Megeve

Chalet Shatoosh Megeve

Majestic Snow Leopard via Tumblr

Chalet Maldeghem Klosters

Chalet Silk Megeve

Chalet Savana Megeve

Chalet Lampas Megeve

Swiss Chalet via Pinterest

Heavenly Snow via Pinterest

Hurricane Ridge Sunrise Photo by Kevin McNeal

"In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer." Albert Camus

Its that time of year again, tomorrow is the Winter Solstice and the end of the Mayan Calendar, fear not as it is just the dawning of a new era and beginning of a new world. Wipe your slate clean and plant magical seeds, watch them grow with the wonder of all that is newborn and pure. Celebrate using your imagination that you are walking in this mystical snow covered mountains on your way to a nice cosy drink in your chalet with a roaring fire. If you could jump into one of these images which one would you chose?

Have a Happy 21.12.12 xo

Sources via

Ultimate Luxury Chalets

Evason Megeve

Qasr Al Sarab

Ahlan wa sahlan,

The Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi's Empty Quarter has now a magical new Desert Hotel.

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Hotel by Anantara, which is loosely translated by as Palace of The Mirage, it has all that a hotel in the desert should offer, adventures by Camel , mountain bikes or traditional guided walks, the vistas must be spectacular. They also offer Archery Lessons, tennis and for those who just want to relax there is a pool or if you are really lucky at your Private Villa with a Butler to help you make decisions. Let us not forget The Hammam Spa where there are Royal Rituals to try out. My favourite would be a Bedouin dinner in the middle of the  Liwa Desert at Sunset.

This has inspired me to do a Desert Hotel Series, I love the colours and the magic that desert feeds to you.

I included for the first time a piece of music , but can't seem to upload the video. Hope the link works.

Enjoy xo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lWwBslWqg&feature=share

http://www.kiwicollection.com/hotel-detail/anantara-qasr-al-sarab

All photos via Qasr Al Sarab Hotel.

Intermission : Alice Temperley for Filofax.

Video Direction & Production by Vanessa Scott

WISHING YOU ALL A...

MERRY CHRISTMAS MAY YOU ALL BE FILLED WITH GRATITUDE .

I LOVE THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO BY LOUIE SCHWARTZ, IT MAKES ME FEEL SO GLAD TO BE ON THIS EARTH, TRY AND WATCH IT ON FULLSCREEN AND LISTEN.

FOR MORE INCREDIBLE TIME LAPSE VIDEOS GO TO HIS YOU TUBE MOVING ARTS CHANNEL,

MAKES ME FEEL WARM AND FUZZY XO

Horus at the Temple of Edfu, on the banks of the Nile Egypt. November 2019, Photo by Vision of Splendor

Cordoba, Spain (by etoma)