Commissioned by Tilevera and designed by Los Angeles-based decorative painter Jacqueline Moore, the Hearst Celestial Wood Series features hand-painted or carved wood tiles that interpret the California compound’s opulent design. Yet Moore’s inspiration came less from the decades of lore surrounding the Hearst empire than from the 400 digitized sketches of Hearst Castle by late architect Julia Morgan. “All the photographs of the hand-colored sketches and little drawings and other things, those are the things that really resonate for me,” Moore says.
The collection’s wood tiles reflect the tedious work of intricate design. Moore painted 12 to 20 layers of glazes, ink-etched gold and silver leaf, and used oil paints, washes, and antiquing methods on the Baltic birch. The tiles are sealed with a protective coating, allowing for use in both interior and exterior applications. Designs range from ornate florals to classical Roman statuary, incorporate Gothic and Moroccan influences, and even display images of real and imaginary animals. Tilevera, 415.877.9011; www.tilevera.com.
