Pushing Print

Posted on 4 October 2011 by admin

For the third year running Pushing Print, the exhibition that highlights print, print techniques and the incredible beauty it creates, is coming to Margate Old Town on the 8th October for three weeks.

Founded by Dawn Cole, print maker, Janet Williams Margate Gallery and Anne-Marie Nixey Qing Art, this year’s exhibition looks to be better than ever, with artists from all over the country and beyond exhibiting. Newcomers to the organisation, Tish Tunstall, Nick Moodie and Karen White have helped take Pushing Print that one step further, helped by working in partnership with Thanet Gazette as this year’s focus is all about Letterpress and celebrating it long history.

Starting with the annual Giant Print Event, where a steam roller comes along and prints on the road, there are talks, workshops and more to enjoy in five venues throughout the Old Town. At Qing Art there will be an exhibition of their designer Li’s hand made stationary using traditional folk images entitled ‘First there was Paper’. A play on the fact that printing using blocks originated in China, but what do you print on?

With the Private View on Friday 7th at 6pm at the Pie Factory, come down and join us in celebrating Print in all it’s forms. See you there!

Posted in Designers, Showroom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Are you sitting comfortably?

Posted on 2 August 2011 by admin

Brown Leather Chair, part of Yue's newest collection

Then I’ll begin.

With an ever growing range of gorgeous sideboards, cabinets and stools, it seemed only sensible to add to the collection with a brand new range of seating from our wonderful furniture designer Yue. Hand crafted, beautifully finished chairs for the kitchen, study, living room and beyond!

Starting with his flagship piece, the classic Brown Leather Retro Armchair, distressed wooden arms made with a retro feel to it, Yue has simply added elegance and style to a chair that feels very at home in any setting. Incredibly comfortable and just longing to be sat in!

Wooden Frame with Leather Upholstery, Yue's Deco Chair

Keeping with the style then came the Deco Chair. Funky wooden chairs with leather seats and painted in a distressed style. Available in a huge range of colour combinations, the problem you will have now is what colours do you want?

Wooden Chair by Qing Art

Something a little less modern? For the kitchen perhaps? Why not try our sturdy Wooden Chair, be bold, get it painted in another colour even, we can do any of the colours in our range. Or maybe you want something for the garden? Well, where do you start with all the beautiful colours and combinations of the Ceramic Stools that we do? Did we mention that we have just bought one out in Brick Red? And that’s just for now. As I type Qing Art is awaiting brand new pieces from our ceramacist with other colours to tempt and inspire you. Don’t go far away, why not sit, stay a while and we’ll show you them when they arrive.

Ceramic Stools for the Home and Garden

Posted in Seating | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Living etc

Posted on 8 July 2011 by admin

Living etc Magazine features Qing Art's Fu Dogs

How happy were we this week when we picked up one of our favourite magazines only to find our beautiful Fu Dogs, Floor Cushions, Ceramic Stools and more being featured in Living etc’s ‘Best Online Buys’ piece!
Four beautiful pages of products highlighting 60 great companies that you may not have heard about with gifts for yourself and the home. Fabulous!
As we started flicking through we had already noticed the carefully placed Summer Floor Cushions on the beautiful kitchen bench. Made by De Xian they are soft, strong and just delightful to sit on, even in the garden.

Summer Floor Cushions by De Xian

With other cushions and our antique stools being shown too, the crown on it all was popping over to Twitter, where we tweet under @Qingart, to find that @Will_UK had already done a piece picking out his favourite tear sheets, bursting with colour http://t.co/LBIIwYX and there we were again with our Gold Ceramic Stool!

Good day all round then! Wow!

Posted in Advertising, Designers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

While we’ve been away…

Posted on 14 June 2011 by admin

Enjoying the Wealden Fair

Time seems to fly past and it seems like an age since we have had a chance to write down all that Qing has been up to. A busy couple of months with the new Turner Gallery opening, greater footfall in Margate Old Town, meaning more people through the showroom, and if that wasn’t enough a busy couple of days down near Tenterden exhibiting at the wonderful Wealden Midsummer Fair. It’s been all go here, so quite nice to sit down, have a breather and catch up with a few things, like telling you all about Qing and what’s going on.

The Wealden Fair was wonderful. It was so nice to meet so many new people interested in Qing, especially as we showcased De Xian’s vibrant linen throws and cushions. Needless to say the colours went down a storm! We got great feedback and the event was extremely well run. We were even fortunate enough to be brought back by our wonderful friends at Fontaine and dropped at the door! Their service to their customers and their beautiful ranges of antiques are incredible and the new showroom in Margate is a must! (Do pop in to both of us if you are down!)

Not that we are sitting on our laurels now we are home, no sooner did we unpack but are getting ready for the next shipment to come in, with new lighting from Chen, jewellery from Tian and furniture orders to go to Portugal, Edinburgh and London to name a few places. We are expecting it in the next couple of weeks, so busy preparing the showroom, sorting out delivery dates and making sure everyone is ready for their brand new piece of custom built furniture.

Orders for pieces that need to be made take approximately twelve weeks from order to delivery. We take a 50% deposit to process the order and give the customer a technical drawing and details of the finished piece. Ordering custom build means that clients can not only choose the dimensions, but colour, type of finish and ironwork for doors and handles. This allows you to really be part of the design process. We have even had customers changing the drawers, height of the product by as much as twice and change a drawer unit into a wardrobe! Don’t be shy, ask us, you’ll be surprised at what Yue our furniture designer can do for you.

Chen too works around the customer. Although we try to stock a whole range of her fabulous silk lampshades in various designs, they might not quite be what you’re looking for. Why not get them made then? Same details as before, we ship the lighting with the furniture for safety, so order now and await a piece of interior design especially for you. It really is that simple.

So, a busy few months, lots in the pipeline and have I even metioned that we are being featured in Living etc Magazine next month?! Well, maybe I’ll leave that for another time, a cup of tea is in order I feel before I get stuck into the next thing!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Qing…without the U

Posted on 12 March 2011 by admin
 
 

Qing, pronounced Ching.

 

Qing, pronounced Ching, is the Chinese word for Light and Pure and was used to denote the last dynasty in China.

Of course it does not follow Western conventions of always putting the ‘U’ after the ‘Q’ so sometimes foxes people on its pronounciation. But once you know to sound it like ‘Ch’ it becomes easy to read and trips off the tongue.

Qing Art uses it for its beautiful sound, visual look and of course its meaning. Promoting quality handmade goods from named artists we strive to be pure, giving the customer art and furnishings direct from the designer, enabling a connection to be made rather than just a purchase.

It doesn’t really matter how you pronounce our name though, the quality, aims and beauty of our goods, always remains the same. But, as with our designers and their craftsmanship, we like to help our customers learn just that little bit more about us and our work. We’ve got a lot to be proud of.

Posted in Advertising, Showroom | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Caring for your Chinese Furniture

Posted on 24 February 2011 by admin

Keeping the look for years to come.

Caring for your Chinese Furniture

Some of the frequently asked questions we get in the showroom and via the website are about caring for your piece of furniture, or home furnishing after purchase. We spoke to Yue, Chen and De Xian about their tips to help keep your items looking good.

A few tips to help you care for your furniture, keeping it looking good for years to come.

1. Try not to place furniture in direct sunlight as it may cause fading. The drying effect of the heat can cause wood movement or splitting over time.

2. It can be a good idea with either central heating or air-conditioning, to retain some humidity in the room. Simply place a small bowl of water near to, or inside, the piece of furniture. If you have a humidifier make sure it is not too close to the piece, as again this is not ideal for the furniture.

3. Wipe up spills as soon as they occur, with a soft, slightly damp cloth using only warm water, not detergents.

Chinese Lacquerware

Chinese lacquerware looks beautiful instantly with a quick dust of a soft cloth, to bring out that shine. These tips will also help prolong the life of the wood and lacquer. 

1. Use placemats or cloths under ornaments to help protect the surface of your furniture. 

2. Use a furniture spray polish when cleaning as this contains silicone, which helps disguise superficial marks. 

3. The hand finished, traditional ‘white lacquer’ may ”yellow” under some light and heat conditions – this is unavoidable due to the natural ingredients of the lacquer.

4. Try not to place furniture directly in front of, or next to a radiator.

5. Spillages should be wiped off as soon as they occur.

Caring for your Lighting

Silk is a naturally heat resistant material and retains its beauty very easily with minimum help. We recommend using low energy bulbs in all of our lighting.

 1. Try not to get any water marks on silk, if so use a barely damp cloth and dab the area immediately. Silk may need to be cleaned using dry cleaning fluid and this is best taken to a dry cleaners to do.

 2. Dust silk regularly to keep fluff away. If there are stubborn bits of fluff use sellotape lightly to pick bits off, but only in emergency situations!

 Caring for your Soft Furnishings

 Most of Qing Art’s Soft Furnishings are fully machine washable on a low temperature wash. All items may also be dry cleaned.

 1. Linens may be washed and ironed with a hot iron after drying fully.

 2. Puff up cushions to help keep their shape and free the dust off them.

 3. Silk runners and cushions need to be dry cleaned.

 4. Use a cool iron on all satins to stop the material from melting.

Any other tips send them in! We’d love to hear from you.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Shades Make All The Difference

Posted on 15 February 2011 by admin

Ring the changes with a new lampshade to brighten a room

Lighting that Creates an Impact!

One of the areas that we get enquiries about all the time is our beautiful Chinese lampshades from Chen, our lighting designer.

In the West we tend to buy elaborate, decorative lamp bases and place a plainer, often cream in colour, shade on them. Letting the base have the limelight and creating a soft glow with the lighting. It can work well, there are beautiful bases to be had and fits into Western decor nicely.

But have you tried something a little different? There are all sorts of ways to create an effect with your lighting and they can often be as simple as just changing the shade. Chen, our designer, turns the whole thing around with bold sumptuous designs in gorgeous silks, bright warm colours or soft lighter hues in her shades. These help change the atmosphere of the light and give off a totally different feel. From calm to daring, ambient to sexy, the texture and colour of the silk add a totally different dimension.

Patterns to direct light in different directions help too. Chen’s Tulip lampshades funnel the light up. Great for corners and dark places that need some attention. The Lotus lampshade designs send light out in different directions through the beautiful petals, creating a warmth along with a filtered look.

All of a sudden your light has taken centre stage. Turn the light off and the silk, the colour and the texture stands out commanding attention. Turn it on and you get a totally new feel, almost a new light!

Try something different this Spring. Dust off that old cream shade and see what a bit of colour can do for you. You might be surprised.

Posted in Designers, Lighting | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Check before you buy.

Posted on 10 February 2011 by admin

Qing's Furniture Designed by Yue

Value for Money?

I was amazed and thoroughly disappointed yesterday when I went into a showroom in London of a rather large and well known firm. I was interested in their stock, as they too do a range from China and I wanted to see quality, prices and so on. The shop looked glitzy, some gorgeous pieces on display and many an idea to take home, or item to tempt you…that is until you go beyond the obvious.

On first look the stock they hold is great, I noticed cutlery, bowls, throws and lots more all colour co-ordintated and put around with care, until I started to pick things up or look at the prices. I could not help but be drawn to the more Oriental pieces and immediately noticed their finish and wood. I have to say…and I’m not just bragging, that the finish and make of the item was not of the quality of Qing Art.

So, I thought I would go further and ask about the piece. I am passionate about the provenance of an item, who makes it, where is it from, is there a story behind it and so on. But when I asked where it was from I was told ‘China’. Umm, yes, but there are differences in regions, wood used and paint, so where in China? Not sure…oh.

What about the wood? What is it, do you have information on the maker? Again, a blank no. Maybe I sound picky, after all do we all want to know about each item we buy? Maybe not. But this piece was similar to a cabinet that we do and was three times as much! For that price I’d want to know.

Yue is the designer that makes Qing Art’s furniture. He is from Beijing and uses traditional bold designs popular in the north of China. He works with a small handful of men and women but takes a personal approach to all the work we source of him and will only do our commissions himself. He uses re-claimed timber where ever possible often working in Elm, Oak or Poplar as well as some Pine. He learnt the paint techniques from an apprenticeship he did and teaches others how to create different paint effects.

We work with our designers on pricing and always endeavour to pass the best price onto the customer. We are also looking into getting photos onto the catalogue out in spring with pictures of our designers, but for now you can find information about them on the website.

It is not hard to know where things are from if you are a responsible business owner, we take pride in the knowledge about our goods. We are also happy to answer any questions you may have and if we don’t know the answer will find out for you.

Of course you may just like the piece and want it for aesthetic reasons…we think we might have that covered too! But if it information you want, don’t be afraid to ask…don’t just be dazzled by a nice display, you don’t know what it might be hiding…

Posted in Designers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Jewellery for Valentine’s?

Posted on 3 February 2011 by admin

Tian

Wood and Bone Hand Polished Bracelets by Tian

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner it is a great time to come and have a look at the new jewellery Qing Art now stocks from their latest designer Tian. Born near Tibet she uses natural wood and gem stones in her designs and has created a whole new range especially for Qing Art’s showroom in Margate Old Town.

Hand polished pieces of hardwood are carefully crafted with bone or metal to make new and exciting designs. Qing Art currently has pieces from her in clay and wool too with hand blown glass and silver jewellery coming in March.

Of course there is no reason not to buy your loved one a nice Shanghai Sideboard, Lacquerware Cabinet or maybe even one of our Small Red Chests, all of which we stock! But if it is jewellery the lady wants, then look no further, we do that too!

Posted in Showroom | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

New Adverts in Elle Deco

Posted on 28 January 2011 by admin

New Advert in Elle Deco

Qing Art Starts Advertising in Elle Deco

2011 sees a lot of new and exciting changes for Qing Art, as it enters its fourth year. Having had great feedback and interest from their exposure with the Conde Naste group in House and Gardens and World of Interiors from next month you will also be able to find them in the latest Elle Deco magazine.

Starting off with the signature piece by Yue, our furniture designer from Beijing, the beautiful Beijing Cabinet in Green is featured in the first of many adverts coming throughout the year. Other products, such as De Xian’s fabulous Silk and Satin Range are to follow, along with Chen’s stunning silk lamps in her classic lotus designs.

Don’t forget for more information about any of our products you can contact us on enquiry@qingart.co.uk or just browse through our wonderful website and choose the colours to suit you. www.qingart.co.uk We’d love to hear from you and tell you more.

Posted in Advertising, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment