‘Duomo’ handpainted silk velvet Opera coat Carole Waller
The ‘Duomo’ handpainted silk velvet opera coat by Carole Waller is a showstopper. It’s all you need for the opera, going shopping, dog walks, watching television without the heating on ….it covers all the necessities of life. It is a slightly flared and elegant shape – with a wide soft shawl collar padded with a cashmere interlining made from waste yarn in Italy, as are the wide cuffs. The coat is painted on silk viscose velvet in greens, light and dark and from moss to aqua, black, dark teal, silvery white, gold and a dash of soft pink. It is lined with painted aubergine silk satin and has pockets in the side seams. I included this piece in the collection in respect to the elegance of Tuscany and in memory of my wonderful mum, Irene, who took me to Italy which she adored, as a child.
Inspiration:
The collection is directly inspired by an hilltop town called Barga near the Italian walled city of Lucca. The town is full of light and shadow with tall buildings with narrow alleys conveying darkness and light, both soft and stark.
Colour is everywhere and constantly changing as the sun moves around and briefly illuminates surfaces before it drops away to other surfaces, and there are some fantastic sunsets. The texture of stone, terracotta and paint against a backdrop of blue sky and endless astonishing mountain vistas is a heady mix.
The Duomo crowns the hill, and the town. I made many drawings and prints of the building with its simple arches inside and out during the summer of 2024. Amber coloured alabaster windows convey a soft warm light inside the space and the pale white marble arches on the outside create sharp and soft shadows as the sun moves.
I spent a month in Barga in 2024 as artist in residence at Quattro Archi Studios and Gallery. and look forward to having an exhibition of paintings and clothing in the stunning gallery there in 2025. I shall also be teaching at Quattro Archi, of which details in the ‘Workshops’ section on this site. The gallery is built in a disused cantina underneath the printmaking studios, which in turn are two minutes walk from the fantastic 11th century Romanesque Cathedral of San Christoforo. The Duomo became my main inspiration for its simultaneous simplicity and complexity.
Refresh the velvet with steam from a kettle – or dry clean if necessary.
‘Duomo’ handpainted silk velvet Opera coat Carole Waller
Measurements:
Backlength : 98cm/39″
Bust from underarm point to point : 160cm/66″
Shoulder to shoulder : 63cm/25″ (shoulders are dropped)
Sleeve 56cm/22″ including a 5″ padded cuff which folds back as far as you like
The padded collar measures 22cm/8.5″ at the hem narrowing to 14cm/5″ at the neck where it meets at the centre back.
Carole Waller art to wear:
Each painted garment and scarf by Carole Waller is unique wearable art – art to wear. My technique is to handpaint each piece at the studio – which is just outside Bath. My fabrics are unprimed ‘canvases’ and the paintings evolve as I work, and consequently no two pieces are the same.
I also make bespoke commissions and would be delighted to work with you to create the style you prefer, in the colours and cloth of your choice. Despite the fact that I cannot colour match, I can promise you a unique artwork. Visitors are welcome anytime, by appointment.
Waller&Wood.
Waller and Wood is our gallery name from the time we had a retail gallery in Bath between 2015 and 2020. My studio and small showroom is now at our home 4 miles east of Bath on the A4, with good parking and coffee.
Main Photo: Egle Vasi
The code for this specific piece is AW24/34
