DESIGNER PROFILE
JOURNEY INTO THE INSPIRING WORLD OF ANNA AND PIOTR ANGIEL, WHO USE THEIR LOVE OF TRAVEL AND NATURE TO CREATE BREATHTAKING, BOLD DESIGNS
Meet husband and wife designer duo Anna and Piotr Angiel from Canada
Many of us turned to arts and crafts for comfort over the past 18 months, but for interior designer and artist Anna Angiel and her husband Piotr – known collectively as Angiels Art – it was a source of great inspiration, too. “Once the pandemic hit and we went into lockdown, Piotr and I escaped into art,” explains Anna. “We wanted to inspire our sons to do something creative, so we gathered our supplies and started drawing and painting. I saw one of Piotr’s graphic creations depicting mountains as blocks of solid colour, and I thought that it would be the perfect design for an embroidery project.
“I adjusted the drawing to fit into a hoop and then spent the most relaxing 60 hours just stitching. I was happy with the result, so I decided to stitch a few more. They were the perfect addition to a mountain-themed gallery wall I was working on at the time. Piotr started creating new designs, this time with embroidery in mind, and the creativity in our house just exploded!”
Anna and Piotr originally hail from Poland, but 12 years ago they moved to Calgary, Canada, and set up their home. Anna’s background is in interior design and linguistics, while Piotr is a geologist and landscape photographer.
“We’re so inspired by nature,” says Anna, who notes that travelling has always been a big part of the couple’s life. “We’re very lucky to live in an amazingly beautiful place. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are an endless source of inspiration. The azure and emerald waters of mountain lakes, the play of light and shadow on the peaks, all the colours of the winter skies and the snow – we’re taking it all in and trying to reflect it as best as we can in our designs. In the past we’ve visited all the continents, except for Australia. Piotr even lived in Antarctica for two years!
We have tons of wonderful memories and photos from so many breathtaking places, that even a lifetime would not be enough to turn them all into art.”
Anna learned to stitch as a child, when her father taught her a few needlework techniques for a school project.
“Embroidery has been with me ever since,” she recalls. “When I was a teenager, I decorated my clothes. After my children were born, embroidery was the perfect on-andoff activity, and it gave me a much-needed artistic outlet between those short naps. I used to create huge wall hangings, combining hand and machine embroidery with appliqué. But my current style evolved thanks to Piotr.
“Most of our designs are based on Piotr’s photos, and he’s the one who creates the initial sketches. We then spend hours discussing the composition and choosing the right colours to adapt a drawing into an embroidery design. We usually make two projects at a time, but sometimes we share one hoop and take turns working on it. It’s so good to have a back-up stitcher at home!”
Piotr wasn’t always so involved with the act of stitching, but once he saw how joyful and relaxed the process made his wife, he decided to try it out for himself.
“Piotr started creating new designs, this time with embroidery in mind, and the creativity in our house just exploded!”
“He thought it would be good to make a piece on his own to learn the process and improve his designs,” explains Anna. “He started with an ambitious project in a 10-inch hoop featuring a view of his favourite mountain range. After that, he was hooked! Watching him learn was also proof to me that satin stitch is for everyone. Even beginners can create amazing pieces when guided.”
Colour features heavily in the couple’s artwork, with a combination of lush greenery, striking rock formations and calming blue skies taking centre stage.
“We’ve been really enjoying adding watercolour skies recently, which gives us a chance to stitch bigger projects,” says Anna. “I’m also drawn towards dark and moody colours, which I often incorporate in my interior designs. But embroidery requires finding a balance between cool and warm, light and dark, muted and bright. I think it’s crucial for creating an eye-catching, dimensional design.”
Having started with pieces for their own home, the praise that the couple’s artwork received on social media soon led to creating custom designs for other people.
“We often receive requests to create patterns of specific views and mountains, and we keep a special list with these suggestions,” says Anna. “A year ago we were also commissioned to create a forest illustration for an art magazine’s online event, and we absolutely loved that.”
In addition to their custom designs, the couple now sell kits which contain everything needed to recreate your favourite Angiels Art piece at home. “Our mission is to popularise embroidery as a cool and modern hobby,” says Anna, “and that is why we’ve released some of our designs as DIY kits and downloadable patterns. “
“Our kits may at first seem a bit intimidating, as they do require a lot of work, but we explain the whole method in detail so that even complete beginners can enjoy the process. We’ve received wonderful feedback from many first-timers who were not only proud of their creations, but also found a new way to de-stress, relax, and clear their minds. It fills our hearts with joy!”
Find out more about Anna and Piotr’s artwork and interior design at angielinteriors.com or view their range of DIY kits and downloadable designs at angiels-art.myshopify.com
“Satin stitch is for everyone – even beginners can create amazing pieces.”