“A Life Well Framed” could be the working title of a biography about the talented Belgian-born artist Katrien Van der Schueren. Soon after opening a small Los Angeles frame shop in the 2000s to showcase her quirky collection of vintage European posters, it grew into a hotbed of art and design known for creating Hollywood stage sets, repurposed furnishings, experimental artwork and innovative lighting. Today, Voila! Creative Studio and it’s museum-quality framing is enhanced by a full-service furniture design and fabrication company serving global commercial, hospitality and residential clients.
The rapid progression of this inventive business even surprised Van der Schueren herself. “From paper I quickly added vintage furniture finds and art. I’d end up with large collections of weird and not-so-weird stuff. Like the whole library of a cloister and a cellar full of educational charts, or thousands of glove molds and a bunch of airplane noses and windows,” she recalls. These handpicked finds fueled an edgy, humorous aesthetic displayed throughout the studio, now a wellspring of creativity for L.A.’s artistic community.
A recent collage installation reminiscent of a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle rendered in rainbow colors reflects Katrien Van der Schueren’s bold yet whimsical appreciation of the design world.
Van der Schueren’s ability to remain fluid is a testament to her resilient outlook. In summer 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests the studio’s windows were smashed; her teenage daughter, friends and protestors used the boarded-up windows as canvases splashed with art and positive messaging to support the Black Lives Matter movement. This attitude of acceptance and perseverance sums up the way she lives. “I don’t like the idea that something isn’t possible. I’d rather find a way to make it work, and in order to make it work, I’ll study until I find a solution,” she reveals. “I am also very open to change. I love change, actually, and I think that’s an important trait to have when you are in a creative business in this ever-changing world.”
Photography by Sam Cooper.
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