When art is woven into family legacy, beautiful wallcoverings happen. Interior designer Andrea Monath Schumacher’s latest venture, the LIESL Collection, is a testament to this legacy. Inspired by the prolific artwork of her famous grandmother Elizabeth Monath, known as Liesl, this collection of wallcoverings and murals fit in all styles of homes. From traditional to mid century, minimalist to maximalist decors, it’s a look for everyone.
We had the privilege to interview Andrea at spring High Point Market, where she shares her heart behind the creation of her LIESL Collection.
“This is my new collection of wallcoverings based on my grandmother’s art,” Andrea explains. “She was nicknamed Liesl, so that’s why I called it the LIESL Collection. It’s sort of a legacy, a love of my family.” Andrea meticulously patterned her grandmother’s artwork to design the collection, and to capture the vision of Liesl’s creative expressions.
Growing up, Andrea spent summers enveloped in her grandmother’s art studio in Princeton, New Jersey. “We would go out to the garden and pick botanicals and press them in ink and create art together,” Andrea reminisces. “She showed me how to draw in perspective. I got that artistic vibe from her—it was just a planted seed.”
The bond between Andrea and her grandmother was deep; it was a bond of shared passion and profound connection. “She died when I was 16,” Andrea reflects. “It’s tears in my dad’s eyes when he sees his mom’s stuff. That’s how he grew up in the art studio, too.”
Art History on Your Walls: Incorporating Liesl’s Diverse Styles
The LIESL Collection is not just a tribute; it’s a celebration of Liesl’s creative vision spanning five decades. She studied under the likes of Salvador Dali and Fernand Léger in Paris, and went on to illustrate and write many acclaimed children’s books. Andrea explains, “I have her work from 1938 until she died in ’86.” Each piece tells a story, weaving together different genres and art eras—from Surrealism to Picasso-esque compositions, from woodblock prints to dynamic overlays.
A Labor of Love: Andrea’s Journey to Create the LIESL Collection
With a notable sense of reverence, Andrea describes the process of bringing her grandmother’s art to life in the form of wallcoverings. “I started to scan them and play with them in patterns,” she says. “So we’ve been using them in our own interior projects, and it’s just been a labor of love.” Andrea’s clients have also been loving Liesl’s artwork, and they gave her the original idea to produce wallpaper from the art collection.
For Andrea, the significance of the LIESL Collection transcends commercial success. “I don’t even care about the money or any of that,” she confesses. “If someone loves it and wants to use it, it’s more meaningful to me than anything else.”
The LIESL Collection isn’t just about decorating walls; it’s about preserving art history and sharing the artistic creativity that Liesl gave to the world. With every installation, Liesl’s contemporary artwork lives on, breathing life into living spaces, bringing a fresh, new perspective on modern art.
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