About me and this website
„Nothing is as important as passion.
No matter what you want to do with your life,
Chers fellow creators, BE PASSIONATE!“
I am honored to welcome you to my website "Belle Passion", Jon Bon Jovi
or Beautiful Passion, as it is in English.
I sincerely hope that it will serve you as an abundant source of information and as a deep well of inspiration for you to draw from. Here you can find everything that I find pleasure in and what I consider as interesting for you. Scroll through these pages if you´re on this creative quest with me. Seek and you will find all from paintings and sculptures to artistic 3D cakes. I find the making of these as a sort of "artist´s training" for actual sculptures.
Well, to be honest: confectionery art has completely captivated me! I am fascinated by the infinite possibilities of combinations of techniques, colors, shapes, themes, and sizes. You can get creative in all sorts of ways, starting from absolutely minimalistic French desserts to 3D cakes and sculptures in human or even superhuman size. You can spend years trying to perfect decorating cookies, biscuits and gingerbread, or opt for beautiful royal icing ornaments, or even 3D cakes, carving sculptures out of dough that seem to defy gravity itself. This "wow effect" can be challenged by letting the cakes levitate! Every pastry chef has his own style and everyone gives his work not only all his skills, talent, and infinite time, but also all his soul. Anyone who hasn't tried it or been magically affected by this spell has no idea what I'm talking about. But the enchanted, like me, know the exact name of this spell. And these people carry on anyway, even though they know they will never get paid for the many hours of work they have put into their work. And yet they do it with love and true passion so that they create something wonderful as a result, something that others will only marvel at - even in their dreams. All artists have it that way, but master confectioners have it even more difficult, because these incredible works must also taste good, and they must neither collapse nor melt during a possible exhibition period. In addition to all the baking and decorating, a confectioner often has to step into the carpenter's shoes or learn to weld, so that a cake stand or a metal skeleton can be made with the exact measurements; exactly according to his imaginative ideas. Of course, only if he doesn't have anyone who knows the craft and is willing to help him. I'm lucky to have someone like that, unfortunately, he also works in the hotel and is often not here. That's why a lot of this work still falls on me. That's why on my YouTube channel, you will find all sorts of techniques that at times may seem different from confectionery art, but they do expand my possibilities and complement each other. Because I'm constantly trying out new things, it can happen that I still have to sweat until the end during some tutorials because I don't know if it will work and what my imagination and passion will still force me to do! I will learn from all my failures, and I will gladly share everything that I have been successful in with you.
And don´t worry, my pal; over time, even the recipes will not be cut short to these. And since I came upon troubles myself - having to figure out most of the procedures, too - I understand all the difficulties you might have, sometimes even tightly sewn together with not-understandable failure. Fear no longer! The rocky path has been cleared and paved for all of you! With easy-to-follow YouTube videos, you will not have to go through the same dark woods as I did but will arrive at the clearing immediately. However, as techniques or projects are of varying difficulty, these videos with procedures will increase unevenly. So if you do not want any chance to gallop away from you, don´t forget to click the two magic buttons: SUBSCRIBE, and the picture of a BELL; these will guide any new arrivals straight to you!
Fortunately, to make it even easier, I have created a box for you with various TEMPLATE collections, which are suitable for making decorations from fondant. Of course, this collection will continue to grow.
However, if you are on the hunt for a real and tremendous wow-effect on your cake, aim your arrow at these 3D figures. You can either create these by yourself, or you can use silicone molds. Purchase these in Aids for confectioners or choose from my forms, which I have created especially for wedding and birthday cakes. I tried to develop molds in a way that working with them would be as simple as possible. Each new form is always accompanied by an explanatory video showing the process of shaping, coloring, and overall completion of the cake.
Another option is decorating the cake with edible paper, which you can find in the shop. I, like a genie in a bottle, can print anything you wish for directly onto it. Do not forget to browse through the category with the various frames that I prepurchased for you to pump up your photograph.
All you need now are edible molding materials, edible colors, and tools for molding and coating cakes - and you can find them all HERE. Well, now you know and have everything you need to start getting creative!
But of course, I indeed have another useful clue for you to complete your creative quest: if mastering a big cake is simply too big for you, and you prefer decorating small cakes, muffins, or semifreda, then you will most certainly find a use for these STANDS in the form of flowers, Ferris wheels or carousels. They will lift the festivities and everyone's spirit a few levels higher. And as a bonus, they are directly from the manufacturer. You can buy them in my shop without having to solve complicated problems occurring when transporting goods across the sea.
And last but not least, maybe you do not want to create anything yourself, but enjoy art nevertheless? In this case, you might be interested in my paintings, drawings, and sculptures. If so, then do not hesitate to look here. Some originals, as well as art prints, can be purchased there. But that's not all! You can even wear these drawings on your own body! On a T-shirt, sweatshirt, purse, or mugs along with funny texts that my daughter Rosalie invents. They are also a great gift for literally everyone.
The reason why I like to design sculptures like fountains or incorporate lights into them is that I love the movement of water and the glow of fire - both fascinate me in many ways. At the same time, when creating art, I try to describe the inner mood and personality of the person I am molding.
And that, chers amis, is the end of my quest. I yet do not wish you farewell...fashionably late, let me introduce myself:
First of all, not everyone is lucky enough to just create for days, so I have to do other things too.
My husband and I bought a small hotel in Bavaria, where work is overloaded. We started to roast our own coffee brand Patricia Bereni. The mugs are made of high-quality porcelain, manufactured by the German company Seltmann Weiden with my own logo:
The eagle embodies the power I often need, the very important perspective from above, and the freedom that I lack so far. The barrel in the emblem refers to the name Schäffler, the name of the gentleman and lady from whom we bought the hotel and whose name we kept.
However, I only use it for the hotel and the coffee we roast there. For cakes, the barrel is replaced by a wedding cake with doves.
Of course, my very liberal art schedule doesn´t always work well with the hotel, but I try to use each free minute. So during hours of washing huge and endless piles of dishes, folding laundry at home, vacuuming, wiping tables, or cutting dozens and dozens of cucumbers for salads, I dream about beauty. I think of new and new ideas for beautiful cakes, spectacular paintings, beautiful gardens with fountains, streams, and fountains, and parks full of sculptures with water effects whose drops fall on huge and brightly colored rhododendrons. And then, when I finally have time, I try to put everything into reality, but I don't know where and with what to start first. In front of the hotel -I designed - and with the help of my husband and our loyal employees, we built a pond with a waterfall in which you now can find KOI carps splashing. I built a smaller waterfall for our ducks on the other side of the street. I really enjoy completing the garden with natural trees and shrubs cut into shape, or benches with pergolas, forming many romantic corners, and just decorating.
And as we had so much space, we wanted to make the most of it. We introduced an event that we named Kunstshandwerkfest - a festival of hand-made art, whose aim was to support artists and give them a chance to get a little more visible. Artists from the Czech Republic and Bavaria came together, even the mayor paid us a visit. We added workshops and stalls with handmade products a year later, from handbags to jewelry.
But to make my introduction complete here is some personal information about myself.
My name, Patricia Bereni, originated by shortening my way from the lengthy Patricia Bereniké Staňková, née Sýkorová. I was born on January 13, 1974, in Prague.
When I was 14 years old, I was deciding which school to go to. As that was still during socialism, top art schools were practically closed to me. Up to this day I will not forget how my dad used a stopwatch to time me draw a perfect drawing of a draped chair before the talent exams, and after the limit had elapsed, he checked the focus of perspective and the cleanliness of the lines. At that time, I had no idea that without personal protection supported by financial remuneration, at that time, it was not possible to get to a selective school in Czechoslovakia, but this practice paid off many times in the future. Later, therefore, for two years privately, in the form of external courses for the public, I studied drawing with Prof.akad. painter Boris Jirků at the Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design in Prague.
with Boris Jirků (left) and actor Bolek Polivka (on the first and second pictures on the right) at the opening of Boris Jirků
Here I also tried lithography under the guidance of the teacher MgA.Vladimíra Šturmova. So now I could build on the basics of perspective and proportions that my patient parents instilled in me.
Just after the "velvet" revolution in 1989, since I love history and philosophy, I studied humanities and graduated with a Master's degree in Religion and Philosophy (HTF) and History (PedFa) at Charles University.
My subsequent humanities studies were a source of inspiration for me, which continue to be mirrored in my principles, my ways of thinking, and my work.
Of all my professors, I was mostly influenced by the religionist Prof.PhDr. Blahoslav Hruška, DrSc.. I thank him for his highly interesting lectures, which made me draw Hieros gamos, and the philosopher Prof.PhDr. Anna Hogenová. Her approach, knowledge, and engrossing narrations led me to my mystical drawings. These derive from these lectures and the recommended literature, especially "History of religious thinking" by Eliade. My creations are on the verge of realism and mysticism; my passion for detail points out the aspects which are often overlooked.
I gained interesting experience by trying to bring my ideas to the walls of the rooms or houses, creating original paintings. However, I do not want to limit myself to drawing and painting. I totally fell in love with sculpting, which also includes knowledge of molding and casting sculptures into various materials. My long-time friend, experienced sculptor, and restorer Albert Králíček was very helpful in this area.
The top art foundry HVH spol.s r.o. in the Czech Republic turns my sculptures into bronze; important to say, is that this company receives orders from all over the world.
with sculptor Albert Králíček at his event and his gothic cellar with his statues
I am also very grateful to the Accent publishing house, for which I have illustrated the following books:
“The King of the Forest”, “The 33 most beautiful ruins of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia” and the cover for the detective story “Death of the Temple Dancers”.
In 2015 I participated in the Film Festival in Zlín (FFZ) for Children in the “Minisaloon Film Flaps" project. The flaps produced by the painters were auctioned at each FFZ. The returns went to young emerging filmmakers.
Nowadays, I am mainly engaged in making 3D cakes, which I consider a sort of “sculpture training”. However, despite the often difficult tasks, it is mainly a lot of fun and a real meditation.
I don't exhibit too often, but any past events are on this EXHIBITION list.
I wish you many pleasant and creative times ahead, full of passion and peace. I hope I can help with my website and videos, mainly as inspiration for what is already in you!
Yours
Patricia Bereni