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| Sunday, 22 June 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Floral Fantasies Popularly known as 'Mal Mama' Wolfgang Muller gives a heavenly effect to any place with his creative ideas using flowers. by LAKMAL WELABADA Whether it's indoors or outdoors; floral artist cum decor designer Wolfgang Muller has a stream of exquisite, imaginative ideas to make a place 'beautiful and attractive.'
Though born in Germany, his heart and soul is with the 'pearl of the Indian ocean' from the day he stepped into this country. Popularly known as 'Mal Mama' (uncle flowers) among the local folk, Muller was on his 79th visit to Sri Lanka when the Sunday Observer talked to him recently. "I have been in and out of Sri Lanka for the past eleven years," said 'Mal Mama' who used the phrase 'our country' each and every time he referred to Sri Lanka.
Muller was enticed by Sri Lanka's beauty, especially its inheritance of flora which he uses to transform his creative ideas into reality giving a heavenly effect to the place, where ever it is. As a child his love was for flowers and not for cars and dolls as with other children of the same age. When it was time to learn and choose a career for his living he picked up indoor and outdoor decoration. Hence he studied floral art, ceramics, porcelain, ribbon candles, bridal and funeral designs in a technical college in Germany from 1979 to 1982. His talent was soon discovered and admired internationally. Apart from Germany and Sri Lanka, China, UAE, Italy, Switzerland, Indonesia and Austria are countries where Muller has worked. Muller, who was introduced to Sri Lanka by late Gamini Fernando, former GM of Hilton Colombo, soon became a popular figure among the hoteliers. His designs are displayed in many hotels in the country.
His unique ideas for table decor, vases, candle holders, oil lamps, pottery and other decorative accessories cater to the international tourist market. Some of the most important assignments he has undertaken have been for the Hilton Colombo: to welcome Prince Charles, Pope John Paul and the Asian leaders at the SAARC meeting. In addition his decor graced the opening of the World Trade Centre and Millennium celebrations held in 17 hotels all over the island. 'Mal Mama' hopes to open a shop in Colombo soon where he could serve locals better and launch a workshop of floral art and indoor - outdoor decor to train local enthusiasts. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
"My love for our country grew more when a palm reader told me I
was born in Sri Lanka in one of my past births," said 'Mal Mama'
successfully in broken Sinhala.
Muller's success is based on his ability to adapt original concepts to
modern requirements. For example he uses Ikebana style with coconut leaves
or husks with green grass; and might adopt the traditional temple lamp to
suit a dinner table. He works with the Sri Lankan company called Art
Decoration International Sri Lanka which exports novel ceramics made
according to his sketches.
