Artists paint the town with old art form

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 8

Artists paint the town with old art form

By

PAM MORTON

Two enterprising Christchurch artists, Kate Couil and Gae Neill, are putting an old art form to new use.

Hand-painted decorative paint finishes have been used for centuries in European architecture and interiors but are a relatively new art form to New Zealand.

The pair, who recently returned from London, set

up NC Paint Effects in January and are putting their mark on reception areas, furnishings and homes around Christchurch.

They have just completed a feature wall at the Rural Bank and have been commissioned to decorate two walls in the foyer of the BNZ building.

The pair believe they have come into the market at the right time.

“People are looking for alternatives to wallpaper and plain painted walls. Decorative painting can provide a look of luxury with a marble effect or blend in with modern furnishings,” said Ms Couil. Both artists trained in London at the Palladio Academy, which specialises in decorative paint finishes. Traditional broken colour techniques such as

marbling, ragging, dragging and colour washing are used to create a variety of paint finishes. Oilbased glazes are used to allow the colours to come through and provide a more workable surface.

Special handcrafted squirrel and badger hair brushes and marine sponges help create the various effects.

Marbling can be toned to match real marble or Create the effect of mar-

"There are endless possibilities to what you can do as it is a very versatile medium,” said Ms Neill.

“There has been a resurgence overseas with the art form but it is only beginning to be introduced over here.”

The pair believe decorative paint finishes will become an essential part of interior design when the medium becomes more well known.