The Inspiration
Invited for a week’s holiday in 1950, Jean Cocteau ended up staying nearly 11 years at Santo Sospir on the Cote d’Azur. There he painted scenes of Greek mythology all over the walls, inspired by Picasso and Matisse who left their legacy on the region. They were not murals but ‘tattoos’, as he put it in his 1952 film about the villa. These could be a starting point when thinking about a mural, whether commissioning an artist or taking up a paintbrush yourself.
Charleston is another obvious go-to for inspiration. Everything within the Sussex farmhouse is covered with decorative painting – even the bathtub. Take a look around here.
More recently, murals have been commissioned for a series of smart hotels. Take a look at Annie Morris’ creation for the Painter’s Room at Claridges, or TM Davy’s mural at The Berkeley. In LA, mural artist Abel Macias is painting walls all over town. We love his work at Downtown LA Proper Hotel, a tropical dream.
Beata Heuman took inspiration from Ludwig Bemelmans’ murals at The Carlisle Hotel in New York for her daughter’s bedroom in London.
We can’t resist this bathtub by American cartoonist, Saul Steinberg who worked for the New Yorker for nearly 60 years.
The Artists
There are a number of artists working under the spell of Charleston, Tess Newall and Ruby Bateman to name two. Commission them to create a bespoke mural, or to decorate a fireplace or a piece of furniture.
Outdoors, we love the work of Maude Made. A painted wall becomes an artful extension of the garden under her influence. Maude is inspired by folk art, Medieval art and the natural world.
Two other artists working on murals for private clients are Clarissa Mathieson, an artist who creates murals, resin art and splashbacks (get in touch by emailing info@clarissaparish.com) and Dawn Reader. Reader has painted schools, hospitals, restaurants, chateaux, castles and private homes throughout the UK and worldwide. She always works to commission, and often can’t share images of her work due to confidentiality, however she does share some pictures on her website here and via Instagram and Facebook.
A Little Bird Loves
