Sussex-based decorative artist Tess Newall is known for her hand-painted murals, distinctive wallpaper designs and hand-painted furniture. Drawing inspiration from the seasonal rhythms of nature, historic homes and craft-led artistic movements, her work brings immersive storytelling to all manner of residences; grand and eclectic or sleek and contemporary. With a background in theatre and film, and a deep appreciation for mark-making, Tess’ creations are sought after for the way they subtly transform spaces into layered, lyrical environments. Here, I sit down with Tess to explore the creative world behind her evocative work.
When did you first become interested in decorative arts?
I’ve been interested in art, decoration and the decorative arts for as long as I can remember. Even as a small child I would decorate every surface I could, whether it was covering a mirror in shells I had collected or sponging a sunrise onto my bedroom walls. My mum is an artist and my dad is a historic building conservationist, so an appreciation for decorative art is very much in my veins. Museum and gallery trips were also a big part of my upbringing – on holiday, we would often visit historic churches and houses. I’m grateful to my parents for teaching me how to notice and appreciate decorative details from a young age.
ASTRID TEMPLIER AND GLASSETTE
How does your environment in Sussex influence your designs and creative energy?
My work is hugely inspired by nature, and living in Sussex fuels both my designs and my creative energy. Our house is at the foothills of the South Downs and is surrounded by open fields and woodland. Observing the changing seasons is something that fascinates and inspires me, and I feel an awareness of seasonal change in a way that I didn’t when we lived in the city. Observing and finding inspiration in nature is something I was taught from a young age and is something I try to pass on to my own children. I also find walking in the hills on my own the best way to think about whatever project I am working on. It’s amazing how challenges can be overcome or problems solved when you’re sitting at the top of a blustery hill, looking out over a vast landscape.
How important is storytelling to your practice?
I think that every mural should tell a story, or at least create a feeling or atmosphere that the viewer can interpret as they wish. I trained in film and theatre design, so setting a scene and telling a story were prerequisites of that job. I loved the theatrical nature of film and the power of storytelling. With murals in lived-in interiors, I think a more open-ended story can be told through a loose and expressive style, rather than a tight painting technique, as it leaves room for interpretation. I especially love to think how, for children, a mural becomes the backdrop to some of their most formative memories. I believe that living with creativity around you inevitably leads to a more creative life story.
EDWARD DABNEY
Which artists or movements do you feel most inspired by, and how do they influence your designs?
I am certainly inspired by the Bloomsbury Group and their home, Charleston Farmhouse. I visit often and give workshops there too. Charleston brings art into domestic spaces, with every surface being decorated – walls and furniture, fabrics and lampshades, book covers and candlesticks. I admire their attitude towards decoration – that anything can be painted, and should be an expression of the people who live there. Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell painted to bring joy, both in the creation and in living alongside the painted pieces. They painted without constraint. I also love the Arts & Crafts movement, in particular May Morris who is known for her designs for Morris & Co., as well as her advocacy for design that was based on a knowledge of history, a reverence for the natural world, and a respect for craft. She was brilliantly talented and pioneering for her time.
Are there any historic homes, gardens, or places that inform your work?
I love visiting historic homes and gardens. The 20th-century set designer Oliver Messel’s mural in the Long Gallery of Parham House in Sussex has inspired a recent project, with life-sized leaves climbing up over a sloped ceiling in a very theatrical way. I visit historic homes whenever I travel. The home of the 19th-century illustrator Carl Larsson in Sweden, is endlessly inspiring. He and his wife, Karin, decorated every wall, incorporating inspiration from Swedish folk art alongside motifs from the British Arts and Crafts movement. Hand-painted ribbon garlands swag romantically around bedroom walls, and doors are capped with the birth flowers of the person who sleeps there – it is charming beyond belief!
CARL LARSSON HOUSE AND CHARLESTON FARMHOUSE
Can you walk me through your typical process for each project?
Painting a bespoke commission, whether it's a mural or a piece of furniture, is a very organic process. A client will either come to me with an initial idea which they would like me to develop, or with an open brief asking what I think would work well in the space. After an initial conversation I send across a few references illustrating the direction that I think we could go, to help guide discussions. I love working collaboratively with clients, working out how to create the atmosphere they envision.
In the design stage, we work up digital mock-ups to give an idea of scale and coverage of the design. Once everyone is happy with this, we paint sample panels to show the brushwork and colour palette, which can be viewed in the room itself to give a clear picture of how the final piece will feel. Painting a mural is always a response to the architecture of the room, so ideas often develop during the painting stage. I try to incorporate colours and textures used elsewhere in the room, such as in curtains or upholstery, to tie the scheme together.
I also have my own collection of wallpapers which are often inspired by my murals. We also create bespoke versions of our wallpapers, incorporating elements personal to the client. All of our papers are printed in Lancashire, using techniques dictated by the artworks. My more detailed designs are printed using pigment inks to retain a hand-painted quality, and my more painterly patterns use a traditional roller printing process giving the feel of a hand-blocked print.
ALICIA WAITE
What has been your favourite piece to work on?
We recently painted a garland of wildflowers around the octagonal ceiling of the 18th-century Orangery at Frampton Court in Gloucestershire. It felt like a huge honour to paint such a historic space. The decoration is inspired by the botanical artworks painted there by the Clifford sisters from 1828 to 1851. Their studies of local wildflowers, known as the Frampton Flora, were discovered in the attic of Frampton Court over a century after they were painted. Our brief was to draw inspiration from these studies alongside the flowers still growing around the estate, including orchids, hawthorn, snowdrops and forget-me-nots. It was a dream project.
PAUL WHITBREAD
Are you noticing any shifts in interior design and what clients want?
Our interior design clients seem to be moving towards soft, scenic murals in a monochromatic or limited palette, often incorporating the foliage and landscape surrounding the property to make it feel personal to the space. The effect creates a calm and sophisticated atmosphere, perfect for entrance halls, dining rooms and powder rooms. Even when painting a colourful mural, I naturally turn to earthy, muted tones – sage greens, dusky pinks, yellow ochres – allowing the mural to sit in the room as a background layer to the scheme rather than dominate the space.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to work in the world of decorative arts or mural painting?
Training in scenic painting for theatre or film is a great way to hone your skills as it requires you to be versatile in your paintwork and to understand how to create an impact in a way that is quite different from traditional canvas painting. There is also the Van der Kelen-Logelain school in Belgium, which teaches traditional decorative painting styles. Experimenting in your own home is the best way to practise and build up a portfolio of images which will hopefully inspire future commissions. I teach the process from gathering inspiration and developing a design, to painting a full-scale mural, in my online Create Academy course. It is incredible seeing what people who don’t regularly practise art have created by doing the course, and lovely to spread the joy of decorative painting.
ROBERTA ASHLEY
With thanks to Tess Newall for the words, and profile shots.
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