Artscope - The Journey - an introduction to Sonia Demetriou

	The Journey On Leaving school at 16 I went straight into an apprenticeship with a studio in London to learn the restoration of painted antique furniture and specialist decorating techniques used for decorating furniture both reproduction and contemporary. This included faux finishes such as marbling, tortoiseshell, rosewood graining as well as dragging, glazing and traditional decorative techniques including oil gilding. Some of the top interior designers and antique dealers passed through the doors bringing a wide variety of objects and furniture. From Papier mâché to lacquer to painted wallpaper. I revelled in the work and looking back consider myself very lucky to have found a job I not only loved but had an aptitude for so early in my life. For the past thirty years I have been running my own studio in West Sussex . During this time I added further skills to my repertoire and using these I widened my field of expertise. The highlights have been: -designing a range of lamps, which were decorated to client's individual specifications. A selection of these was acquired to furnish Atlantis II the yacht belonging to the shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. They were also commissioned to furnish La Gavroche and the Royal Apartments of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. I also became known for my decoration of harpsichord cases among harpsichord builders and my work has travelled all over the world. The most prestigious of these was commissioned in 1999 for the Sultan of Oman, the harpsichord was decorated lavishly in gold leaf, the main case depicting scenes of Oman landscape and buildings in chinoiserie style complete with dhows and palm trees. On Occasion I have also travelled with my work, the most exotic of these was in 1998 when I was asked to go to Moscow to carry out a specialist paint finish in the client's apartment. In the year 2000 an hotel in Iowa America approached me about decorating a cabinet for them. Each room had a different design style and one room was to have furniture in the Arts and Crafts style of the William Morris School . A cabinet was commissioned which was a replica of one originally designed and painted by Edward Burne Jones. The cabinet was made by a specialist in Somerset and sent to me for painting, using a series of detailed photographs taken from the original held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York . The doors were covered in a painting depicting two backgammon players and the side panels and legs were decorated in elaborate detail over a solid gilded base creating a rich tapestry of design. Since 2000 I have been searching for a change of direction, one that will give me more variety and allow me to explore my own personal creative identity. During my search I came across the magic of mandalas, almost by accident you could say..... but I don't really believe in accidents. All images are copyright protected and can only be reproduced with the artists consent. ©

The Journey

On Leaving school at 16 I went straight into an apprenticeship with a studio in London to learn the restoration of painted antique furniture and specialist decorating techniques used for decorating furniture both reproduction and contemporary. This included faux finishes such as marbling, tortoiseshell, rosewood graining as well as dragging, glazing and traditional decorative techniques including oil gilding. Some of the top interior designers and antique dealers passed through the doors bringing a wide variety of objects and furniture. From Papier mâché to lacquer to painted wallpaper. I revelled in the work and looking back consider myself very lucky to have found a job I not only loved but had an aptitude for so early in my life.

For the past thirty years I have been running my own studio in West Sussex . During this time I added further skills to my repertoire and using these I widened my field of expertise.

The highlights have been: -designing a range of lamps, which were decorated to client's individual specifications. A selection of these was acquired to furnish Atlantis II the yacht belonging to the shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. They were also commissioned to furnish La Gavroche and the Royal Apartments of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

I also became known for my decoration of harpsichord cases among harpsichord builders and my work has travelled all over the world. The most prestigious of these was commissioned in 1999 for the Sultan of Oman, the harpsichord was decorated lavishly in gold leaf, the main case depicting scenes of Oman landscape and buildings in chinoiserie style complete with dhows and palm trees.

On Occasion I have also travelled with my work, the most exotic of these was in 1998 when I was asked to go to Moscow to carry out a specialist paint finish in the client's apartment.

In the year 2000 an hotel in Iowa America approached me about decorating a cabinet for them. Each room had a different design style and one room was to have furniture in the Arts and Crafts style of the William Morris School . A cabinet was commissioned which was a replica of one originally designed and painted by Edward Burne Jones. The cabinet was made by a specialist in Somerset and sent to me for painting, using a series of detailed photographs taken from the original held at the Metropolitan Museum in New York . The doors were covered in a painting depicting two backgammon players and the side panels and legs were decorated in elaborate detail over a solid gilded base creating a rich tapestry of design.

Since 2000 I have been searching for a change of direction, one that will give me more variety and allow me to explore my own personal creative identity. During my search I came across the magic of mandalas, almost by accident you could say..... but I don't really believe in accidents.