18 WWW.CHARLESTONWOMENPODCAST.COM | WWW.READCW.COM | WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHARLESTONWOMEN HAND-PAINTED WALLPAPER Timeless Art for Modern Homes BY SARAH ROSE In the late 17th century, hand-painted wallpaper was exported from China, where it originated, to Europe, adorning walls in castles, manor houses and even the smaller homes of the working class. According to "A Brief History of Wallpaper" by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, "Up until 1840 all wallpapers were produced by hand using the block-printing process that was labor-intensive and slow." Although modern technology allows for the manufacture of printed papers that have been readily available for purchase since the mid-19th century, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the hand-painted tradition that enhances rooms with luxurious texture. Drawing From Lowcountry Landscapes For muralist and hand-painted wallpaper artist Lucy Hunter, the Lowcountry landscape provides an abundance of inspiration. "I've spent my life outside, slowing down to appreciate nature. That's taught me to look up, take a breath and process the beauty of nature as if I'm looking at it all through the lens of a camera," she says. When it comes to sketching out her ideas on paper, Hunter draws the scale and selects the colors so that her assorted murals and patterned papers bring the outdoors in, providing a soothing sense of calm. Her Amelie Wallpaper and Belgium Linen Collection, for example, are a nod to "those hidden stories in our landscape and gardens where nature in all her extraordinary guises transports us to a moment where we have time to stop and stare and truly observe what is there, what has always been there," she says. The Martha Wallpaper and Belgium Linen Collection, she says, illuminate the changing light in autumn and "those mornings when there is a slight chill in the air and the leaves on the trees start to turn colors of copper pennies and ruby reds. Vines lose some of their vigor and their tendrils take on a delicate, web-like quality, stems reaching for the sky." Hunter describes the Eliza Wallpaper, Belgium Linen and Grasscloth Fabric Collection as "the atmosphere that envelops me in the Lowcountry. She is the falling leaves and textures of the foliage. The changing light along the coast. Where I feel great peace, in awe of nature and a world of possibility." Modern Impressionism Meets Custom Design As a modern impressionist and colorist, Danielle Cather Cohen started designing wallpaper in 2017 to complement her fine art paintings and prints. Taking inspiration from the Lowcountry landscape, flowers, surfing and sunsets, Cohen says, "With each of my paintings, I strive for the essence of beauty, a dance with color." By borrowing in-depth details from her paintings, Cohen has created a bespoke collection of 48 patterns that capture large- or small-scale and whimsical details, such as a honeycomb, sea prawns, oysters and palm fronds. "I have a lot of collectors who are FEATURE Hand-painted wallpaper by Lucy Hunter
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