In 2023 I was disappointed though not surprised to learn that the ancient skills of Traditional Faux Marbling and Wood Graining had been placed on the Red List of Endangered Crafts, by the Heritage Crafts Association.
For many years I have been aware of the lack of choices and opportunities, for students, craftspeople and skilled industry professionals, in receiving high quality training in these ancient crafts.
So, what part could I play in addressing the situation?
When I turned 55, I decided it was time to embark on a ten-year plan to establish an easily accessible collection of courses and workshops in decorative paint techniques. South Coast Studio was born, these courses would be funded entirely through income from my already established decorating and design business, Snobs Interiors Limited and topped up through any income received whilst running the courses and workshops. I already had some previous teaching experience working in adult education, however running my own courses and workshops from my studio by the sea in Hythe, Kent, has been a huge and ongoing challenge and learning experience, and despite the difficulties caused by the covid outbreak in 2020, I have managed to build a sustainable and accessible business providing this much needed skills training asset.
Since 2018, I have tutored many students, from homeowners and craft enthusiasts, to skilled professionals from a wide ranging set of occupations and disciplines.This has enabled me to collate data and opinions from a knowledgeable and varied group of people and consequently, I have been able to tailor the courses and workshops on offer to appeal to as wide an audience as possible.
A significant proportion of students expressed an interest in taking courses that had been accredited under the CPD, Continuing Professional Development, scheme to add to their curriculum vitae. Thanks to the support given by Heritage Crafts, these accredited courses are now live and available to book on the website, with new dates and locations being added across the year. The process of having both me and the paint effects courses accredited was not straightforward and involved many hours of work, however, I believe that they offer a valuable resource for those that require professional tutoring with the assurance that I and the course material has been independently scrutinised and verified for quality.
Has the project to accredit the courses been a success so far?
Well only time will tell, but the feedback coming through is positive. One of the major obstacles that I have faced and continue to face is in creating awareness of the courses and the high quality materials that are offered to all abilities at all levels. The social media platforms I run, such as YouTube, Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook, are reaching more and more people, the websites and the different outreach projects in the local community are also gaining traction and we are starting to get noticed. It has been a joy connecting with like-minded people and businesses, and finding out what they are doing to promote heritage conservation and preservation in the wider community.
What next?
I am looking forward to holding further outreach projects throughout the year and a number of demonstration and audience participation days which this year are being held at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock. This will give the public a taste of what I do and conservation and craft enthusiasts of all ages will have the chance to have a go themselves.
As well as at my studio here in Hythe, on the Kent coast, I am currently in the process of securing some further exciting location sites across the country to ensure these skills become accessible to a wider audience. A couple of notable locations where I am already running courses are at the National Trust, Heritage and Rural Skills Centre in Swindon, and coming this Autumn, you will find me teaching at West Dean College in Sussex.
News and updates
I will soon be announcing some more exciting new course locations, with more information to follow on the website and on our social media channels.
Recent projects
I continue to run the specialist decorating and design business, where I am always thrilled to take on interesting, new and creative projects and commissions. These include working alongside skilled professionals in the conservation and restoration sectors. Anyone who follows me on social media will see some of those projects come to life.
Some of the most recent projects include the transformation of softwood clad steel beams in a new extension to an old farmhouse near Canterbury. These needed to be made a feature off and the solution decided upon was to apply a wood grain finish to bring the illusion of solid walnut.
In the same space the client wanted a feature ‘gold’ wall to help showcase their existing art collection. After producing a number of different ‘gold’ sample boards for the client to choose from, a ‘gold’ broken colour finish was chosen and the results were stunning.
Another recently completed project was a west facing bedroom wall in a century old home. The bedroom needed brightening up and aqua blue colour washed walls with a sprinkle of gold leaf in the form of stencils really brought the room to life.
Finally, after a visit to a local Tudor castle, where the kitchen was looking worn and tired, the client asked for a new lime washed finish to the cabinets. This brought a fresh new look to the kitchen, doing justice to the interior of this beautiful historic building. It is immensely rewarding to see these buildings being maintained and cared or by their owners, for both themselves, and future generations to come.
In conclusion:
If there is a situation where a modern extension work needs to be sympathetically blended with the rest of the building, with the correct guidance, this is achievable.
Tired and damaged décor that may come with damp issues or wear and tear, requires skilled attention, whether it is stone, wood, paint or wallpaper, these can all be repaired and restored, conserved and blended to complement the existing style and integrity of any building.
My goal is to inspire young and old, of all abilities, whether a skilled professional, a newcomer or a homeowner looking for solutions to their building and design projects. My aim is to guide you through the pros and cons of restoration and conservation, tackling the pitfalls of period home design and decoration, whilst encouraging the correct use of materials and finishes to preserve and conserve the character of the building.
If you want to learn more contact Simon Nobs
www.southcoaststudio.co.uk
www.snobsinteriors.co.uk
https://linktr.ee/southcoaststudio25