On Friday April 22, I and other interesting and interested individuals attended the opening of Marcus Crane’s art exhibition at McCully & Crane Art Ltd, 27b Cinque Ports Street. The main artist showing is Melissa White whose artwork was extraordinarily detailed and different from paintings. She hand paints surface patterns for interiors from her studio in Hastings.
Melissa calls herself a “Painter Stainer”, which involves ageing and distressing paintwork by cracking, washing out and rubbing it back, which distances it from the new and the mass produced, adding “the patination of time”. For soft furnishings, she hand paints textiles using special fabric paints. She is currently designing a bespoke wallpaper for internationally acclaimed designer Kit Kemp for her latest Firmdale hotel in New York.
It is a well worth a visit as it is very different from other art forms, apart from the gallery/shop being in itself a special space to wander through. The shop/gallery is open from Monday to Saturday between 11am and 4pm, except Tuesdays. Melissa’s exhibition runs throughout May.
Photos: Marcus Crane