in the early periods of classical art many artists, painters, sculptors and architects worked as apprentices to masters who were commissioned by trade for royalty, governments, or religious institutions throughout history to produce huge artistic works for estates, palaces, cathedrals, and other public and private venues. this kind of occupation has almost been forgotten in our post modern technologically-digital twenty-first century age. today, the average professional artist tends to work alone on projects struggling to make ends meet in a fallen global economy that devalues art and creativity. the competition can be fierce in the art world and many artists fall prey to depression and isolation as they struggle to find their niche as a creative person in society. i am encouraged to find that there are pockets of artists who are building community with each other and pushing past fears to foster relationship through collaboration. and some are finding their way as masters of this modern age and are doing what they can to lead out in our society through creativity. along with creating their own work, they are giving their time and resources to teach, mentor, and train emerging artists in their fields to carry the torch and become skilled at their trades. depending upon the scale, some artists are employing apprentices to help them with commissioned and contracted projects. and this is what this post is about...the opportunity i have been given to apprentice alongside a highly skilled oil painter who has been commissioned to create classical style artwork throughout a new construction private residence.
i want to introduce you to David Martorelli...an accomplished fine artist and nature photographer originally from Maui. David has hired me as his apprentice to help him as he paints classical and art nuveau style oil painting murals and decorative stenciling throughout a private residence here in Idaho. many of the paintings are being done after and in the style of art nuveau painter Mucha from the late 1800's.
the house is being built in a late 1800's early 1900's European style with authentic architecture and landscaped gardens. the imported antique fixtures, tiling and furnishings, along with famous collected art pieces decorating the entire house, the art nuveau and classical paintings we are working on add to the uniqueness of this private residence nestled in a rural area of Idaho.
when you enter the house through the front door, you are met with classical art above four arched doorways leading you to varous points within the house.
artistic architectural archways and lines add to the flow of creativity to the entryway as you move forward into a circular room with a dome and staircase.
the custom made stairwell banister artistically adds to what is already an art filled entryway.
David painted this entire dome in true Michelangelo style (on ladders on scaffolding). the imagery represents the four seasons.
looking back towards the front door you can see the art nuveau pieces we are working on above each archway.
the painting station we work from. all art supplies are David's. we are using oil paints and mediums and painting directly onto the walls. the builders of the house gave the walls a flat finish which makes painting murals much easier than if they had texture on them.
David mixes all the colors himself. it truly is his work.
the first step i've learned from David is transferring images to the walls where we will paint. he perfected a technique that includes projecting images to a wall, tracing them onto thick papers, then covering the back of the papers with carbon paper. the papers are placed on the walls and then we trace over the lines already on the papers to imprint through the carbon to the wall. the image is transferred almost perfectly giving us the ability to work in detail when we paint.
David works long hours planning, prepping, and painting. he takes great pride in mixing and blending the paints and getting the images to be exactly what the owner of the house has envisioned. the paintings and artwork will be located inside and outside of the house. currently we are working on paintings that are located in the entry way, the circular staircase room, and the dining room. my job as his apprentice is to work on the things he asks me to. this can range from transferring images to painting areas of each image. the way it works out is that we both end up working on each image. we rotate back and forth as we need to depending on drying time, color usage, and space needed in the area we are working.
in the entry way and circular room we are creating 4 images that come from Mucha's "Art" series.
here David is painting on "Poetry".
here i'm working on "Painting"
here David is working on "Dance"
here i am working on "Music"
as a working artist i do a lot of different kinds of art...mixed media abstract expressionism, impressionistic landscapes in oil, detailed realist portraits and illustrations in graphite and charcoal, computer graphics and art, live performance dance and expressionist painting, even detailed mural work with latex housepaints....but this kind of artwork is different. this kind of artwork is not just about the art...it's about the learning process too. i'm really enjoying being a fine art apprentice in classical style. i appreciate the opportunity to learn on the job. David is an amazing artist to work with. every day is a new artistical adventure as we ascend ladders to create with paint and paint brushes in hand. and when it's all done, at the end of the day, the family that will move into the house will get to experience a world of beauty surrounding them on a daily basis. a beauty that will transport them to another time in history when artisans were hired alongside builders and art was valued as a way of life.
i'll post again with final images when the project is complete.
to view David Martorelli's fine art and photography visit his website:
