PAUL SPENCER
PAUL SPENCER . FROM MASTER CARVER TO ALCHEMIST
For over twenty years Paul Spencer has been busy creating and carving some of the most prestigious fireplaces for acclaimed historic houses and carving unique , spectacular designs for some very discerning clients .
With his well-earned reputation as one of the country ’ s leading master carvers , it would have been easy for Paul to rest on his laurels and continue in the same vein , producing his marble masterpieces .
But instead , Paul decided to pack away his chisels and return to his first love , painting . ( Paul studied Fine Art Painting at Farnham College of Art .)
Paul also decided that he ’ d like a change of scenery and spent the next six months in Italy . In this new environment , with his newfound freedom to create and experiment , Paul started to work with different materials , colours and textures - this is when the Alchemist was born .
In this period of exploration , Paul experimented with the art of Scagliola , a traditional technique dating back to the 17th Century , which combines plaster and pigments to achieve a unique faux marble effect .
Paul has re-mastered these ancient techniques to create a new Metal-Marble in a mesmerising array of colours and effects , incorporating glints of precious metals , with shimmering silvers , bronzes and golds .
As well as being stunningly beautiful , this amazing material is waterproof and extremely hardwearing , so it can be incorporated into so many design schemes . From stand-alone statement pieces , decorative wall panels and fireplaces ( naturally ), to work surfaces and even floors , the possibilities are endless .
And it wasn ’ t long before Paul ’ s Scagliola mastery was put to the test , when he was commissioned to design a fireplace incorporating a London Plane tree , for a client in Berkeley Square . The results speak for themselves . Paul ’ s background in Fine Art enabled him to combine his phenomenal experience in fireplace crafting , with his passion for painting , resulting in a uniquely beautiful piece .
www . paul-spencer . com
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