Curriculum Vitae

VIVIENNE JANE FRANCIS Date of Birth: 10/10/64
29 Cortis Rd., Roehampton
London SW15 3AF Telephone No: (020) 8789-2378

EDUCATION

1984 – 1986 Croydon College of Art
BTEC National Diploma in General Vocational Design

1975 – 1981 Rosa Bassett Grammar School
‘O’ Levels

EXPERIENCE

Prior to joining Croydon College of Art & Design in 1984 I was a self-employed illustrator specialising in human/animal portraiture, and exhibited locally with the South West London Art Group (SWAG). Commissions included a series of pencil portraits for the Plumbers Arms Public House in London, and a portrait of one of the Queen’s grooms.
After gaining my Diploma in General Vocational Design in 1986, I trained in antique restoration with Hannerle Dehn in London, and worked as part of her specialist decorating team in Salzburg, Austria on paint effects, murals and trompe l’oeil.
In 1988 I commenced work as the in-house artist at Dragons of Walton Street Ltd., where I gained commercial experience painting children’s bespoke furniture, accessories and nursery murals. I left Dragons of Walton Street Ltd. in 1989, to become freelance, and since then have concentrated on specialist interior design and decoration, and in particular the art of mural painting and trompe l’oeil.
I have worked extensively in and around London on various corporate and domestic projects. My work at Dragons of Walton Street Ltd. in 1988 lead to several nursery mural commissions, often with painted coordinated furniture. The most noteable nursery was one I designed and painted for Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit in 1999, based on the fantasy jungle paintings of artist Henri Rousseau.
My work progressed to include more graphic and trompe l'oeil designs. Commissions in London included an elaborate grape frieze in the pantry of a large private residence, based on their Pierre Frey curtain fabric. Also of significance were a desert island themed mural I painted in 1993 for Long John Silver's restaurant, SW16, and a large Art Deco mural and trompe l'oeil food and drink compositions for Cafe St. Germain, SW3.
In 1993 I was commissioned to design and paint two large exterior murals for a Sainsbury's superstore in Doncaster, Yorkshire, one depicting aspects of Doncaster's history, and the other Doncaster present-day.
Other significant work includes designing and painting Tudor Rose decoration for the conference room at Selsdon Park Hotel, Surrey; painting a hot-air balloon window display prop for the Complete Traveller, Southend-On-Sea; a life-size Roman Catholic Church icon of Jesus on the cross, in acrylics and gold leaf for St. Cecilia's Church, Surrey. I also worked for Nicholas Esch at a large private residence in London, SW1, involving trompe l'oeil bathroom wall panelling, and an Italianate grisaille drawing-room mural composed of fruit trees, birds and insects.
In 2000 I formed a partnership with muralist Ashley Rye with whom I worked at his brother Matthew Freud's residence China Corner in the Blenheim Palace Estate, Oxford, where we painted a swimming-pool mural based on the Indian trellis arches of the Brighton Pavilion.
Most noteable commissions abroad include a two-month long contract in 1991 working alongside muralist Tony Raymond and Ian Cairnie decorating two elaborate Roccoco-style ceilings for the Sultan of Brunei.
In 1999 I worked with artist Nicholas Esch in Davos, Switzerland where I painted trompe l'oeil 'stone-carved' signwriting for five rooms at the Hotel Victoria.
Most recently I worked alongside Ashley Rye in a private villa in Beaulieu, South of France, where we painted an ornate series of grisaille trompe l'oeil panels in the powder-room. In addition, we created a gold leaf mosaic effect and acanthus leaf frieze around the cornice of the villa's library.

ART COMMISSIONS

2001
Janet and Paul Czainski
Trompe l'oeil mural, decorative grisaille work on poryphory-painted panels, gilding, etc., in a villa in Beaulieu, near Nice, Cote d'azur. Extensive team work.

Maecenas Decorations
South Kensington
Extensive mural work undertaken for private swimming pool surround
in Dublin, and a domed Islamic tile mural painted in epoxy resin.

2000
Matthew Freud
China Corner, Blenheim Palace Estate
White oriental-style trellis swimming pool mural in a conservatory, and a nursery mural featuring Captain Pugwash.

Mr. George Albert, Mildenhall, Suffolk
Reproduction portrait of Napoleon as Emperor, by Gérard.
Acrylics and pastel, size A1.

1999
Assistant to Nicholas Esch
Commissioned by Hotel Victoria, Davos, Switzerland
Trompe l’oeil signwriting for five rooms in hotel.
Stoneblocking for walls of ground and first floors.

1999
Assisted by Rupert Clive (for Jonothan Clive Specialist Decorators)
Commissioned by Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit
Private nursery mural, featuring wildlife, children and Henri Rousseau-style foliage.

1998
Assistant to Nicholas Esch, Ebury Mews, London SW1
Trompe l’oeil wall panels in private bathroom. Oils.
Trompe l’oeil dado rail in private pantry. Oils.
C19 Italianate grisaille fruit trees and birds mural. Private drawing-room. Acrylics.

1997
St. Cecilia’s Church, Ewell, Surrey
Painted Roman Catholic Church icon – Jesus on the Cross. 6 ½ ft. x 4 ½ ft.
Acrylics and gold leaf on wood.

1995
Vantage Productions and Events Ltd.,
The Complete Traveller, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Painted hot-air balloon window display prop. 7ft x 3ft. Acrylics on wood.

1994
Café St. Germain, London SW3
Restaurant mural. 9ft x 6ft. Acrylics.
Trompe l’oeil food, drink and flowers wall-panels decoration. Acrylics.

1994
Selsdon Park Hotel, Surrey
(Worked in partnership with Lisa Henley)
Ceiling-mouldings decoration in hotel reception area. Oils.
Tudor Rose decoration above entrance to Tudor Conference Room. Acrylics.

1993
Cezari Bednarski Architects
Sainsburys PLC, Doncaster, Yorkshire
Two exterior murals depicting ‘Doncaster Past’ and ‘Doncaster Present’.
Acrylics on wood. 11ft x 9ft and 13ft x 9ft respectively.

1993
Mrs. Shakhashir, London W14
Marine and dolphin-theme mural in private nursery. 14ft x 12ft. Acrylics.
Classical mural in private bathroom. 8ft x 4ft. Acrylics.

1993
Long John Silver’s Restaurant, London SW16
Desert island and pirate theme mural. 11ft x 8ft. Acrylics.

1992
Picture Box Ltd.
Ms. & Mrs. George, Guildford, Surrey
Dried flowers window-shutter decoration in private dining-room. Acrylics on wood.

1992
Picture Box Ltd., Guildford, Surrey
Trompe l’oeil mural of the Duchess Street Vase (by Thomas Hope, 1769-1831) in private bathroom. Painted actual size. Acrylics and gold leaf.

1991
Brunei (Sultan’s Sister)
(Assistant to Ian Cairnie and Tony Raymond)
Trompe l’oeil Rococo-style decoration to ceilings of the banqueting hall and the master bedroom. Oils.

1990
Jonathan Alexander Ltd., London W1
Rabbits and ducks mural spanning entire wall space of private nursery. Oils.

1990
Mrs. Salim, London NW1
Victorian children and balloons wardrobe decoration and mural in private nursery. Oils. Based on Kate Greenaway illustrations.

1989
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon, London SW6
Ivy and insect decoration on fitted cupboards in private kitchen. Oils.
Clouds, bi-planes and balloon mural spanning the entire wall space of private nursery. Oils.

1989
Balli Development
Mrs. Allaghband, London NW3
Grape frieze decoration in private pantry. Oils. 7ft x 1ft.

1989
Dragons of Walton Street Ltd.
Mrs. Dawood, London NW8
Winnie the Pooh and strawberry frieze mural spanning the entire wall space of private nursery. Oils.

1989
Dragons of Walton Street Ltd., London SW3
Floor to ceiling mural of Superman and Gotham City skyline in child’s private bathroom. 12ft x 4ft. Oils.