An interview with painter, Holly Fields-Scott
I recently completed work on a beautiful apartment in New York, on the Upper East Side. The home is filled with wonderful artwork, paint finishes and bespoke furnishings, with the benefit of a great location, and exquisite lighting – perfect for entertaining! I had the pleasure of working with Holly Fields-Scott, a painter and design director, on the project. I caught up with Holly, below, to ask her about the experience…
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I have always been very passionate about art. My formal training began in theatre and film where I could design and execute magical illusions on the stage, or for the camera, and everything just grew from there! A favourite project in the early years was working on a doll house for the Busch family – I spent two years custom-finishing the interior of the home in 1” scale with references to family history, heirlooms and family members. It was such a pleasure to work on.
Throughout the past 28 years I have had the honor of working with many talented and inspiring designers and clients, two notable ones being Shania Twain and Mutt Lang.
We worked together recently on an Upper East Side apartment, can you talk us through the project from your perspective?
Each room was different, making the project an exciting one. For the sitting room a textural effect that resembled a beautiful raw silk was our target finish, for which we created a translucent pearl glaze infused with texture. We then applied the glaze floor to ceiling continuously around the room, manipulating it to create the appearance of a softly woven natural, slubbed silk that glows in the warm sunlight, or under the soft pools of light that wash down the walls at night.
The dining room has a cool pewter plaster finish, with hand-painted cherry branches reaching down from the ceiling, gracefully creating movement and texture. The inspiration was to bring the exterior of the apartment inside – the tree blossoms in the courtyard and the vibrant red window trims.
The colours speak to the red leather chairs, fabric in the window treatments and the glowing églomisé dining table. The walls are up-lit from the floor to give a dramatic glow day or night. The room really incorporates organic and elegant elements, perfect for casual family gatherings, or chic cocktail parties!
What are your thoughts on the result of the project?
Personally, if I was given the chance, I would love to live there! The apartment has windows facing the street, and a beautiful interior garden. Lots of light and air, too, which is not often found in NYC. As a part of the project, the unit’s original floor plan was opened up a bit and the ceilings raised – the sense of modern and traditional blends well. The bedrooms are luxurious, the library is cozy and comfortable. There were layout challenges that were dealt with well, and the hidden doors really open up the tight spaces. I wouldn’t change a thing, and I hope the clients are loving it.
What would your ideal project look like?
Each year, for the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to work on projects in Italy. My love for the country, its architecture, history and people, goes beyond saying. Therefore I think my dream project would be an entire room or castle, somewhere in Europe, transformed with paint and plaster (possibly in buon fresco) into a magical trompe l’oeil illusion, utilizing architectural details and romantic vistas to create a storybook setting that blurs the lines of fantasy and reality.
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