Nicky Zigras a decorator with enough gumption to point out to property developers that there is a lot more that goes into a building than just the shell. A talented decorator she has settled in Cape Town and has entered the property markets to share her style and create a following. Using her impecable taste of objects and clean aesthetic eye to create warm sculpted decorated flat environments. Her roots are South African but with a Greek mother and father.
Nicky approached me to collaborate with her as an artist. She suggested the idea of a commission. At the time I was feeling hesitant as one work is only the beginning of a theme but one needs to start somewhere. We spoke about the idea of a mural. She was however more attached to the painting suggestion when she realized the price of an original artwork and how a mural is attached to a house. The value of a mural seems to merge with a property. It is never easy to recognize the effort that goes into making an original artwork. An artist uses good materials and a time honoured method that is, through tuition recognized by people in the field. The difference between craftsmen and artist is always tenuous as the making process of an artist is sometimes hampered by other duties that earn cash. As an artist I enjoy the discussion with a patron that allows me to hold my own and reach a conclusion for that client.
People who really want to know about my work help grow my talent, Nicky was one of those people. Keeping a connection and chatting at dinner parties on a regular basis helped build the relationship that fueled the 12 Apostles commission. We both have the same appreciation of bright colours and the finish and hard work that goes into the realism of a Tretchikov painting.