VISUAL ARTIST & DECORATIVE PAINTER

Camille Viry specialises in custom decorative creations. She enjoys starting with a desire, an idea,
or a dream and bringing them to life.

When Technical Expertise Meets Creativity

After five years of studying graphic design at the École Supérieure des Arts Appliqués Estienne, Camille Viry trained under Valérie Le Roy of the Ateliers de Vérone in Touraine. This allowed her to acquire numerous techniques and a deep understanding of the materials and the chemistry involved in working with natural materials to bring her decorative creations to life. Working with lime, clay, Tadelakt, stucco and more holds no secrets for her. Overflowing with ideas, she decided to combine technical expertise with her creativity to successfully carry out her own projects.

“I LIKE TO BECOME ONE WITH THE ARCHITECTURE, TO ENSURE THAT THE WALL DECORATION RESONATES WITH THE SPACE. I ENJOY WORKING ON LARGE SURFACES, BEING COMPLETELY IMMERSED AND ENGULFED IN COLOUR AND MATERIAL.”

Influenced by the works of artists like Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Mark Rothko, Antoni Tàpies, Gisèle Buthod-Garçon, the skies of Mathias Kiss, Japanese aesthetics, and Italian frescoes, Camille Viry draws her greatest inspiration from observing nature.

Watching trees sway in the wind, observing the colours of shadows, seeking the blues of the sky, or playing with the nuances of water… Above all, what she loves is starting with an idea and inventing a new story every time.

“I enjoy becoming one with the architecture, ensuring that the wall decoration resonates with the space. I love working on a grand scale, being completely enveloped and immersed in cor, in material.

I start from a dialogue with my clients, from their requests that I interpret by searching for a material, colours, a design, and creating an entire universe. A successful decor, for me, is one that seems to have always been there. Finding the material, the pattern, the ambiance that evokes emotion for the person who will live with it is essential to me.”

Camille navigates between fresco painting, decorative coatings, and layered painting, but her favourite technique is Marmorino.

This technique, used in Italian palaces, requires taking one’s time, moving away from the instantaneous, the quick, the efficient. Respecting the preparation steps is essential: sifting the sand, preparing the materials, working on samples to refine the colour.

Then comes the execution stage with three passes of different shades and granulometries, applied wet on wet. Through the artist’s gestures, these layers allow the colours to blend together, creating a polished and deep appearance in the decor.

“WITH MARMORINO, I FEEL LIKE I’M STRETCHING A MARBLE SLAB ONTO THE WALL. STARTING FROM MARBLE POWDER, LIME AND PIGMENTS, IT’S AS IF I’M REVEALING A MARBLE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE.”

The rolled and unrolled walls

The concept of these rolled and unrolled walls is to recreate the spirit of walls filled with stories, walls that witness the layers of time accumulating, echoing many memories. On canvas or paper, they provide a lighter alternative to a construction project. The colours can be customised.

Camille Viry collaborates with interior architects and has undertaken significant projects both in France and abroad. She adapts her technique to the story she wants to tell.

In Paris, you can discover a Kintsugi-inspired decor in Odile Texier‘s gallery at the Palais Royal, immersing you in the heart of Japanese culture. Beautiful emerald Marmorino adorns the walls of the jeweler “ Monsieur Paris” The Dune decor at the gourmet restaurant Jeanne-Aimée opens up horizons and perspectives that take you on a journey.

Photos – ©Florie Berger, ©Camille Viry
Vidéo – ©Adrien Bizieau