An artist who uses Jesmonite for casting, painting and creating has been shouting about our material for almost a decade – and now she’ll do it as our official ambassador!
Francesca Pappacoda runs Salt Studios and has a huge online following where she raves about Jesmonite to all who will listen.
She creates incredible terrazzo, chunky chip, chequered and marbled homeware in bold, bright colours – and we absolutely love it.
She first came across Jesmonite when she studied Fine Art at London Metropolitan University, coating sculptures in the water based concrete alternative.
She set up Salt Studios initially to support her painting projects – but it has now taken over.
“I feel really honoured and proud to be a Jesmonite ambassador,” she said.
“I have always been an advocate for Jesmonite from the beginning anyway, if anyone ever asked what it is I would tell them how fantastic it is and all about it – I’ve done that from day one.
“It really is just a fantastic versatile material; I love that it is water based and hardens so quickly – I am so passionate about this material.
“I also love that you can pigment it and it’s so versatile, it’s easy to create different compositions and textures quickly, I have basically taught myself how to use it, because it’s that straightforward.
“With such a range of products too, like control agents, you can create anything you want. Nothing goes to waste and because I’m an impulsive person, when I have an idea, I want to create it there and then – Jesmonite lets me do that.
“I enjoy the fact I now make pots that have the ethos of my paintings and sculptures, I just make them more purposeful.
“I feel so creatively fulfilled every day; I love the material because sometimes I feel like I’m painting.”
Francesca’s amazing work is inspired by her paintings and vintage interiors like 70s- and 80s-bathroom designs in the UK.
Her unique surfaces and patterns are used to create coasters, candle holders, pots, and trays as well as large mirrors, tables and now, bespoke projects for private customers.
She is also a prop maker, teaches Jesmonite workshops, holds markets to sell her products and stocks wholesale to shops too. Is there nothing this woman can’t do!
Her sustainably made, fun, quirky homeware is created in her studio in Deptford, London, UK.
Salt Studios was established in 2016 – but Francesca only went full time in this business in December 2019, just before the Covid 19 lockdown in the UK.
“Lockdown was a good challenge for me,” she added.
“It let me focus and set myself up, let me expand my online presence and really find my niche.
“I’ve grown so much since then and it’s exciting to now be doing bespoke projects – becoming a Jesmonite ambassador is a real bonus too.
“Hopefully it will give me some space to make something more unusual or intricate or create a whole new surface design.”
For more information follow her on Instagram or TikTok or visit her website.
Share this post
More from Jesmonite
