Josh Fradley, left, and Paul Sonsie learnt to work together.By Monique Ebrington
HEALESVILLE artists Paul Sonsie and Josh Fradley prove that when they are involved two paintbrushes are better than one.
The first collaborations of Paul, a freehand artist used to using large mediums, and Josh, a cartoonist used to keeping inside the box, took them more than two months to complete.
Their silhouetted vines, detailed flowers and winged creatures wrap across the floor and walls of Cheese Freaks and Book Nuts in Healesville.
The surreal design is fitting for the store with new owner Christine bringing a fresh chapter to the building that has, among many things, already been a motor mechanic’s shop, fruit barn and antique shop.
While the design seems appropriate for Cheese Freaks and Book Nuts the theme wasn’t Paul and Josh’s first choice for the mural.
“Christine let us run wild and originally we wanted to paint a giant squid,” Paul Sonsie said.
The pair became familiar with change, using compromise to sort out any artistic differences and improved their work, he said.
“We would both have different ideas about a part of the floor or the ceiling.
“In the end our compromise – what we came up with together – was better than what we had come up with individually,” he said.
Artistic differences aside the only suffering they did for their art was working four nights each week on the cold concrete floor of Cheese Freaks and Book Nuts.
“We became quite nocturnal – we had to set up large gas heaters to keep us going. It was just so cold,” he said.
Now, despite cold nights, giant squids and compromise, the pair are eager to continue painting on a large scale and in the community.
They would love to speak with anyone wanting an empty wall, floor, ceiling or similar filled as they are enthusiastic to paint the town, whatever colour they like.
Contact Paul at sonsie8@bigpond.com
