An artist has used MEDITE® TRICOYA® EXTREME (MTX), a weather resistant MDF, to ensure her six original paintings can last up to 50 years at Raigmore Children’s Hospital Garden in Aberdeen.

Artist Fiona Jack was commissioned for the project by Papillon Designs and Landscaping Ltd, an Aberdeen based company, who won the garden construction contract.

She said: “I had worked with Papillon previously and was delighted to be asked to paint for the Hospital’s garden.”

“We had been experimenting with different materials to be able to produce paintings for outside; slate, stone and other similar materials were all considered, but they’re obviously extremely heavy, can be expensive, and their surfaces are not always smooth.”

So, how did MTX come to be chosen?

Angelique, Director at Papillon Designs and Landscaping explained: “I immediately thought MTX would be the perfect panel for the paintings that we planned as part of the garden design, after having been impressed by it at Futurescape 2018. As MTX is guaranteed for up to 50 years outdoors, above ground, it is truly a ground-breaking material for any landscape designer or artist to use.”

“I called the manufacturer, MEDITE SMARTPLY, and arranged for one of their experts to come and talk to us about it at Papillon. After that we installed by Papillon, in the shapes of a highland cow, mirroring the painted highland cow behind it, and the Loch Ness Monster.”

While MDF is one of Fiona’s preferred panels for painting onto, MTX “made all the difference” to this project. She explains: “The paintings would never survive outside if painted on regular MDF. MTX is fantastic for this project as it has guaranteed generations of children the enjoyment of the paintings, as it won’t rot or weather for up to 50 years.”

“After cutting the panels to size, I was delighted to see that they required no sanding; they cut very smoothly and consistently. Their smooth flat surface was a joy to paint on! I prepared the panels with gesso just as normal. They were painted in outdoor grade acrylic paint and finished with clear varnish.”

Sustainably manufactured with zero added formaldehyde and made weather resistant using an organic acetylation process, MTX is especially well positioned for the hospital environment, where formaldehyde emissions must be kept to an absolute minimum.