Gallery
Business Murals
Commercial establishments which I have had the privilege to enhance with murals include restaurants, apartment lobbies, party rooms and corporate offices. Each venue has its own special needs in order to best display its environment. Restaurants can allow for romance and familiarity; offices, by nature, require a more serious tone. Whatever the environment, there is an ideal solution to satisfy that particular need. Calligraphy is a handy skill to utilize for scripting mission statements or logos.
I have used cherry pickers to reach the highest elevations of an automotive plant and scaffolding in subzero weather for a restaurant makeover. No matter the venue, each one calls for unique ideas and skilled execution to meet the customer's satisfaction.
Children's Rooms
When it comes to children's rooms, the little kid in each of us comes out. It is a joy to light up the faces of little ones with whimsical fantasy environments. Colors are usually more eye-popping, figures and images can be exaggerated without question and the subject can cover a range of topics. Copyright infringement is not allowed in my business; there is no copying of Mickey Mouse or Winnie the Pooh, etc. However, there is no need for this because the imagination carries ideas further than any previously created picture or character. One thing about which I caution each patron is to choose a subject that will hold the child's interest as he/she grows in and out of various stages. Sports has been the all-time best seller for boys; girls' preferences for sweet images of landscapes, swings, forests, ribbons, open skies above their beds, and jazzy adolescent designs, etc., last a long time. Whatever the case, murals are an investment that require some thought about longevity. Seeing youngsters' eyes light up when they see their new bedroom is priceless.
Fool the Eye
Painting with the intent to ‘surprise’ the viewer with an unexpected image is always a delight. When a room is ordinary, one needs to do the extraordinary. A common method to accomplish this is to create windows, doorways, arches, niches, pathways, etc. with paint instead of brick and mortar or drywall. The French call this style ‘trompe l’oeil (tromp loi) or ‘fool the eye’. The trick is to make these images appear so real that one is tempted to walk through the ‘door way’ or to reach for the ‘flower’ sitting on a ‘windowsill’. Shadows are very important; without shadows the image would appear ornamental or decorative…very 2-dimensional. This is a very popular choice among my patrons since it allows for much whimsy. There have been many sweet chuckles and animated conversation during the planning of these murals. They always prove to be a delight to behold. First reactions are priceless. The entire flavor of the room comes alive.
Land, Sky & Sea
Painting landscapes (or cityscapes, or skyscapes, or seascapes) is a very effective way to create a dramatic setting for any room, whether it be in a home or in a commercial establishment. Whether the mural is for a full wall or a smaller segment of the wall, as, perhaps, seen through a pretend window, it commands attention. I come from the old school of purists that paints with real brushes--- no airbrushes or gimmicks. Before I begin, the ideas are well thought out in my head so errors are few and far between, if there are any at all. That makes for speedy work because mistakes take time to correct and I can avoid unnecessary frustration. There is a lot of room for artistic license through color, style, and technique when painting 'scapes'. Painting this type of mural is a lot of fun and is as rewarding as seeing the completed work. My portfolio has, by far, more murals in this category than any other; it has been a very popular choice.
Mini Murals
Mini Murals are simply small paintings that attract a large attention. They are done on distressed woods with a squiggly wire for charms to be hung in those difficult areas where nothing else seems to fit. They are fun and, at times, whimsical which leads to delightful conversations.
Vody at Work
