Monthly Archives: January 2013

Baseball mural, anyone?

It brings me much joy to integrate an element into a room that is personal and valuable to the owner.  Painting this mural was one of those times. It’s not as permanent as a tattoo but makes as profound a statement about what is important to a person.

In this case, that someone would be a 13 year old boy who loves to play baseball.

And this is now a wall in his bedroom.

IMG_1577

Baseball mural

In collaboration with the talented Heather Spriggs Thompson, I think painting this mural was the most fun I’ve had this month!

Anybody have a wall and something near and dear to their heart to put on it?  Call me!

Dramatic Dining Room

I think it is interesting that our society in general is in constant search of the fountain of youth. But we value agedness in some of the things around us. We will even go to lengths to make things look old and worn to match our decor or give interest to a setting.  In this case it definitely paid off.

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Dramatic dining room

The new home owner decided to go with a dark trim in some key places; the dining room being one.

However, we took it a step farther and added some age to the embellishments here and there.

Aged medallion

Aged medallion

Not only the medallion but also the light fixture itself.

Dark light fixture

Dark light fixture

Painting a light fixture might not occur to most people but it was much easier than replacing it.

All of these elements started out in a light cream color.  Someday I’ll have the forethought to take before photos.

The effect is especially stunning on the columns leading into the dining room.

Aged column

Aged column

Aged column detail

Aged column detail

Another larger light fixture in the foyer sets the tone for this dark, dramatic effect.

Darkened chandelier

Darkened chandelier

That was fun to paint!

Chandelier closeup

Chandelier close up

These details give me goosebumps.  Yes, I am a design nerd.  I’m glad we’ve gotten that out in the open.

Once again, I am privileged and grateful to be a part of projects like this one.

Design by the lovely Heather Spriggs Thompson.

What will be your canvas?

I love Street Art Utopia.

I especially love their motto “We declare the world as our canvas”.

What an awesome medium!  The creativity and talents of many artists make up this site.  Their work is inspiring, thought provoking and challenging.

Sometimes it just makes me giggle.

Street Art Utopia

Street Art Utopia

I started to think about the coming year and what it would bring and what might my canvas be?

blank canvas

blank canvas

A blank canvas of this kind is both thrilling and terrifying to me.  The possibilities are endless, the completion immensely gratifying but it’s the process that thrills me.

There are so many blank canvases to choose from.

blank canvas

blank canvas

blank canvas

blank canvas

blank canvas

blank canvas

Do they thrill you?  Terrify you? Challenge you?

Madeleine L’Engle said it best:

Obedience is an unpopular word nowadays, but the artist must be obedient to the work, whether it be a symphony, a painting, or a story for a small child. I believe that each work of art, whether it is a work of great genius, or something very small, comes to the artist and says, “Here I am. Enflesh me. Give birth to me.” And the artist either says, “My soul doth magnify the Lord,” and willingly becomes the bearer of the work, or refuses; but the obedient response is not necessarily a conscious one, and not everyone has the humble, courageous obedience of Mary.

May 2013 be a rewarding, challenging and awe inspiring canvas for you.