One of the most tranquil places in Umbria, Italy

One of our favorite clients asked us to design a scenic to paint inside two stone niches on his patio. We looked at each other and both said "The Clituno!" It is one of our most favorite places for serenity, natural beauty, clear and clean water, history, and a kind of magical mystery with a timeless quality. The willow trees there are stunning and unforgettable. This spring is loosely known as one of the sources of the Tiber River that flows down into Rome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitunno
"the spring was celebrated as a great beauty spot by the Romans but also by Byron and Giosuè Carducci"

We first stopped here on a day trip from nearby Spoleto, a lively, culturally rich Umbrian hilltown where we were staying. It was as if time had stood still and the environment was so gorgeous that we stayed all afternoon.

If you want to know more about this stunning area-

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1438734-d2658749-Reviews-Le_Fonti_del_Clitunno-Campello_sul_Clitunno_Province_of_Perugia_Umbria.html

We worked from our own photo archives and also from our feelings for this place is symbolic of our honeymoon trip and it was joyful to be able to visit there again in our imaginations.
Niches measure 42" high by 24" wide. Painted in Nova Color Acrylics.

Sky Ceiling

Sometimes a ceiling is part of the job and painting a sky effect can be very satisfying if there is enough height to give it the drama it needs. Best if the light fixture is not already in place! And the blue has to be just right!

Kitchen Vistal for Wine Country Residence

From sketch to wall, this custom scenic mural was created to bring in a little bit of the Luberon, Southern France mixed with Healdsburg, California terrain.
It lives in a kitchen set up for a gourmet cook who wanted to capture some of her favorite places that held deep meaning for her. And it was very fun to do. The painted woodwork and window matches the other wooden windows in the house.

Hurray for Terra Cotta!

Leo Germano in 1991 with his painted terra cotta pot collection-

One of our oldest murals was painted on a very bumpy cement wall that gave this mural a surprising resonance and rich texture. This was commissioned work to bring the outside into a laundromat back in the 90's. We had a lot of fun composing this scene and stacking these pots.  The color of terra cotta, or burnt earth-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta is classical and inviting. It is an ancient material that has a long list of artful associations.
Don't you want to pick up one and do some planting?

Landscape/Seascape for Dental Office

Left side of a triptych -72" x 48"

The requirements for this setting, an intimate and beautiful older carriage house that has been transformed into a dental office, was that the commissioned painting give a feeling of mystery and ambiguous space - calming and appealing to the imaginations of patients as they have their teeth taken care of.
In doctor's and dentist's offices and treatment rooms, the art on the walls can play a part in helping people in a time of anxiety.

The boat is a symbol of passage and in this case, an invitation to journey or rest in this stark landscape/seascape. It helps expand the feeling of dimension by going back into nature.

This is one of three boats that inhabit the three panels that hang together and offer a destination for a few moments in time where one is free to explore a kind of dream space.

Bon Appetite Mentions Murals!

Bon Appetite Magazine- September 2014 talks about murals

 In the September issue of Bon Appetite magazine, we were delighted to find the following quote that helps with a larger picture of why a restaurant would choose commissioned art to adorn the walls and give distinction to the space.
Hand painted murals are the real thing - created specifically to resonate and give off some wonderful energy. They make the whole eating experience more memorable and remarkable.

The Bon Appetite mural sample

Sign Painting Movie and Reality

Street Taco on Haight Street in process

We were working on Haight Street, painting a sign for our client and met an Australian man, Roger Warsop who told us about a movie, http://signpaintermovie.blogspot.com/ We agreed that there was great promise in this documentary for all of us who dip into paint to make letters and graphics that stand far above and beyond the cheap plastic stick on letters that are everywhere, curling at the edges and looking very sad. There is no distinction in those letters. Real paint has magic in it as one can see in the movie or read in the book. Thank you Faythe Levine and Sam Macon!

Roger was attracted to our work because he was a sign painter himself. We had a great conversation that revolved around the renaissance of hand painted signs. He learned his skill from his sign writing father and now teaches his techniques to students who are excited to carry on this time honored tradition. https://www.facebook.com/roger.warsop

We have been doing more signs lately. The whole point is to get the paint jars opened, the pointed brushes out and the client lined up so that streets and businesses will have some authentic hand painted resonance working for them. A business' image will be enhanced by the special attention paid to their logos, lettering and identity.