What Is Your Spirit Animal?

What is Your Spirit Animal?

Are you bold or fearful? Are you playful or serene? Throughout mythology the concept of a spirit animal appears. An animal that approaches life in the same manner as your own personality. The concept even appears in pop-culture. An example would be Patronus, a protective force that appears as an animal and correlates to a person's inner character, in Harry Potter series. Sometimes these animals are a remembrance of someone we lost. One of the most common being a butterfly tattoo to represent a grandmother who passed away. That’s where today’s art feature leads- back to the beach.

I was asked to paint a beach scene for a courtyard pool area. The request was specific as to what items needed to appear in the painting. 2 Adirondack chairs to represent the parents of the home. There were to be seven little shells in a row to represent their grandchildren, and 5 seagulls to represent their children. The mural was such a hit when they returned to their SW Florida vacation home that more items were requested. More “spirit animals” were painted in.

Here’s a close-up tour:

Of all the spirit creatures painted the seagulls are my favorite. Sure, they fly and look adorable on the beach. But I painted one with beak wide open and wings flapping. I figured every family has that “one”. Sure enough, as soon as they saw the seagulls, they started naming which child each represented:

The grandchildren, painted as little shells in a row:

The grandparents, as dolphins, and each given a specific side of the mural. Or perhaps I should say, specific side of the Adirondack chairs. Sort of like seating people on a specific side of the wedding aisle:

The parents ( and step parents ), were also given a specific side of the mural.

Two who were still living are represented by turtles:

And those that have passed on to Heaven are painted as butterflies:

To anyone else the scene is a fun, colorful, delightful day at the beach. To the owners, it brings joy of new memories created enjoying life in SW Florida, while remembering all those they hold dear to their heart. I’m honored to have created this for such a love filled family:

To have your own beach mural, commemorative mural, or perhaps even your pet painted contact me at:

Swan Studios Inc 

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#animalmural #beachmural #outdoormural

Beachy Feel Painted Furniture

Beachy Feel Painted Furniture

One of the most popular requests from clients has always been “I want a beachy feel on my furniture. Do you know what I mean?” Yes, indeed! Its chic, sometimes called shabby chic. It can be comforting and quaint. At other times, the same technique can be aged and elegant. When you have a furniture piece that functions and fits in the space just the way you want, having it faux painted is the perfect solution especially here in SW Florida where everyone wants that beachy vibe. 2021 is proving the beach scene to be even more popular as people are flocking here in hundreds and thousands every day. Full time residents call them snowbirds. But these snowbirds are deciding to permanently nest here. Either way, they want that “beachy feel”. 

Here’s a look at two recent pieces. The first falls into the shabby chic category and the second piece in the aged and elegant category. Each of the pieces served a purpose and fit the space for their homeowner. Each homeowner wanted a “beachy feel”. Yet each home had a different aesthetic. 

 A kitchen sideboard started out as golden tone butcher block. It’s been painted in the same blue used on a prior painted piece ( SW6811 Honorable Blue ), then received several coats of whitewashing. The piece will be heavily used so a clear coat was a must. In this case, a dull finish was used so it wouldn’t distract from the beach cottage feel: 

Here’s a look at the prior faux painted piece: ( You can read more about it at : Coastal Cottage Faux Finish )

What if your home has a more Tuscan feel or you want that beach vibe but not quite so "cottagey" ( yep we make up words in this brave new world )...

This pair of etageres hold treasured collections for the homeowner. Formally off white, they now appear to be dusty teal paint time worn to reveal weathered arid beach wood. 

There's a reflection of a Tuscan mural in the second etagere. You can read more detail about that at: Sunny Italy 

No matter if your home has a cottage feel, traditional interior, or even ultra- modern dynamic there is a faux finish look that can give you that desired “beachy feel”. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

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#paintedfurniture #fauxfinish #beachypaintedfurniture

Mmm Mmm …Glitter!

In 1996 the Museum of Modern Art paid a jaw dropping 15 million plus for Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup paintings. Solidifying his legitimacy with what started out as an oddity for gallery viewers in the 1960’s. Warhol took everyday machine manufactured items and belied the Pop Art scene with his noticeable strokes.   Further carving his mark in art history. The items he chose, the comfort food of our childhood, are now both homey and art all at the same time.  As for Campbell’s, you have to admit their slogans are fun. Most of us could rattle off 3 or 4 of them without hesitation.

In a previous article I featured glitter art pieces of Kellogg’s cereals ( see below ). Then it hit me. I needed to create a glitter art piece celebrating Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Tomato Soup. I did take on the task of including the Gold Seal details. Warhol, as you know, found the paints wouldn’t stick to his gold paint so he left it as a gold circle. Mercy, let me tell you, that seal is an intricate little thing. But you never know, one day that small detail may be worth 15 million.

The art piece is 12” x16” wood art panel with a 1 ½” cradle. Its is clear coated in epoxy:

It’s available online through our glitter art division at: Campbell's Tomato Soup Glitter Art

As for Kellogg’s cereal glitter art pieces…I eat glitter for breakfast !

Apple Jacks Glitter Art

Corn Pops Glitter Art

Froot loops Glitter Art

Raisin Bran Glitter Art

To commission an art piece, contact me at :Marty at Swan Studios Inc 

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And Remember... Never Under Estimate the Power of...GLITTER !

#glitterart #campbell’ssoup 

 

Only At Night Can We See The Stars

Only At Night Can We See The Stars 

Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. We can’t see the air, yet we breathe it from the moment of birth. It also reminds me of the old joke about not being able to see someone’s brain, yet wait, that joke seems to be true for some people. So, we’ll give that joke a pass-over. The point being, that nuclear fusion is constantly blasting throughout the galaxy, but we can only see it because of the darkness of night. And when night falls the sky lights up with millions of stars. Actually, 400 billion to more exact. And they twinkle like diamonds!

The same theory can be used for interiors. A contrast is necessary to see the beauty of a room’s objects. In 2021 one of the strongest trends in color will be black. Black will be used as both overall room color and as room accents.

Starting the year off right and on trend, this feature master bedroom wall has a bronze and gold metallic finish finished off with a black glaze and embellished with black mica rock:

The tufted headboard now pops against the blackened faux finish:

The black mica rock embellishment gives the wall an extra flair and twinkle:

Get your home ready to embrace to the 2021 trends. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

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#decortrends2021 #blackfauxfinish #micarockfauxfinish