When Two Worlds Collide

When Two Worlds Collide

Today’s art blog posting is on hold. We’re combining photo world with art world on set today.

Stay tuned! Here’s a teaser: Can you guess what this is ?

#art #artistlife

Dreaming of a White ...Kitchen

Dreaming of a White…Kitchen

As snow starts to blanket the North, our wonderful snowbirds are flocking back to SW Florida and bringing the white with them. Well, not white snow but rather a love for crisp clean white kitchens. In past year we’ve changed dozens of kitchens from the Tuscan dark wood or that strange orange wood shade to shades white.  Creating a brighter lighter and cleaner feel into the heart of the home. There are more shades of white than any other color. There are white shades for modern interiors, traditional interiors, eclectic interiors, and yes white shades for Tuscan interiors. Here’s a look at some of the recent shades chosen:

Selecting a light shade for the cabinet and using a light colored counter top were crucial for this low ceiling height kitchen. The basket weave backsplash tile adds fun for this home owners winter get away:

Painting these kitchen cabinets in a bright white shade called Snowbound and installing contrasting black counter tops makes this kitchen ultra- sleek:

Painting with a creamy white shade with a touch of glaze allows these Tuscan kitchens to stay true to the homes architecture but allow the space to feel fresh and airy:

Come out of the dark and into the light ! Contact me as Swan Studios Inc and let's give your kitchen a fresh new look ! www.swanstudio.net/

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Making a Little Girl’s Dream Come True

Making a Little Girl’s Dream Come True

Children’s rooms are always a delight to paint. Their energy and creativity are boundless. Having them involved in the process of deciding what goes onto the walls of their rooms is important. It gives them ownership and pride. Of course, parents can try to be practical and say they want something that will last as they grow older. But let’s be honest: no one, especially a child will remain with the same style and taste for more than 4 to 5 years. So, go ahead and indulge in a colorful fantastical room décor.

A recent child’s room project brought together a fantasy of color, imagination, and room to grow. A new home- owner has a little girl at that stage called the “tween” years. The magical age of still part child but becoming a teen. She wanted splashes of her favorite colors on her wall. The inspiration is watercolor paints when they’re washed with water and become blended on paper. Recreating that effect on a wall requires working against gravity. I painted with both latex and acrylic paints. Each color on it’s on palette and separate soft full brush, additional water-based glaze, and rags. When working on the highest portions, I had the luxury of an assistant who could stop any sections from spreading down further than I wanted them to spread.

The water- color splashed wall was painted as a surprise for the home owner’s daughter. When she arrived home from school her squeals of delight said it all !

Here's a full look at the water-color splashed wall:

The artist in front of the water-color splashed wall:

Let Swan Studios Inc bring your color dreams to life. Contact me at Swan Studios Inc

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Sneak peek

Sneak Peek at a fun mural project I'm working on. My parakeet, Patches, was the inspiration for this adorable cheery character. #muralist #custommural

Going Out on a Limb

Going Out on a Limb

What a fun mural assignment this was! True, we’d spent the prior 3 weeks mural painting in our lovely SWFL sweltering heat, making any paint job close to air conditioning seem like a luxury vacation.       (May God bless Willis Carrier and all his descendants. Willis Carrier invented A/C ).  But the mural truly was fun. The homeowner had several adorable animal wall-climbing sculptures by artist Ancizar Martin. I painted a simple tree silhouette with limbs reaching across the guest bath’s entry door and sink area. Then the wall-climbers were hung so that they appear to be repelling from tree limbs.  It makes for a delightful, artsy, quirky guest powder room. We even made sure there’s room for the homeowner to add to the wall-climbing sculpture collection.      

Cat and dog sculpture hanging from the central tree mural: 

A monkey sculpture hangs from the limb over the entry door:

Fun angle from the adjacent shower room:

The mirror allows you to see the entire silhouette mural:

The limb over the mirrors is waiting for the next piece of the collection:

To have a custom painted mural in your home or business, contact me at:

Swan Studios Inc

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Dreamy and Glamorous

Dreamy and Glamorous

I’ve been blessed to have several art collecting clients lately. It is pure joy creating back drops for their collections. Art collectors also recognize the huge blank canvas in every room- the ceiling. The ceiling can set the tone for the entire room.  One recent homeowner has a knack for art and antique collecting and a serious streak for glamour. Nothing is more glamorous than foil faux finishes and glitter faux finishes. It was also week one for the newest assistant. Delving in head-first he learned techniques for foiling, plastering, glitter-mica fluff, and oil rubbed bronze effects.

 First up were the Master Bedroom and Sitting room ceilings along with two large niches which were at 2^nd floor height but seen from all areas on the 1^st and 2^nd floor. Each surface received a mix of silver foil and antique gold foil. Flicks of bronze foil were also added into the master ceiling surface.  Lusterstone plaster was then troweled onto The Master ceiling and Sitting room ceilings. Using various shades of white Lusterstone the overall effect is dreamy and glamorous just like the homeowner.

Close-Up View of Sitting Room ceiling:

Master ceiling:

The ceilings were gorgeous even before the dreamy plaster was added:

The mingling of the silver and antique gold faux finish creates a glamorous backdrop

for the homeowners urns and statues:

Neutral tones of foil and plaster are perfect if you're accentuating art pieces. Of course, mixing foil and plaster doesn't mean you have to remain neutral. Some of my homeowners opted to have the ceiling be the work of art:

Ready for glamor ? Be it subtle or bold, contact me at Swan Studios Inc:

http://www.swanstudio.net

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Painting the World- Literally

Painting the World- Literally

We’ve been using the tag line “Painting your world beautiful, one surface at a time” for a few years now. Over the past few weeks that has been quite literally the case. The completed exterior Kiwanis mural includes a large globe of the earth and children in a range of ethnicities. Painting is always a joy and even more joyous when painting for an entity whose sole purpose is to help the children in the local community and around the globe.

The purpose of the mural was to bring attention to the north thrift store located near a major intersection in the city of Cape Coral, Florida. The building needed to stand out. It certainly does now with its bold vibrant colors from top to bottom and side to side.

 As with any exterior mural, there were some challenges along the way. According to the city rules of what constitutes a mural versus a sign, letters and numbers could not be used in the mural. The original mural ideas had included the titles of the various Kiwanis Club divisions. Ultimately, images of the activities within the clubs were selected rather than words.

 Aktion Club whose Mission is: Mission:

To provide adults living with disabilities an opportunity to develop initiative, leadership skills and to serve their communities.

K-Kids: Elementary School Age Students

Builders Club: Middle School Age Students

Key Club: High School Age Students

Each age group is an international, student-led organization that provides its members with opportunities to provide service, build character and develop leadership.

And the Annual Kid Fest

We're blessed with amazing weather here in SW Florida. Sunshine rains supreme so special care is done using exterior and lightfast paints. We also experienced a phenomenal amount of rain during the mural process. A true testament to the tenacity and quick dry time of the paints used. 

So may people stopped by to compliment and to have their photo taken with the mural. We're looking forward to seeing more photos as visitors take their picture with this new Cape Coral landmark.

Be sure to tag Swan Studios Inc and Kiwanis Club of Cape Coral !

#Kiwanismural #streetart #landmarkmural