Norman J. Levy Lakeside School Murals

The Norman J. Levy lakeside school was the perfect venue for some interesting and fun mural work. There were seven pre-existing panels in the cafeteria that were just BROWN. These ugly brown panels were begging for some excitement. the PTA President , and principal contacted me and we shot around some ideas, until we came up with filling the areas with the subjects in the schools curriculum. I submitted sketches that featured math, social studies, science, reading , art, and gym for their approval. I was also asked to come up with an idea to fill a large space high above the kitchen window. I painted the murals in three days over this past Christmas vacation, the students and faculty have not seen any of the work yet! This is my favorite part, seeing the reactions of the kids when they first go back to school on Monday.

PDPA SUMMIT

This is a summit our industry has been in need of for a while. I hope to be able to attend in September 2010. Hit the link above for all the information you need to learn about the workshops and lectures that will take place. The summit is being launched by my good friend Patrick Ganino a true leader and innovator in the industry of decorative painting.

Art League Long Island

The annual member exhibition will take place in two parts this year due to such a large participant out pouring over the summer. The first exhibition will be on November 8- 29, 2009 - reception November 8 from 3-5 pm. The second part of the exhibition will be on December 6 - 27, 2009- the reception December 6 from 3-5 pm. The juror for this show will bw Lynda Anderson from Lynda Anderson galleries in Locust valley. I will be exhibiting my painting in the secon half of the show. The Art Leauge of Long Island is located at 107E Deer Park RD in Dix Hills. The Jeanne Tennelson gallery is a lovely gallery and a wonderful venue for exhibiting work. The reception promises to be an afternoon of diverse artwork and a delightful mix of talented artists and collectors alike.

The Best Of Long Island

Once again we have been nominated by the Long Island Press in the "Best Artist" category. This is the third year as a company for us to be honored by this newspaper. We have won the title for 2008 and 2009 ! We hope to win for 2010 . We are very proud to even be nominated again and are looking foward to the results in December. For those of you who would like to vote, and we NEED votes!!! Please hit the link above and go to the "arts and entertainment" section we are located in the "Artists" section. Or go to www.longislandpress.com/bestof/ The Long Island Press is a weekly paper that covers the heart and sole of issues, happenings and areas of Long island, look for it in your local supermarket or subscribe to delivery.

A hotel lobby in your living room!

Recently I was contacted by clients who wanted the feel of a hotel lobby in thier entryway and living room areas. HMMMMM how do we create that breezy, relaxed island atmosphere? We worked together in coming up with ideas that would include murals in 6 built in panels as well as a massive barrel cieling. On the wall facing the "water fall" wall, I designed a mural that created the feel of a veranda opening out onto a beach . We included palms, birds, lush tropical plants and a rock waterfall. On either side of the actual water wall we decided to paint an actual hotel lobby scene complete with a baby grand piano, inviting wing back chairs, plants and wine! The completed mural was finished off with a sky mural painted on the barrel cieling. Finishing off the wood work surrounding the murals I crackled and distressed an off white color semi gloss paint over a copper verdigris tropical blue. The effect is a very weathered and Carribean like wood finish. Now when you walk into this entryway you can almost hear the steel drums beckoning you for a margherita and a cool ocean breeze.

LG Salon a study in metal and texture

LG salon , recently opened in Amityville, a lovely high end salon with a big open and inviting floor plan. When you walk in you are greeted with smiles from owners Larry and his wife Nicole, then it's off for color, cut or style whichever you prefer. The salon offers everything from hair cuts and color to nails and waxing. We did a silver , copper, and gold dutch metal finish over crackled walls, the results give a luminous quality to the environment and are a nice contrast in color and texture to the rustic brickwork on the opposing walls. Located in the Five Guys shopping mall, LG Salon has plenty of parking and is conveniently located on Merrick Rd.

Tissue Finishes and beyond....

One of my favorite finishes to do is a tissue finish. I love the variations you can get with the tissue, from rich supple leather looks to ultra modern and sophisticated looks with metals. Recently i started applying the tissue and activating my metal paints with an activating spray. The results on the tissue are spectaular. The fun of this of course is the element of surprise because you never really know what your going to get as far as pattern and reaction depth. I use Modern Masters metal reactive paints and sprays, Baroque and Blue Patina being my favorites. My most recent project was a small powder room for a long time client. I did a dark eggplant base color to apply my tissue and then randomly applied Statuary Bronze, baroque and Copper paints. When Sprayed with the blue patina solution the results were phenominal. the beauty of these finishes are the tissue, all the metal and patina get caught in the cracks and folds, delivering a lovely surface that invites the viewer to touch it.

St Elizabeth Seton school

Updating and creating a warm environment for Catholic School children. Most schools in general have an "antiseptic" type hospital feel about them . St. Elizabeth Seton school in Bellemore was no exception. When I was contacted by Joe Maniscalco, (head of the Father's Guild) to transform the 2 vast cafeterias and entryway. I had some very definative ideas about what I wanted to achieve. The principal, Leann Graziose, was a dream to work with, her only wish was to include the Noah's Arc theme mural in the foyer connecting the two cafeterias. The rest was up to me, she stated "if you see a spot that needs paint, knock yourself out" - so I did! The main entrance was treated with religious theme mini murals depicting the seasons of the church. I used a mosaic cross stencil and hand painted scrolls and leaves. Cafeteria one has an all out fun feast for the eyes mural depicting fantasy dragons, mermaids , princesses and space. Cafeteria two is hosting a Dali reproduction featuring butterflies and vast perspective. The Noah's Arc themed mural shows the Arc breaking through the wall of the school and the animals are strategically scattered through out the corridors. I believe the paintings have indeed created a fun and more creative environment for the children and I hope they enjoy them as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Cafe Gio gets a new look

The lovely resturant Cafe Gio located on Sunrise Highway in West Babylon recently had some new addistions added to its already cozy and inviting decor. Sal the hospitable and friendly owner asked me to decorate the large frames around two huge tray cielings overlooking the diningrooms. I handpainted scrolls in liquid gold leaf on a metalic copper plaster. The results look bright, interesting and very pretty. Cafe Gio, known for it's brick over pizza among other tasty dishes, also features a large wood sign over the main brick oven, I painted a mural with an old world style Italian chef and some pizza fixings here. If you are in the mood for some great food and a lovely atmosphere check out Cafe Gio

Summer Fun on Long Island

The best place to live in my humble opinion is Long Island. I do not think people realize the abundance of natural beauty this island has to offer. When a person has the luxury of exploring this gem of a place by sea, the wonders never cease. I was out jetskiing last week on the glorious great South Bay, the sun blaring, waves crashing in my salt stung eyes, wind blowing through my hair and all I kept thinking was this is the life!! I felt such gratitude in being able to experience this wonderful place, and cherish it as if it were my own backyard. The tide was real low, just south of the Robert Moses Causeway, we stopped and got of our skis. The water was a mere 18 inches tops. There were bushels of clams, crabs and sea snails everywhere. I picked up a coch shell the size of a football!.. Of course I brought it home to add to my collection. Then we headed over to Fire Island....whew was it hot! Figuratively and literally! Little didwe know ther area of beach we moored on was nude...Then we spotted a very naked man who looked exactly like Santa emerge from the surf..we new we either had to take it all off or head for the bar...Sangria won out and we will be happy to be keeping our tan lines thank you very much! On the way over to the bar we saw a family of deer in the grass just beneath the light house, what a place!! The lighthouse was crawling with people. Kismet is a quaint and lovely little place to beach comb, relax or just throw a few back. Our ride home was choppy, exciting and very wet! I love my little slice of heaven.

Painting outdoors in Plien Air....

Have you always thought you would like to pack up your easel, tubes of paint and head for the park or beach? I have passed people I see doing this and often wondered to myself is it more of a pain to lug all my stuff, or is it worth the trip. I have never painted in Plien Air, I have thought about it. I even envy people I see doing this, secretly wanting to sneak up on them and ...well, never mind that. I think I will try it. I have had a creative funk this summer, due to to the chronic fun I have been having, seems painting is more like work and i have been an absentee employee in the work force this summer. My dark skin color is a dead give away to my slacking abilities. I am going to paint in Plien Air, I saw a woman, from my jet ski last week, did I mention I was on my jet ski? Anyhoo, she was painting her little heart out on a canal over looking the Great South Bay, what a view! I admit it I was jealous for a second, before I sped away and sprayed her with my wake...no just kidding , really I am going to do this Plien Air, out door painting thing .

Nursery Decor

I have noticed in recent months people asking me for a simpler style in thier babies nursery decor. Over the years, I have done everything to character murals, to theme rooms consisting of firehouses to galaxies in a nursery. In recent months the challenge has been to create a room theme that is a more elegant and lasting feel for the baby. Nuetral colors utilizing textures, such as plasters, can be quite elegant and striking. Stripes, or harlequin diamonds are another approach. For girls the new color scheme is pink and chocolae brown. A great place to get inspired is Posh Tots, this catologue is chock full of great ideas, items and unique furnishings for a nursery.

Collaborating with fellow artists

Last month i had the distinct pleasure of being asked by my good friend Jeanne Schnupp, of "Jeannie's Designs" to corraborate with her on a magnificent wood floor she was commisioned to finish. I had done a similar floor about a year ago, and was happy to share my experience on that job to help her project run smoothly. The floor was stripped by a pro floor finisher and Jeanne and her partner set out on the arduous task of marking off all the boxes. Next I came to help her hand taping, and scoring each box that was to be stained. We scored each box with a straight razor to ensure minimal bleed in the stain, bare wood, that has no conditioner, or sealers on it is highly susceptable to stain, so we took this extra pre caution. Next we off loaded of chip brushes and stained away for a full day. The last step was a light stain to be doneby the floor guy, and a coat of poly. The results are a spectacular dramatic diamond pattern that really enhances the area of this sprawling ranch in the North Shore of Long Island.

Inspiration in our daily day to day tasks....

Mural painting is something that feeds my family, through diligent efforts and smart planning. I find fun, challenging and interesting projects. Lately I have been finding inspiration for my murals and fine art painting in my daily routines. Last Sunday I spent a lovely day at the local dog park, located just east of the Robert Moses Causeway, I went armed with my camera, and a bottle of water. 87 photos later I had found inspiration for shadow, sky, sea and landscapes. Just the beauty of walking through dense trees, and looking up, gave me wonderful photos of the sky surrounded by leaves. Inspiration is only a short walk and a sunny day away!

Avon Walk for a Cure

This week I have signed up for this charitable and worthy cause. Because of the inspiration from my good friend Jeanne, who does this walk every year, i have decided to join her. The walk it self is 39 miles through New york City and the proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research. I am hoping to reach my goal of 1800. I have begun training this week which can't be a bad thing, getting out , walking in the beautiful spring weather is good for mind, body and soul. Plus my dog is not complaining about the extra time out! To find out more about the walk, to donate or to join hit the link above.

Westbury Gardens: an artists delight

A recent trip to Westbury Gardens on mother's Day with my family was met with ture awe and delight. This beautifully manicured oasis in the heart of Old Westbury is a rrare jewel on the island's north shore. We started our tour in the sprawling mansion, the handpainted wallpapers, and ornamental plasters greeting us in every room. The exotis marbles on table tops and surrounding fireplaces made me itch to break the "no photographs" rule. The most impressive 2 inch slab of solid lapis in the main foyer begged me to touch it despite the many "do not touch" signs. Yes the mansion is a decorative artist's paradise, every room had something to make me stop and stare! The outdoor gardens were just lovely my favorite being the reflecting pool surrounded by the wisteria trellis'. We packed a picnic lunch, brought a football and had a relaxing day on the great lawn. There was quite a few artists with easels propped up in various little corners of the grounds. If you are an artist or just appreciate an abundance of beauty , why not plan a day here and bring your easel.

Art in the Park

The Amityville Artists Circle is sponsoring it's annual Art in the Park event on May 16, at the Nautical Park on Ocean Ave. and Merrick Rd. The event promises to be a fun and inspriring day full of art, demonstrations, and entertainment. I will have a booth this year and plan on showcasing some of my newer paintings as well as doing a few demos myself. I will be dmonstrating fresco techniques, as well as japanese marbling. for info call 516 541 8782 see you there!

Japanese Marbling

This Easter I wanted to try something a bit different with my eggs. My friend Theresa Cheeck, from Texas sent me this lovely pear paperweight she made for Christmas. The pear had a paint technique that i had seen before but never had a clue how to do it. Theresa was generous enough to "walk me through " the process as if it were " Marbling for dummies" and gave me a link which is connected to the title of this post where I could buy all my supplies. I was set to try this wonderfully fun technique. I invited a few of my artist friends over and we marbled wooden eggs, trays, scarves and paper. The technique call "Sumingashi" is created by floating paint on water that has carageenan added to it. This bath now has a slickness to it that allows the paint to float on top. We then used a stylus to create patterns and designs in the paint colors. Our objects to marble were soaked in allum and then we dipped away. Our egges and scarves were really fun, the kids enjoyed watching the process. The fun thing about this is , the element of surprise, you really do not know what you will wind up with, but almost garanteed it will be beautiful! Thank you again Theresa!

From trash to treasure

Scouring garage sales is one of the highlights of the warmer months for me. Whenever I see a sign or a driveway full of "stuff" I slow the car down, it drives the kids nuts. Some of my best finds have been from garage and tag sales. The items I am always looking for are classically shaped wood furniture, glassware and large paintings in frames. I like finding pieces of furniture because sometimes they are really good as new, when they need a make over its an opportunity for me try "play" with a fun piece and I usually wind up donating that to my church. Glassware is some what of a hobby of mine, I like odd shapes, mismatched chrystal and stemware, decanters and vases. The paintings are always good finds in my opinion because if the canvas is usable, I can paint over the existing painting, if not I toss the painting and keep the frame. Frame can be expensive and having nice frames are important when I display my artwork. Someone's trash might be your treasure, and it really never hurts to look right?

Spring Cleaning

Well Finally Spring feels like it might be around the corner. I spent today cleaning my home, office and studio spaces. Many bags of garbage were disposed of! Today was a good day for me. I got alot accomplished here. I went through old sample boards, I tossed the ones that just don't sell. Like an old pair of shoes, if I have not worn them in over 2 years I toss them. With my sample boards if I have not sold it ever I tossed it. I recycled a few that I think might make interesting backgrounds for fine art type paintings. I organized my "inspiration" photo albums, and stacked my books and papers. The studio needed some tidying and the house was cleaned top to bottom including the cars! Taking inventory, and cleaning your work space helps keep you feeling in control and organized. For me it helps remind me of projects I found interesting a few months ago, and then unfortunately they may have been buried under the next "great project" added to my plate!For spring, its a good time to go through your ares, and re- establish your priorities. Plus it frees up time for gardening!

Learned Lessons in Reproducing Old Masters Paintings

As an artist I have many favorite painters, sculptors, and artists that I look up to, derive inspration from, and sometimes emulate. John William Godward is someone whose work moves me and inspires me. For many reason, I love his saturation of color his use of fabrics to convey form, and his incorporation of the often lovely female as the centerpiece of the painting. I had been wanting to incorporate my daughter into one of my favorite Godwards for a while. Over the last few months I gave it a go. I use these excersises as just that, an excersise in discapline, painting like someone else, as a challenge, and of course for my own pleasuer. My painting has a few lessons foe me. The lessons are positive and negative, I am very pleased with my renderings of the fabrics, shadows, marbles and girl. My dissappointment is that I have learned that not all paintings can be "morphed" successfully, my major failure in this painting is that my daughters face is not age appropriate to the original woman in the painting and that is why the painting looks a bit awkward. As artists we must learn from all endeavors, success is in everything because any lesson learned is of value, and all paintings serve as practice for your next Magnun Opus!

March 2009 Artist of the Month

The Faux Forum is my cyber home away from home. This is an online community where I have met and collaborated with artist friends from around the world. The Faux Forum is a place where I go for critique and help with my paintings while in progress, it's a place where I can ask questions when experiencing proffessional, or technical difficulties on a project. Faux Forum is a place where I can find out about upcoming events or plan to meet my friends at planned events. I have been honored with the Artist Of the Month recognition and I am in tremendous company. The artists recognized previosly is a long and impressive list, being added to this list is very special to me , being amongst such gifted talents, humbling. Take a moment to explore this wonderful online community, you will find some inspiring how to demo;s, some useful information on products and some interesting techniques. http://www.fauxforum.com

Sunday Sauce

Recently my husband has started taking an active interest in the house hold chore of cooking. Could it be because I burn everything? nahhhh We have been watching Lifeschool tv, and Stve Schirripa's "Hungry?" is our new favorite cooking show. He recently did a program featuring a Sunday Sauce. This is an Italian favorite and we decided to try the recipe for Dale's(my husband) birthday dinner. The recipre included Braciole, meatballs, sausage, cavatelli, and lotsa cheese! The recipe was shown on the show and made in a resturant in Littel italy in N.Y.C. We cooked the sauce for about 4 hours and the results were the hands down best sauce I have ever eaten,in fact the entire family agreed that the Irishman made the bets we Italians ever had! Thanks Steve! Here is the recipe, invite lots of friends over get some good red wine, and some home made canoli for dessert never does any harm! Braciole parsley, grated parmigiano cheese, sliced garkic, grated provolone, prosciutto fat, pignoli, raisins soaked in water, salt, pepper, chuck filet shoulder(pounded flat) mix your parsley (chopped) bread crumbs, chopped garlic and olive oil to a thick paste. Lay out each filet and put about 1.1/2 tbs of breadcrumb mixture in each slice. sprinkle cheeses, raisins, nuts, and place small piece of fat on top. wrap tightly with butchers twine. Braise in Olive oil on all sides. cook in sauce. Sauce 1/4c of olive oil and 2 cloves sliced garlic add 4 smashed shallots to pan and brown to golden. add 1/2 cup diced inions. 3 quarts of sauce(plain tomato) pinch oregano,lots of fresh basil , salt pepper to taste. add meat, braciloe, meatballs, and 6 sweet sausage. cook for 3-4 hours, add serve over cavatelli, with generous dallop of ricotta cheese! enjoy

Usinig "down" time to better our skills as artists.

There is no getting around the fact that we are in an economic down turn. For many of us in the Decorative Arts field, we are experiencing a slow down in work flow, as is the entire country and other fields. During slower times people can do many things to continue to help secure work, and market themselves. Today I would like to focus on bettering skills as an artist during a slower period. Maybe you have a few days here and there that are not filled. Can this time be used to paint a project purely for the sake of challenging yourself as an artist? Have you been wanting to try a different medium? such as pastels? Have you been thinking your landscape skills, or composition skills are lacking? This is the time to be painting, researching and planning for future jobs. This is a time when a painting a day, or week can really build upon skills you already have , or skills you would like to really fine tune. Libraries are free, as is internet resources such as ARC and Wikipedia, I find so much inspiration on these sights. Why not plan a project for yourself, today. I have come to realize that although I am slower than I would like in my business, I have never spent more time cranking out painting after painting these past few months. Once the creative juices flow, let yourself go! If you do start painting I would love to see what you are working on. I will be sure to share some of my newer inspirations. Have fun!

Kitchen Cabinets Revamped

Let's face it Kitchen cabinets are expensive, in a sluggish economy renovating a kitchen can work itself right off the "to do " list. If you have a kitchen that has wood cabinets, they can be finished in a ver affordable , highly durable, beautiful finish. We strip the wood, prime then and apply the desired finish. The finish can be a lovely faux wood, a warm cherry look or glazed oak. Some of our lovely finishes can include crackling, distressing, pickling, and handpainted designs. Our variety of samples also show various plasters, activated finishes and all colors.

Concrete Countertpos

There is an inexpensive quick, durable attractive way to get rid of ugly formica counter tops. A concrete over lay is a practical way to achieve the look you want for less. I have done quite a few of these over lays there are several manufacturers that make the concrete geared for this application. A products I have had great success with are SKIMSTONE from Modern Masters . Skimstone can be manipulated to give various looks on a counter top from poured concrete, travertine looks to granite and venetian plaster type looks too. The product goes right over the existing counter top and has a surface when dry that is rock hard. Skimstone can also be used for floors, patios and basements. The beauty of the product is that it can be made to look like stone.

Utilizing Home Show venues for Marketing your decorative painting Business

I have done several home shows over the years as well as outdoor craft, and art shows. All of the above mentioned have their benefits to Decorative artists. I like doing the larger home shows because they are usually indoors, and the traffic is heavy. The opportunity for potential clients to actually "see" what you do is very important, the booth gives you the opportunity to showcase some of your work as well as meet with and talk to people. Many of these shows attract designers and people in the industry that use artists . Craft and open air art shows are a great way to showcase your work, for a smaller fee and meet clients also. These shows are usually outside and the opportunity to bring an easel and paint in plien air is a terrific way to create a "buzz" around your booth.