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