ROOM INSPIRATION :: WORK IN A WHITETAIL

I'm from the Midwest, and HUNTING is HUGE here. This part of the country houses some of the manliest men... who (though it's totally beyond me) enjoy setting out for days to follow their primitive instincts in a hunt. These fellas turn out a good number of wall-mounted-wild-game and, love it or hate it, I think it's fair to say that nearly every person that lives in this area has seen one of those beauties on a wall.

  

Here's my version of putting a buck on a wall: a painting accompanied by a mix of organic and industrial  pieces. Does it balance feminine and masculine elements? A little on the femme side?

curtains, pendant, pillow, painting, sofa, table, rug, ottoman

SQUARE SERIES: OH DEER.

So the Fishback Mural is done-d! Check back for photos of the finished product, they'll be up soon! All that painting on the mural day after day had some sort of contagious effect and now I can't stop. Since I finished the mural last week, I've been working on 3 paintings! Here's the latest: a deer. If you want it, drop me a line and we'll get it on your wall!

White Tail,  Acrylic on canvas, 2'x2' ($200)

IN THE WORKS!

Lately, I've been preparing to paint a mural in a beautiful historic home. Three generations of the Fishback family have lived in this dreamy house since it was built in 1895. In efforts to restore and rejuvenate the entire home, with the most respect for it's historic elements, my talented friend Angie (seen here) is working with the Fishbacks to polish up every single room. Let me tell you, the place is looking incredible.

Fishback house via here 

One of the rooms still on the checklist is a bathroom with a free standing tub. That's were I come in. Angie introduced me to the Fishbacks as a potential mural artist. They gave me a list of elements they would like in a mural above the tub, and here's a sort of inspiration board of what I heard from them.

After a few sketches and tweaks, we are on our way to a serene and fresh bathroom. Here's the latest sketch.

Picture that above your tub; a momentary escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday. I hope the clients love it, like I do, for it's fresh and tranquil vibe. Keep an eye out for more updates! To add a little charm, we will add foreground trees on either side to act as a boarder.

DESIGN A SPACE :: MIDWEST PLAIN

vases by Wistera, rug by Layla Grayce, chair at Layla Grayce table by Layla Grayce, lamp at Layla Grayce

painting by Christy Cunningham

I'm craving to see a room designed around one of my pieces. For now, this'll have to do. 

CONSIDER IT AN INVESTMENT

"Consider it an investment." This is a line my friends and I throw around to help each other curb shoppers remorse. Usually it's said about a dress that's timeless or pumps that will end up being a staple to a wardobe. When I think about the almost complete transformation that my closet has undergone in the last few years, I have be honest and realize: those comfort words are not all that true. Clothing is probably not the best investment.

Midwest Plain, Acrylic on Canvas, 2' x 4' (Inquire for Pricing and Availability) 

So, when is it good to splurge? MSN Lifestyle names a number of smart indulgences: 10 Things to Buy Now and Keep Forever . Number three on the list is orignial art. 

PRETTY IN PINK! NURSERY INSPIRATION

My precious neice, Avery is the first grandbaby for our family. My two sisters (seen here) and I had a ball putting her room together. Here's a little glimpse of what we came up with.
My incredibly talented sister, Mindy, took the two photos on the left.

Avery is somehow 6 months old already! As she grows and changes, so should her room, I think. See the sliver of tree mural in the bottom right corner? Soon, we’ll revamp it to a flourishing cherry blossom tree. Keep an eye out for before and after pictures of Avery’s tree mural.

GRACE IS MY FAVORITE WORD

Grace is..., 12" x 28" Oil on Wood

This piece started out offensively ugly. I'm not kidding, it was bright blue with some sort of sky and butterfly scene. Yep. Bad, bad, bad. My art professor called it "hokey" during critique, so I painted over the blue oils while they were still wet. 

The pieces I’m most intrigued by are those that at one point were complete rubbish…really wrecked. I love to see a work revived and remade into something essentially new. With layers of paint beneath it, the piece has more texture, more depth, more story, and I have more love for it.