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Painted Not Planted November 9, 2002 One of Craig Martin's tasks at his Windermere home is to keep the pool deck clean. So when Martin's wife, Hazel, wanted to place an assortment of potted plants on the floor of their screened pool area, he put his foot down. No plants. No way. Martin was not about to add petal stain removal to his list of household chores. Clearly, a compromise was needed. And one was found when Hazel Martin passed by Jose's Sandwich Shop on Michigan Street in Orlando. A mural painted by Donna Smith of Illusion Murals caught her eye. She remembers the day clearly. "I knew right away that I'd found the solution to my problem." Smith, an accomplished artist who also had owned a floral shop in Orlando for 17 years, provided a quick and affordable fix to the couple's quandary. At Hazel Martin's request, Smith covered the entire exterior back wall of the Martin house, more than 50 feet, with a verdant virtual garden. No messy petals would ever drop from these painted daisies. With the touch of a brush, the once plain space burst into a veritable landscape of vegetation. Although twining vines now "climb" the walls, these ivies and bougainvilleas never need trimming. In fact, the Martins don't have to pull any weeds, fertilize, water or battle pesky bugs. Why not? Because their garden is painted instead of planted. Time to complete: 21/2 days. Cost: About $800.
RELAXING ON THE PATIO Fences, garage doors and the exterior walls of houses, sheds and barns make marvelous canvases. "I can paint on any surface," says Smith. "I've done work on stucco, concrete blocks, wood; even aluminum siding wouldn't be a problem." Murals can satisfy a number of needs in the garden, particularly for homeowners who are too busy or no longer physically able to work in a garden. When exterior grade latex house paint is combined with an artist's touch, the result lasts for years. An experienced muralist can transform a blank wall into a peaceful garden, a mountain glade, a rolling French countryside or a seascape. The possibilities are limited only by the imagination. "I have several thick books with photos that I collect," says muralist Marcia Mylander of Mural Artistry in Orlando. "When I meet with a prospective client, I bring my portfolio and books of pictures with me." Mylander has been painting pictures since she was 15. When the Florida native was 29, she took a murals class at Crealde School of Art in Winter Park and has been creating artistic murals for homeowners and businesses ever since. Ronnie Burris reaps the benefits of Mylander's talent whenever she spends time on her patio. "I wanted something relaxing to look at when I was in the patio," Burris says. Mylander painted a mural on an 8-foot-long section of her patio wall at her home in Turtle Creek in southwest Orange County. The mural includes a fountain, mountains, clouds and an abundance of colorful flowers. "It took her less than a day to do. She's incredibly talented," says Burris. Time to complete: Four to five hours. Cost: About $500.
A ROARING SUCCESS Using faux finishes, decorative designs and skillful renderings, an artist can breathe life into dead space and revitalize dull corners and bare spots. That's what happened at Karen Berwick's house in Orlando. "Our house is 20 years old and we're slowly renovating it," says Berwick, who is an interior designer. "Our pool area is very Mediterranean, but one area was all dirt. We started building a raised pond there out of tan bricks, but the wall behind it was blank. I found a fountain with a lion's head and we mounted that on the wall, but it needed something more." Through her business, Dream Design, Berwick was familiar with the work of muralist Patricia Daum of Wall Art by Pat. She hired the Mount Dora artist to tie the area together. The result: The lion fountain now appears to be set within an outdoor archway framed by palms and surrounded by a tan faux brick wall that matches the sides of the raised water garden. "Everyone that sees it really likes it," says Berwick. Time to complete: One day. Cost: $340.
A MEDITERREANEAN RETREAT The first thing one notices about the Apopka home of Sharon and Paul Crouch is that the garage doors, front door and patio doors look different from all the others in the line of attached residences. They are painted with an antique terra-cotta faux finish giving the impression that the building is in Spain, Mexico or maybe Italy. But step inside the enclosed garden and suddenly you're in France. The Crouches love to travel and always bring back mementos from their overseas adventures. In the airy courtyard of their Sweetwater Country Club villa, they have chosen to combine collectibles with original art thanks to Smith's skillful renderings. For example, the hand-carved wooden shutters that the Crouches found in Bali are mounted on the stucco wall. They frame an inviting countryside scene with a cloud-dotted blue sky above rolling hills lined with rows of grapevines that fade into the distance. "It's just really private and contained in here," says Sharon Crouch. "It's our secret Mediterranean garden." Smith painted a variety of murals on the courtyard's stucco walls. Climbing vines, planters filled with leafy greenery, faux tiles and faux bricks bring additional depth and beauty to the carefully manicured garden area. Time to complete: Three to four days. Cost: About $2,000 for the murals and other paint treatments.
WHERE TO START Homeowners find muralists by word of mouth, through interior designers or, as Hazel Martin did, by noticing a mural painted on a commercial site and noting the artist's name and phone number. Once an artist is discovered, an initial consultation is usually arranged. Most muralists can complete a small job in a matter of hours and a larger project in a few days. The sooner the better for those who choose to arrange the murals as a surprise for their partners. Muralist Mylander notes that many clients worry their partners will be upset if they see the mural before it is completed. Mylander's advice to her clients echoes that of Daum and Smith. She tells them not to worry. Their partners will love it. And, she adds with the voice of experience, "They always do." Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel |
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