My lanterns are hung!

Come visit the Tacoma Design Collective's showroom! I have just hung some of my handmade lanterns in the window and they are all lit up...come look in the day or come at night. Very festive! 

On each paper lantern I have embedded photos I have personally taken and then added a hand painted design to connect all the photos. Each one is completely different from the other. There are three sizes and also two different paper lantern formations, one a random rib pattern... the other more consistent, to choose between. All reasonably priced for that perfect present for your loved one!

Is there more work to purchase in the showroom from the other Tacoma Design Collective members?

Yes!!! Please visit this website to learn about other artisans represented by the Tacoma Design Collective.

http://www.tacomadesigncollective.com/

What is the Tacoma Design Collective?

Tacoma Design Collective is the premiere North End Design + Build creative team. The brainchild of President Scott Neste, the Tacoma Design Collective was formed in January 2011 to build on the collaborative and creative strengths of its members including Weddermann Architecture, SE Construction, Details BUY Design and Neste’s own Minor Details. 

Where is the showroom?

2603 North Proctor, Tacoma, WA 98407

253.468.4965



 
 

Bright pink wall for the holidays!

Scott Neste, of Minor Details (http://www.minordetailsdesign.com/#home), asked me to add a bit of bold color to his office wall. His choice: Benjamin Moore's Mulberry (2075-20).  After painting this color in a flat finish I used a gloss varnish to freehand a design over the top.

Stenciled "watermark"

Finished this week for The Institute for Functional Medicine's new office space, specifically the front desk area, in Federal Way. The design follows the recent branding this company, including the color and "watermark" image. The first photo is of the large stencil, thanks Fran Biddle (Director of Operations and Finance) for the referral AND extra hand, that was made by Karen Alexander of Sign Language. Karen had to first cut it into long sections (Sign Language's cutter can only handle a certain width of vinyl) and I reassembled it on the wall, carefully placing it so that the outlet cover fit within one of the stenciled areas. 

Stencil set onto wall

I custom mixed the wall's and the image's color, to replicate the company's branding colors, with the base in a flat sheen and the stenciled areas in semi-gloss. 

Finished look

The next step Fran plans for this wall?  The addition of the company's logo, in dimensional letters, with their tag line underneath.

Wallpaper? Who needs it!

This week, Rhonda Canales and I teamed together to solve a problem our client had with wallpaper they had started to install...the batches were discolored on the edges.  Since the design had also been discontinued their designer, Tamara Rosenbloom, asked us to replicate it in paint. Here are the results:

After  basecoat layer and plaster layer we used this stencil

Rhonda adjusting the stencil

Final look

                                    Final look in sunset light

Events at MAE!

We have a few exciting events coming to the Madera showroom in the next few weeks!  We hope to see you.

Saturday November 12 10:00a.m. - 6:00p.m. 

 

 rePly Furniture, A New Chapter - the work of Steve Lawler

An exhibit of unique, hand-made, eco-friendly furniture made from reclaimed woods and scrap plywood.

 

                                                              

Friday November 18 7:00p.m. - 8:30p.m. 

 

Tripod Slideshow Series presents 3 Awesome Art Forms

• Carlos Taylor-Swanson explores... Intarsia and Trompe-l'oeil wood inlay in Renaissance Italy

• Eric Fisher/Lynn DiNino learn how...Cartoon Architecture in Las Vegas

• Steve Lough presents...Sunbathing on the Solstice in Fremont

                                                                

Saturday November 19 12:00noon - 5:00p.m.

 

Madera Architectural Elements presents New Works, Small Works and The Works - Our Annual Party!

 

The artisan members of MAE are known throughout the region for crafting outstanding custom furnishings and architectural elements.  Each year they get together to showcase their lighter, more portable creations - original, affordable and perfect for holiday gifting (or keeping!).  This year they have invited a few friends to join in the fun: 

• Andy Lewis-Lechner returns to Madera with his beautiful wood-fired stoneware
• Artist-Designer-Creative Prolific Scott Neste presents original mixed medium artworks
• Jennevieve Schlemmer is leaving her mosaics at home and bringing a menagerie of felted creations
• Chris Wooten is showcasing her intricate assemblages of bamboo, wire, beads and who-knows-what!  

And for something completely different we are proud to be presenting Urban Elixir - the cure for the common cocktail.  U.E. is a new, woman-owned Tacoma business venture creating artisan-made cocktail mixers.  Their mission statement is to create exceptional, hand-crafted cocktail mixers and encourage giving back to our world in meaningful ways. They will be unveiling (and sampling!) 3 mixers at our event: Margarita, Bloody Mary and Potion #3.

  

If you cannot make the Gala opening on Saturday 11/19, we will be hosting a sneak peek during ArtWalk Thursday 11/17 5-8pm and the show will run through December 21. 

 

                                                                      

 Please visit our website and the MAE website for more information!

Recently completed furniture

A collaboration between award winning designer, Scott Neste of Minor Details Design, Madera Woodworking, Wade Martin of Axis Cut Parts and myself. The cabinet was designed by Scott Neste, meticulously built by Madera Woodworking, the door's curved elements by Wade Martin and I added the painted finish. I love Scott's inclusion of the beautiful mirror within his design!

A detail

View of 1/2 of cabinet

Photos courtesy of Madera Woodworking

Restaurant mural

In late March I finished this mural at the Ikonos Real Greek Souvlaki restaurant in Gig Harbor, WA. Working between 8 PM until 4 AM, I completed it in two weeks.  Great client, Dan Walker, great designer, Cheryl Marshall and great restaurant staff!