Magnolias and Bluebirds for a personal sanctuary
I met Amy through a show at Botanologica. She had recently moved to Falls Church and was on a mission to make her new house her own. Installing a custom mural in her bedroom was part of her vision, so she contacted me. I had never painted a mural before, but Amy put her trust in me and let me go for it. Painting at a large scale felt daunting, so I researched to develop a process and build up some confidence going into the project. The painting process took about three weeks, working through the morning most weekdays. There was something really wonderful about leaving my desk for a few hours each day to paint beautiful flowers and birds that would enhance a personal sanctuary – what a gift to be trusted with this project.
I came up with two possible compositions for the mural that featured different trees, birds, colors and structures. We ultimately chose the combination of a Saucer Magnolia and two Eastern Bluebirds, whose electric blue feathers provide beautiful contrast with the large pink flowers of the Magnolia tree.
The mural is painted with both latex paint and acrylic paint applied in layers to achieve opacity and depth.
