Challenge
Create an exterior mural that embodied the spirit and values of Nick, a farmer and beekeeper in Petaluma, CA.
I developed a mandala with a bee theme for one of the buildings on Nick’s ranch. The hexagon shape also fit nicely with the Star of David, a symbol with aligns Nick’s spirituality. The colors and textures were influenced by his beautiful farm. Nick also helped me paint it so he had a sense of ownership in the art. The week we spent co-creating this mural amidst the beauty of Sonoma Mountain inspired me and my partner to move to Petaluma!
2020
Concept, Design, Painting
Nick's Farm
Owner: Nick
Concept Design
I develop concept sketches and color studies until the client is happy with the design.
Helping the client visualize the final approved design
This often takes some back-and-forth to get the placement right.
Getting Started
This time, I used a stencil to make layout a little easier. The September temperatures were getting hotter each day.
A little help...
Thankfully, I didn’t have to paint everything by myself! Nick and my partner Marylou grabbed paintbrushes and jumped right in.
Making good progress
Every day, I worked until the sun went down. Every evening, Marylou and Phoebe waited for me to finish so we could go get dinner. Towards the end, a fire started in nearby Sonoma, just over the mountain from Nick. It grew into the Glass Fire.
The Result
The fire didn’t reach his farm, we finished the mural despite the heat and smoke, friendships were deepened, and now this mandala presides over all the plants, trees, animals, and humans in Nick’s world. What an amazing experience!
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