A Hot Winter Story

There's nothing like a good oxymoron!  What with the cold winter temperatures, it is pleasant to recall the warmth of summer. Sometimes, though, the summer is a bit too warm, and then we fantasize about cooler weather and the cycle begins anew. 

As a designer, I strive to give the best customer service that I can.  Most of the time, the behind-the-scenes hassles I shield from my clients.  I don't wish to distract them with all that is distressing about this business; that is what they are paying me for!  But sometimes we designers have experiences that are ridiculous and border on the absurd.  This past summer, at the height of a heat wave, one such incident occurred (that I hope is not too incriminating) and the evidence is as follows:

Exhibit "A"

Ordering a simple fiber board table to be covered with a cloth seemed simple enough.  I ordered one from a local supplier and picked it up, unassembled.  My client didn't think it would be an easy job, but I, with my Fortune Interiors background, knew my way around a hammer and a screwdriver!  I assured the client that I would take care of it and that it would be all assembled that very day.

Yours truly, in the middle, with some of my colleagues high in the rafters of our shop at Fortune Interiors.  We were a team of artists employed by Mark Twain Bancshares to design and fabricate the furnishings for the multiple bank branches.  Our artwork was also purchased by the bank and put on display.

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Arriving with my tool box, I let myself in to the home and headed to the guest room, where the table was to be installed.  Having been told by the store that it was a simple task that "anyone" could do, I imagined I would be out in a half-hour.  I unpacked the parts and laid everything out for assembly.  For some reason the air-conditioning was off, and to my horror, I started to get sweaty.

As I was planning to go out immediately following this little task, I was dressed in a nice skirt and top.  Not wanting to appear in the evening as a drenched dish rag, there was only one thing to be done.  Close the bedroom door and be prepared to yell  "don't come in"  if anyone came home early!

Exhibit "B"

As I glued, hammered, and screwed, I felt that not just anyone could put this table together in the proper manner!  I had years of training to do it just right! Midway through the assemblage, the thought entered my mind that I had never done any carpentry quite like this and it was fairly comical. About one hour later, I got the job done, as promised, and packed up to leave for a well-deserved martini.  I marveled to myself what lengths I go to please my clients!  

Happy 4th of July

I have found the perfect volunteer job: painting floats and other decorations for a local philanthropic organization called the Veiled Prophet organization.  The VP was founded in 1878 by a former citizen of New Orleans.  He envisioned a parade similar to the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade, as a way to promote St. Louis agriculture and business. The character of the Veiled Prophet was adopted from the poet Thomas Moore, as a mythological theme for costumes and pageantry.

The Veiled Prophet Parade, now held on July 4th, kicks off five weekends of St. Louis special events each summer.  There are marching bands, large balloons, clowns, horses, and 30 floats.  Of these 30 floats, 17 are themed floats designed and decorated by the VP organization.  This year's theme was "A Night at the Movies".

The shop is an immense place, buzzing with excitement for the work at hand. As a former Fortune Interiors employee, I felt right at home amidst the power equipment, paint, and supplies.  I met a lot of wonderful people, and made some new friends.

Here I am, snorkeling in my dreams as I paint seaweed to adorn the Little Mermaid float. This satisfies my interest in painting stage sets back in my 20's as a career option.  It's never too late!

 I still say, if I wasn't designing homes and businesses, I'd be happy to work for Disney!

Little Mermaid float

Here's the parade and some of my handiwork.  It's a privilege to paint as a way to give back to the community!

Chalkboards

A cold, blustery night did not prevent me from attending an opening at The Kranzberg Arts Center celebrating the opening Tim Curtis' new work. Tim and I harken back to the halcyon days of Fortune Interiors, a subsidiary of the then Mark Twain Bancshares. We were a group of artists engaged by the Chairman of the Board, Adam Aronson, to design, fabricate, and install the banks' interior design. Not unlike a Medici-like patronage, our artwork was bought by the banks and installed in them. To step foot into a Mark Twain Bank was an unforgettable experience and set the standard for aesthetic excellence in commercial interiors. Another colleague from the days of yore was also in attendance, John Foster.

There were hundreds of chalkboards with Tim's writings. Of course, he had fabricated the framed chalkboards himself. In talking with him, I learned that he is working on an MFA in Creative Writing. It seems to dovetail perfectly with his long, illustrious career as a sculptor. Learn more about Tim on his website TimCurtis.com.

I've long been a fan of chalkboards. I like to use chalkboard paint particularly in kitchens and children's rooms for spontaneous notes and drawings.

Why frame yourself in? Cover the entire wall, woodwork, too, for a super-sized personalized sketchbook page that is sure to have graphic appeal to all!