First Cast of the Morning – Picking Up Fishing Tips While Painting McCloud River
This peaceful river scene is actually a collage of the clients favorite places, tied together into one cohesive image. That’s my client, Don, fly fishing on the McCloud river, and his wife Nancy creating a needlepoint creation for a grandchild. They have a beautiful view of Half Dome as well as their favorite family home, and a golf course tucked into the scene. This wall can be seen from several rooms in the house, and it creates a peaceful backdrop to the patio seating. (Find closeups of this project here)
Perks of the job: Learning the finer points of casting (don’t bend your wrist) and more about rainbow trout: they swim upstream, so they can catch food, not, as I lazily concluded, downstream. (But it would be so much easier for the fish!) Also, my painting schedule. I loved starting work at 6 am, and calling it a day when the wall got hot in the full sun, around 11 am.
Can you see the fish swimming upstream?
Adventure
This nursery mural was an adventure because the day before I was to begin the project we changed the concept from “Out of Africa” to Waikiki beach, their favorite vacation destination. The soon-to-be father is a surfer and sells swim and surf gear online (www.swimoutlet.com and www.surfoutlet.com), so the beach theme was a perfect fit for the nursery of their soon-to-arrive baby boy. I will return to the wall in a a couple months to write the child’s name in the sand.
Perks of the job: Clients flowing the love with coconut water and fish tacos. Nice!
Safari Playhouse
I painted the upstairs and downstairs of an amazing playhouse, built by my client. This structure was truly a labor of love for his three children, with a plexiglass floor set in upstairs to see the downstairs entry, a long slide, and a pulley outside the window of the “control room” so his son Travis could have snacks and art supplies delivered without leaving his busy world in the playhouse. I feel humbled and privileged to be able to put the “icing on the cake” to this fantastic playhouse. (Check out all the safari animals here.)
Perks of the job: When Travis and I settled in to paint the details on the control panel (he painted the treasure map) Travis said with complete sincerity, “This is the best day ever!!!” I felt the same way. Nothing like childlike enthusiasm to put the whole world right on track.
I hope you are having a great summer. I look forward to seeing you at my art show on September 15!
Blessings to you!
Morgan Bricca
Morgan Mural Studios
