Tia'Spa: My Tree

So I'm pretty much finished with my new Tia'Spa location. I can not tell you how much I LOVE IT!

There is something to say for us creative types and our need for a work location and home that make us feel all warm and fuzzy. It drives our creativity. Seriously! I have hair cuts, colors and tons of other new ideas shooting out of my head for lack of room. You know of any clients in either Green Bay or Algoma that I can work my magic on while alleviating the pressure of all this creativity?

Anyway, I decided that I needed something different in my suite at Salons on Huron. I have this huge wall and didn't want a traditional picture so I decided to plaster a tree on the wall.

I have this thing for trees now. They make me think of my brother Dave. Cancer took him from us two years ago and now trees make me think of him. Something about the way the sophisticated root system burrows deep into mother earth while the comparatively small, but ever so strong trunk holds the incredible expanse of branches and leaves as they wind and stretch toward the  heavens...

Anyway...I'm super pleased at how my tree turned out! I've even had an audience watching me work at times.

I used joint compound with a 2 inch plastic putty knife in long strokes for the trunk and branches and a 4 inch putty knife in 12x12 patches for the areas of leaves, then I squished a scrunched up plastic bag over the top of the wet plaster to create the "leafy" texture.

For paint, I randomly placed the pumpkiny color of the East wall with an old, frayed brush, then a metallic brown with a long strip of sponge. The leafy area was 3 different whites using three different sponge shapes, then the leathery sage green of the West wall  with a three inch sea sponge. I finished up with a dark army/pine green combination using a 1 inch wiry brush for some detailing work.

Here's to you David! Miss you!!

Hmmm...what next?