Designing for the Designer (No Pressure!)

When Designer Brian Dermitt and his Husband Mark contacted me to create a piece of art for their master suite I was both delighted and terrified.

Their condo located in the Cross Keys neighborhood of Baltimore tours like a show home. Art collected from international travels adorns the walls, and the furnishings are smartly tailored for the space. Nothing is out of place - nary an unfolded blanket or a phone charger in sight!

The original art was a bit jarring for a bedroom meant for rest and relaxation. We discussed how the size and shape should compliment the new headboard that had yet to arrive, and how the feel of the piece should be calming. My first instinct was to use alcohol inks to create the piece due to their fluidity and vibrancy, but I was nervous about being able to control them to get the look I was after.

The Perfect Medium for the Task

I had recently taken myself to the IDAL conference in High Point where I was exposed to a smorgasbord of new and innovative materials. I met several artists that I had known only through social media and one was the fabulous artist Michelle Fountain because she creates oversized alcohol ink paintings like I’ve never seen. I’ve worked with this particular medium before but not on a scale such as this. When I made the decision to do the piece in inks, I contacted Michelle to see how she handled the nuances of working so large. She was gracious enough to give me a few pointers.

Getting To Work - Actually Making the Art

I created three large pieces for Mark and Brian to choose from. They came to the studio and we sorted through each one. Once we decided on the panel, we used a large “viewfinder” I created to crop the section that would be used for the piece.

Now the task was to create a floating frame that would be rigid enough to not warp, and minimal enough not to detract from the work. Enter my dad. He’s always helped me out when I need some engineering. And a table saw ;).

We created the frame and I mounted the work with bated breath. Once I turned over the piece I was elated that it had worked and that it looked incredible. Dad came with me to install it and Mark and Brian were thrilled. Therefore I was too.

The Reveal

I took my dad for burgers at the local Tavern as a thank you. If you’re looking for a custom work of art and can’t find something, I’d love to help you out. And to stay up to date on what’s happening at the studio, sign up for our mostly monthly newsletter!

Cheers!