Listen to our radio interview Bob Keating on CBC Canada!

We went on air with Bob Keating from the radio program CBC Canada. We discussed our painting process for the City of Nelson Public Mural Art Program in BC Canada.
The director of the program, Sydney Black, also chimed in, She spoke about how the new mural program was seeking to bring more vibrancy and color to their community. By changing the alleyways with brand new art the residents received a vibrant appeal that has attracted more visitors and tourists.

September 25, 2018May 15, 2020

Newly Completed Mural for YMCA in New Castle, Pennsylvania

The Color Dreamers mural dream team complete new artwork for YMCA & HOYT Arts and Education Center

We just came back from our longest journey yet, New Castle Pennsylvania!

Home to the firework capital of the United States, the sleepy town of New Castle is also home to the Hoyt Arts and Education Center which hosts classes, exhibitions and public art programs geared at developing the city into the future.

We embarked on our journey late in August as we descended upon the small town located about 40 minute drive north of Pittsburgh. Along the way we encountered a baby blue colored bridge whose opening path led us along the hills that carved away at a the road to New Castle. Many of the homes, whose facades peppered in different bricks tones of raw sienna and burnt umber, laced the streets with their patriotic red, white and blue flags.

Many derelict buildings greeted us as we made our way into town. The windows of old structures stood shot out, cracked and exposed. The thriving town that once experienced growth due to immigration seemed to falter at the site of new development. Many of the store fixtures seemed as if frozen in 1970. The bouquets of florals hung from street posts creating an inviting aura with a myriad of spring flowers. We began to see the town unwind itself slowly.

We arrived at Hoyt Arts and Education Center, two mansions built in the 1940’s with patina colored tile upon the roofs, by a brother and sister who were the descendants of Lewis Stiles Hoyt. Both mansions stood on a stone walled grassy lots with numerous massive trees whose leaves had just begun to change colors for the season. The house we occupied was right across the street, a colonial home with porcelain chandeliers and large botanical wallpapers that matched the bathroom sinks. It was a very pleasant experience. We coordinated with our local team and ensured that all equipment and materials where ready for the mural painting process.

We began by paint spraying the entire wall with a blue primer and made our way towards creating our major shapes and sketches on the wall. As we continued our mural, we were greeted with many locals who began to express how much they loved the artwork we were creating. We heard the stories and interpretations from many community members and were surprised at how much positive feedback we were receiving. Many days of rain put us off schedule but as we painted away we noticed how our understanding or color deepened with this progress. We hand selected many of our colors and to our surprise got a partial sponsorship from our preferred paint company Benjamin Moore through the helpful local paint store Packard Paint

We worked many days with few days of rest but everyday was more exciting as we began to paint the layers of artwork. When you are focused on the best quality output then the result is that much more fascinating. We used many of the background tones to bring our characters to life. We made sure that the murals colors reflected the overall surrounding aesthetic of the town center. It is important as an artist and mural specialist that the tones and colors used in the artwork create harmony in its environment. With careful color selection we can always achieve optimum results that modernize, inspire the community and leave a lasting impression.

Visit the Mural at 20 W Washington St, New Castle, PA 16101

January 22, 2018April 25, 2018

Best Public Art Murals of 2017

We spend a lot of time preparing for all of our murals . Each project is very unique with its own characteristics, parameters and style. While its very hard to rate our best ones since we love all of them, here’s our top murals that really pushed our creative limits to a new level.

City of Olympia – Setting Free – Public Art Mural

What we Loved!

The people, the beautiful lake views, and the other art murals throughout the city. From the moment we landed everyone was so nice and helpful. We engaged with many of the community members that offered their help, took pictures and gave us very nice compliments…we even got a round of applause one night!

The Challenges

We missed the late bus out one night while we were trying to put in some the final touches and we ended up having to walk 2 miles from the last bus stop to where we were staying. While the air was nice and brisk, it felt like we were in Walking Dead with a bunch of gear while the streets were empty. Luckily, we did not encounter any zombies.

City of Hastings – Free Birds – Shipping Container Artwork

What we Loved!

Pushing our creative realm, the waterfall, the changing of the seasons, the interviews and the Washington Apples! This is our first 3D mural artwork on a shipping container. The experience of walking around the mural and seeing each element as a distinct but unified whole is a brand new take on public artworks. We were very fortunate to be interviewed about our process by The Hastings Gazette and KDWA radio station.

The Challenges

Art on a shipping container comes with a specific set of challenges. The most complicated pattern section of the mural was on the corrugated part of the shipping container. The corrugated surface made the lines breakup over the edge of the angled corrugation. We had to spend a lot of extra time fixing each line to make sure they were smooth. We had an unexpected temperature drop which gave us a slower drying time on the paint and we lost a days worth of work in the beginning stages. Luckily, we were prepared for any delays and we were able to complete the project one day ahead of schedule.

Wynwood Smoke Lounge Mural

What we Loved!

Imagine that you are contacted one day to create a massive mural in Wynwood with your favorite animals doing something completely out of the ordinary. Well, we were offered just that and we were trilled! We developed an amazing concept based around the client products and the end result was stunning! This massive mural is 14 feet by 70 feet with an adjacent wall that matches all the colorful patterns. It is a truly unique experience that customers love!

The Challenges

Its always hard to calculate how much paint you will actually need when you have about 15 plus colors to mix. Paint containers become your biggest resource. After matching, labeling and numbering each color, we developed a process that made working with so many colors easy. The great thing about challenging murals is that we learn from each process and each challenge provides us with the experience and knowledge to perfect our craft.

The Embassy House – Cherub Ceiling Mural

What we Loved!

If someone had told us that we would one day paint a massive sky and cherub ceiling mural at an ocean side beach house where Richard Nixon stayed we surely wouldn’t have believed them. Not only did we encounter our biggest challenge of recreating a classical Italian cherub painting but we had to created it on a vaulted ceiling 30 feet about the first floor. What can we say? We were modern day Michelangelo’s, putting our color theory and skills to the test. It was not only an honor but a valuable asset to our portfolio. We were able to show our abilities on a whole new level and that is amazing!

The Challenges

Watch that neck and that 30 foot drop! The vaulted ceiling had angles that were difficult to work with. We cramped up our necks and backs so the project took a bit longer to complete than first anticipated. We were careful around the edges of the scaffold, any misstep could result in a serious injury or a fatal 30 foot fall. All in all, we took our time to make sure we were careful and physically able to give it our best!

What we learned from it all…..

Each project is unique with its own set of goals and challenges. Though we are ready to do whatever it takes to finish the project with the most stunning result , we know that we must always be fully prepared for any delays or unexpected situations.

We love this process, we can’t imagine anything else in the world that is more fulfilling than to travel, meet new people and create amazing murals and art. We are not afraid of any challenge. In fact, for us each challenge is learning process that benefits the quality and execution of our work.

We look forward to an amazing year of new murals and public art!

If you would like to know what current projects we are currently working on, make sure to give us a follow on our social media pages below:

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