Client: Capco Tile and Stone

Overview

The concept of this project was simple: we wanted to show that art doesn’t have to be something you simply hang on the wall — it can actually BE the wall. By taking a detail of my abstract oil painting “Luminous Night” and enlarging it into a tile mural three feet high by 20 feet wide, we combined classic painting techniques with cutting-edge technology to create something all-new and altogether unique.

Goals

The client needed a large mural to cover the entire south side of their long reception desk in the front lobby. They wanted unique artwork that was not only visually impactful, but something that also introduced Betona Tile, the manufacturer, to a new audience. The tiles were created here in the USA using 50% post-consumer glass from recycled fluorescent light bulbs. In that respect, the project showcased an eco-friendly path to promoting creative thinking about new ways to integrate modern art into a business space.

Process

Vicki Peterson is the Design Specialist at Capco Tile & Stone, where the mural was installed. She consulted with me on the concept. I suggested going in the direction of abstract art, something that had never been done before with this kind of tile mural. I provided a high-resolution detail of my original abstract oil painting "Luminous Night," which Betona Tile printed on recycled concrete tiles using a $6 million printer. The result is a mural three feet tall by 20 feet wide, permanently installed in the Capco Tile showroom.

Additional Information

This project was an exhilarating chance to create a permanent work of abstract art in a way that had never been previously explored. It's this kind of unique, out-of-the-box collaboration that can help redefine how (and where) we expect art to be integrated into our everyday lives. And it's also an Earth-friendly way to reduce our carbon footprint using recycled materials in public art.