Casablanca

Casablanca Coffee, Inc.

CasaBlanca
Overview of 'Casa Forum' Room

CasaBlanca
Detail of Painted Arch

The owner of CasBlanca Coffee, the ever-popular "Mo", gave me free reign in designing the murals. Each area I made up as I went, sketching the basic shapes in pencil and then painting in oils.

This project reflects my belief that good art in the environment can have a profound positive effect on people. At age 14, I visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. I was so awed by its splendor that 30 years later it formed the inspiration for these murals.

CasaBlanca
Detail of Casa Forum Room

CasaBlanca
Detail of Tea Room

Every wall surface of this Blaine, Minnesota coffee house is hand-painted, including the faux-moorish tile areas (that seemed to take forever). I worked during business hours and daily received compliments and encouragement. (Also an occasional artistically-motivated volunteer to help with those tiles.

Taking a break from my benevolent dictatorship, I experimented with democracy by having workers, customers, and the owner vote on my choices for the landscape scene behind the faux-window frames.