Mother Daughter Mural Painters
Where you see a white wall in your house, this mother and daughter combo sees an opportunity to create a masterpiece. Kimberly Morgan, the daughter, and Ellen Gobin, the mother, draw inspiration from each other and work together seamlessly, painting comfortably in a variety of styles and genres. As Tuscany Studios, they transform a boring wall into a tour de force of color, style and vision.
Every Tuscany project is different and each one demands a mix of meticulous attention to detail, control and creativity. And each finished project brings them a new sense of accomplishment. “Each project is so different, “ says Morgan, “When we complete one, there’s a real sense of pride. Then we move on to the next project.”
The pair thrives on difficult and challenging projects. “Recently we painted a stone archway in a client’s kitchen. She also wanted a spiral staircase in the piece. As usual, we drew everything out but it took a lot of manipulation to get that staircase from paper to wall. But we got it. We were very pleased because we were determined to make it work. It was a major challenge.”
Morgan and Gobin began exploring careers as painters after working, respectively, as an interior designer and a dental hygienist. There was no deep inward calling, no eureka moment or finger snapping when they decided to move forward with their new careers. Becoming mural painters was Kimberly’s idea. After thinking it over a bit, Ellen bought in, saying, “Well, okay. Let’s give it a whirl.”
Hard work, experience and collaboration sit at the heart of Tuscany’s success. Morgan also cites constant improvement and artistic exploration as another contributor. “We’re constantly working and staying sharp,” says Morgan, “I don’t believe anybody learns everything there is to know about their profession. It’s a matter of continuous learning.”
A lot of fun goes hand in hand with the hard work each piece requires. “Both of us agree that the most fun is when we paint in children’s spaces,” says Morgan, “We just love it when the kids come back in and we see the excitement on their faces when they walk into their fantasy room. Seeing that excitement is terrific.”
The settings that Tuscany works vary as much as their projects. They’ve worked on wedding chapels, retail shops and homes. Settings like chapels require help from some scaffolding and husbands. The women are equally comfortable working with customers that know exactly what they want and customers that simply want them to cut loose artistically.
Morgan and Gobin are proudest of a recent piece they painted for a client in Gallardia. “We had to paint a family crest,” says Morgan, “We did a lot of research on the crest and what each part of it meant. When we were pretty close to finishing it the client’s interior designer walked in and said, ‘Where did you get that beautiful piece you’re hanging on the wall?’ He had to climb up on the scaffolding and get close to it before he admitted it was a painting. We’re very proud of that. He couldn’t believe it was a painted piece.”
For more information call Kimberly at 715–3736 or Ellen at 391–3439.
