This profile was adapted with permission from APC (American Painting Contractor).
Ambiance and design are almost as important as the location's cuisine when it comes to dining out. When the owners of Dirty Taco and Tequila—a Woodbury, N.Y., resturant described as L.A. taco truck meets Miami liquor stand—were ready to differentiate their space, they turned to Arlene McLoughlin, of Arlene Murals.
Known for creating awe-inspiring professional wall murals and other unique painting features, McLoughlin, also a Woodbury resident, was the perfect choice. In addition to ceiling murals, McLoughlin's work includes specialized painting skills including refined chinoiserie, marbling, wood graining and more. Not surprisingly, McLoughlin's work is frequently featured in American Painting Contractor magazine and other media outlets.
Looking Up: A Ceiling Mural Takes Shape
Direction for the mural included a tattoo aesthetic including geishas, sugar skulls, a dragon, and a range of Day of the Dead-inspired figures.
"The ceiling was the only area in the restaurant that allowed for any sort of decorative art. The walls are all windows or brick," says McLoughlin.
Taking on the challenge with her typical can-do approach, McLoughlin quickly got to work, moving scaffolding around the restaurant and ultimately spending five days working on the mural 24 feet above the ground. Armed with a comprehensive understanding of the owners' vision, McLoughlin sketched the 30x40-foot panoramic mural, mapping out faces measuring upwards of eight feet.
The artist used a palette of vivid Benjamin Moore paint colors, choosing AURA® Interior paint,renowned for its rich depth of color.
"I used Benjamin Moore because the colors are vibrant and AURA assured one-coat coverage," says McLoughlin. While Benjamin Moore always recommends at least two coats for interior painting jobs, for an artistic mural of this nature, one coat was clearly the right choice.
The colorful mural illustrates how you can breathe new life into any space with a Benjamin Moore color palette, creative ambition, and the proven skills of a painting professional.
About Arlene Murals
A premiere decorative painting company locating in Long Island, NY, Arlene Murals work ranges from murals and art panels to ceilings, chinoiserie, faux wood and marble, white-washed brick, furniture and more.
