4/10/08

Area artist combines art with business savvy  

by Beckye Randall

For some, the simple childhood joy of painting bright pictures complete with colorful flowers, trees, birds and butterflies fades with the passing of time and the onset of adulthood. One local artist, however, has managed to keep that passion and channel her enthusiasm into a successful new local business.

SaraLyn Larsen, founder of Play with Paint, saw no reason to leave her childhood love of art and creativity behind simply because she grew up. She now uses that same passion to create custom designed wall art for bedrooms and play ­area

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“It’s something I grew up loving as a child,” Larsen said. “The creative release and expression of art is very special to me. The fact that I am able to share that with other children and parents and enhance their homes makes my work very rewarding.”

The mother of two young daughters, Larsen was interested in developing a business that would allow her to focus on her “number one job—being a Mom.” About a year ago she began formulating the business plan for Play with Paint.

Larsen offers customized consultations with parents and caregivers to discuss their vision for their children’s walls. She then works to fuse those ideas with her own talents to design and paint walls that will delight children while fostering their imaginations and creative thought processes.

“I enjoy listening to parents and caregivers describe their children’s loves and interests. No one knows better what will appeal to a particular child. Once I have that vision in mind, I work closely with them to make it leap from paper to life.”

The children’s response is also a joy for Larsen. “They have this pure and innocent reaction to the artwork that is so exciting,” she said.

 
Larsen uses high-grade interior latex wall paint for her designs. “It’s safe, it’s durable, and it’s easy to clean,” she explained. “And I can have it mixed to match any color in the room, so each design is totally unique.”

Pricing is negotiable and varies based on the complexity of the art requested and size of the walls

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Her current projects include a young boy’s room completely decorated with roads, hills, trails and cars, and another with a life-size baseball scoreboard on one wall.

 
For more information about Play with Paint or to schedule your own personalized artistic session, contact SaraLyn Larsen at (360) 333-9554 or visit www.playwithpaint.com. Samples of her work are available for viewing online.