Empire Paint of Mind

Recently Geoff was asked to rise to the 70th floor challenge of the Empire State Building and hand paint a series of 4  large decorative ovals in a style reminiscent of Wedgwood for  the launch of  Wedgwood's new luxury bedding collection, presented by Revman. The hand-painted designs are flat but are made to look like 3-D Bas reliefs using various shades of white and grey on Wedgwood's signature light blue background.

Here you can see our artisan Geoff putting the finishing touches on the Ivy leaves. While painting, we were treated to spectacular views of Manhattan on all sides! The view above is the building's famous silhouette in shadow facing the Northwest and the below faces Northeast toward the Upper East Side.

D. Porthault: His and Hers

 What better way to show the luxurious, hand silk screened linens of D. Porthault than within Geoff's hand painted display of a well appointed home! Like birds of a fine feather, the patterns in the fabrics and Geoff's light and loose painting flock together. So if you happen to fly by the D. Porthault flagship on Mad ave by chance, we hope you will alight to take a glance.

Throwback: Imperial Fashion

Back when shoulder padded women's blazers were all the rage (i.e. the eighties), Beltrami's fashions were no exception. They had a giant and fancy store on 55th st. and 5th Ave and Geoff did the windows. For that year's 'travel collection' Geoff recreated a slice of China using 2 giant Foo dog statues and his signature hand painted background, in this case a lovely pagoda inspired fantasy in grisaille.

Throwback: Have a seat!

Back in the 80's, Geoff was hired by Life Magazine to create a fantasy set (in this case, a fancy french feeling) to showcase a collection of hand painted chairs. In this "behind-the-scenes" shot, you can see the seamless paper drop incorporated with an actual set piece of a recessed door. There is another seamless paper backdrop behind the door to further a sense of depth. Other than the chairs themselves (and the dog), all the rest is the magic of Geoff's whimsically hand painted designs.

Throwback: Drawing Rooms

Back the 80's there was a new thing in publishing called the Advertorial which was a multi page spread art directed like an editorial piece but paid for by the advertisers.  Photographs below were from one of these that was done for the New Yorker Magazine, showcasing both a leading luxury linens company and a fine carpet company.  Geoff was hired to create his signature environments using only set paper and gatorboard, cutting it out and decoratively painting it to create a complete set from a drafty tudor castle to a cozy victorian cottage,

Throwback: Street Flair

Somewhere in the early 90's for a Gay Pride charity event, a parking lot in the west village was turned into a carnival, filled with sponsors and other frivolities. Geoff was asked to create a cohesive and festive visual experience, and each booth was given a three panel painted backdrop. Geoff donated his services to design and paint each backdrop designed to reflect a sponsor or street fair game (like a duck pond). Ready, Set, Paint! (Deliver and Install...)

Throwback: Your Door

Knock! Knock!
Who's There?
Salvatore Ferragamo!

Another wonderful example of Geoff's work. Geoff was hired by the creative team at Ferragamo back in one Fall, in the late 80's/early 90's to create a series of doors for their Fifth Avenue and 56th St. location. (currently the location of Armani Fifth Avenue). Each door was standard issue hollow core door within a freestanding frame. Geoff hand painted each one to represent a unique entrance. Ferragamo shoes were cleverly displayed on or around the welcome mat. The number 717 on some of the doors reflects the address of the store in which they were shown.

Throwback: Conversation Pieces

Back in the late 20th century, Brides Magazine was a highly regarded and creative  magazine with many special features on home decor and tabletop design.  Working closely with the creative director at the time, Geoff was asked to design the layout for this 5 page spread creating painted backdrops, and some of the furniture, in Geoff's own light-hearted and fanciful style.

The photographer offered to take a portrait of Geoff, at age 36, after the shoot was finished with the original backdrop for the painted sofa, which differed from the one that was published. This is one of very few photos showing Geoff with his decorative painting.

Throwback: World Financial Center

Back in the early 90's Geoff was commissioned to create installation art in 20 empty storefront that were basically advertisement for other shops within the WFC mall. The common thread in each window was Geoff's signature illustrative and whimsical painting style.

For Barney's Geoff's took the store logo and illustrated the name using depictions of men's fashion and haberdashery.

The WFC flagship restaurant, the Hudson Grille, specialized in the bounty of the Hudson River Valley and so Geoff created a more rustic and 'farm-like' window overflowing with the harvest.

For this luxury stationer, Geoff created an 'over-the-top' desk laden with pens, pencils and handmade paper and envelopes. The paper scrolls in the foreground help to further underscore their specialty.

Geoff chose the highlights a shop's winter fashion by creating a birch forest vignette, surrounded by a twig and leaf themed frame.

To make a connection between a music store and the World Financial Center, Geoff came up with the clever idea of using a piggy bank being filled up with Compact-disc (in the days before digital music) coins. A sound investment, Oink!!

To add a flair of Roman grandeur for a shop featuring Italian leather goods, Geoff set the merch atop hand painted Roman columns, revealed by tied back draperies.