Transforming Homes to Art
Cheryl O’Donnell’s canvasses are the walls (and floors … and cabinets …).
For decorative painter and artist Cheryl O’Donnell, there is no typical project. The New Hampshire native and Brookline resident has completed hundreds of hometransforming projects in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island over a 25-year career. “I’ve painted floor patterns, furniture, kitchen cabinet glazes, a children’s mural of flying pigs, a dragoon tattoo on the floor coming out from under a cabinet and nature-inspired wall glazes,” O’Donnell says.
A visit to her website (coddecorativepainting.com) reveals an eclectic resume and unique artistic catalog that includes forays into evocative watercolors and landscape painting. “Picasso had his blue period, but I haven’t had anything like that,” she says. “One of the nonstrengths of my work is there is no conscious theme or series per se, but it has allowed me the freedom to explore and have more fun.”
“Cheryl is very talented,” says Leslie Rifkin, of the design firm L. Newman Associates in Bedford. The pair have collaborated on scores of projects over two decades. “I’m an artist, she’s an artist, and because we have so much mutual respect, we work very well together.
She is thorough, immaculate, creative and engaging. She can do mural work, canvas work, furniture, cabinetry and floors. I’ve done all these with her, and it’s been amazing and exciting.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Donnell stayed very busy as fewer folks traveled and had more money to focus on home improvements. New Hampshire Home caught up with O’Donnell to talk about her career, inspirations, love of nature, travel, volunteering as the marketing manager for the Hollis Art Society and foraging for wild edible plants.
Cheryl O’Donnell has worked as a decorative painter for over 20 years, aiming to leave people’s homes and businesses even more beautiful than when she found them.
New Hampshire Home [NHH]: What is your definition of a decorative painter?
Cheryl O’Donnell (COD): A decorative painter is a color specialist. In the planning stage, I help designers and/or clients get to the right version of the colors they want. I also advise to keep the patterns consistent with the other décor—and then execute the project with a wide variety of painting skills.
NHH: What were your early interests?
COD: I was artistic at an early age and good at school. At Manchester West High School, I had four great art teachers who exposed me to different forms of art, and I learned various perspectives for a career in art. Before I attended Massachusetts College of Art, I took a break, worked full time and took classes at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. Then I traveled around the country, as far west as California.
When I started college, I focused on graphic design, but a teacher recommended I switch majors to illustration. I was always a big reader, and loved fiction, so illustrating stories seemed natural to what I was already doing. The best thing I learned from that degree was how to do commission artwork—meaning, being comfortable with other people making the final decisions about which direction the image or project should go. It can be challenging to not have the final say, but I try to give input around what I think is important, and then give the designer or client what their vision is. During that time, I worked at the Museum of Fine Arts [Boston]. It was fantastic working with other artists, writers and musicians, and [it was] also great for learning art history and being exposed to a huge collection of amazing art from all over the world. It definitely opened my eyes to international travel.
NHH: How has your design and detail eye evolved during your career?
COD: What’s popular has caused my work to evolve as well as my investment in more specialized tools.
Top: O’Donnell takes a lot of her creative inspiration from nature. Above: “Trees of New Hampshire” as seen in the Frank E. Anderson show house in Nashua
Initially, decorative wall painting was popular—glazes, wall textures—and the patterns were random and abstract. When painting floors became popular, my materials changed, became more specialized, to execute more complicated patterns. It required more attention to detail, more math for the patterns to lay out well. Precision versus random patterns. At one point, purchasing an airbrush completely transformed how I handled stencil work. I could do much larger stencils, full patterns across larger walls. The airbrush has also been great for mural work. A swish of color can be easily sprayed on, hinting at a background or a character’s movement, like the flight path of a dragonfly. Painting wall glazes with random, varied strokes has loosened me up when painting my own artwork.
NHH: What designs have challenged you the most, and what did you learn from them?
COD: I’ve done small rooms or hallways at many designer show houses. I had to plan the entire space and showcase myself as a painter/artist. These were the most challenging projects for me. Doing all the demo, the decorative painting, the artwork for the walls, and planning furniture and staging. It’s a lot. I love it, but it takes full focus for me to get it done.
For the Van Loan show house in Bedford [in 2007], my theme was an homage to Georgia O’Keeffe, who has inspired me as an artist. I did a geometric painted floor with a subtle wall pattern of vines and flowers, and framed paintings of local flowers done in watercolor.
More recently [in 2018], in the Frank E. Anderson designer show house in Nashua, my theme was “Trees of New Hampshire.” I painted an arched ceiling with a pattern of sumac trees. I also did tree portraits on canvases to hang in the hallway.
NHH: What is the collaboration process like?
COD: For many projects, I work with designers and others, collaborating on ideas, colors and patterns. I work hard to fulfill the client’s desires and the interior designer’s vision, and offer my own ideas to create the best visuals.
I enjoy making people’s homes beautiful, painting cool murals for their kids’ rooms, updating an old piece of furniture with a rich glaze of color, and even painting wall or floor tattoos. The options are endless. For acrylic painting on canvas, I love painting images from nature, and am regularly inspired during my walks in the woods, watching the light, the plants and the wildlife.
O’Donnell works with airbrushes and stencils to create the intricate details of her artwork.
NHH: How do you find work?
COD: I’m a one-person business. Work comes to me mostly through word of mouth, recommendations from design firms, and when I have the time, doing social media like Facebook. It’s funny, but I recently sold a painting to someone from my childhood who saw one of my postings on Facebook.
NHH: What are some of the most remarkable places you’ve visited during your international travels?
COD: I’ve been very lucky, and traveling has been a huge part of my life. January and July are usually slow months, and because I am self-employed, we can schedule two-to-three-week trips to see the pyramids; visit ancient Inca or Mayan sites in Peru or outside of Cancun, Mexico; or travel to Bali, Sicily or Ireland, and learn about different cultures and spiritual perspectives. In Bali, I was inspired by how they do art that recycles itself, like origami formed out of a banana leaf. Part of their life is creating beautiful things every day in honor of their ancestors.
My top sacred sites include Egypt, where I would say Karnak with its Temple of Pillars. Petra, in Jordan, is a famous archeological site, and the city is carved into pink, beige and purple sandstone. It’s in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Wiñay Wayna, Peru, is a site along the Inca trail before you get to Machu Picchu. There’s a giant, beautiful waterfall alongside the site. In the United States, it’s Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. I’ve seen lightning strike it while we reached the summit and gorgeous double rainbows over it when we got to the bottom.
NHH: What is your involvement with the Hollis Art Society?
COD: I do their website (hollisartssociety.org) and any Facebook advertising.
In part, I am trying to get more local artists to be active members. I also joined to start showing my own artwork [acrylic on canvas and watercolor painting], and to make more local connections. It gives me a chance to hang out and chat with other artists.
NHH: Do you have time for any other hobbies?
COD: I’m big into cooking. I especially love the variety of edible indigenous plants. After a rainy period, I went foraging and ate my first wild mushrooms.
RESOURCE
Cheryl O’Donnell/C.O’D Decorative Painting
coddecorativepainting.com
