Dances With Walls : Decorative Artist James E. Todd : Faux Fusion

Faux Fusion
From the North Coast to the West Coast

This page includes all the work that didn't find a place on the other pages -- faux finishes,
painted furniture, signs and logos, paintings, a museum sculpture, a mural, and some theater scenery.

To see a larger version of any picture, just click on the photo.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Faux Finishes

This faux finish graces the walls of Ante Up Studio
in Cleveland, painted by James and Ruth.
It's not very visible in these photos, but there are gold
tones in it as well.

For more faux finishes,
see the Pickwick & Frolic page,
and the Interiors page.

This faux curly maple finish had to match
the tops of the former Channel 3 news desks.
James also painted the peacock logo in the
background.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Painted Furniture

A custom red marble dining table top.

It takes a lot of work to
make it shine like real marble.

Faux fantasy marble end table,
paired with the one below.

These started out as old wooden end tables.

This table was painted with a compass
rose on a parchment-style background.
The table edges and legs were highlighted
with gold, and the entire piece was aged.

Faux green marble table with a sheen
that fools many people.

An armoire painted to match the color scheme of a granddaughters' bedroom.
See the floor mural for this room on the Home Interiors page.

A restored wooden Japanese screen --
Above is the front side; at left is the back.

An antique trunk given an artistic facelift.

Side and top view -- still in progress.
The decals are authentic and untouched.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Signs & Logos

James created this logo for Dewey's Coffee Gathering House
in Shaker Square.

For another logo design, see the Pickwick & Frolic page.

For more signs, see the Sullivan's page and the Metroparks Zoo page.

James painted these to look like
Victorian-era signs...

... then he aged them.

And one more.

James painted this for the movie Raising Cain.

James painted these signs as custom
advertisements for a melodrama theater group
in the California Gold Rush area.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Paintings

A commissioned
painting for a wine bar
in Brecksville, Ohio

"Still Life with Buddha"
-- Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches.

"Out of Darkness"
-- Oil on canvas, 18 x 24 inches.

Luminous scallions, onions, peppers
and shrimp on a shish-kabob.

"Last Minute Instructions"
Santa leaving on his annual trip,
checking out notes from the Mrs.

For an even larger view, showing
the details (300k), click here.

Portrait of Jeff Beck,
painted in 1970s.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Museum Sculpture

James sculpted and painted the right side of this "Sculpting the Land" exhibit for the Natural History Museum of Cleveland. Bill Van painted the backdrop; Kathy Van and Ruth Lohse sculpted and painted the individual pieces on the left side. All of it was sculpted out of foam boards and spray foam. The exhibit showed how water from the mountains sculpts the land -- from craggy rocks and waterfalls, to deep gullies and canyons and foothills, and finally to its outlet into the ocean.

James used the actual boot
that touched the moon surface
to make this plaster model for
the museum display.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Mural

James painted this copy of a
Norman Rockwell painting as a mural
for a chocolate convention
in California. It's on four canvas panels.

For more murals, see the Pickwick page
and the Sullivan's page.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

Theater Scenery

James and Ruth Lohse painted
these sets for "Carmen" for the
San Jose-Cleveland Ballet.

Below are sets he painted for
"Twelve Angry Men" at the
Cleveland Playhouse.

James painted this for the Claypipers melodrama theater group, who performed in the Gold Rush area of the
Sierra foothills, in California.He was the set painter for
about 15 years.

A backdrop of the Sierra foothills for a Claypipers melodrama show.
This group was the longest continuously running melodrama theater group in the U.S.

Interior of a house set for a Claypipers show.
Everything on the walls is painted.

"Lolita's Saloon" set for a Claypipers show.

Another interior house set for a Claypipers show.

He painted this matador portrait was for the Claypipers. Although it was not planned, many people got a chuckle out of the striking likeness to then-San Francisco mayor Art Agnos.

Faux Finishes || Painted Furniture || Signs & Logos
Paintings || Museum Sculpture || Mural || Theater

(440) 891-9044
221 Race Street - Berea, Ohio 44017

E-mail: JamesTodd@danceswithwalls.com