Case Study time! 
Making Hospitality even more hospitable
I love being brought out to tourism and hospitality destinations, to create art that wraps guests in a warm welcome. This sign is one of a couple different projects that I was brought out to paint for the Cherokee Marina, in Sugar Tree, Tennessee. With gorgeous nature views and water recreation opportunities all around, the inspirations for painting at the Marina were in no short supply.
This was part of the permanent wood siding just off the grill, where boaters arrive for lunch from their day on the river. The idea was to create something friendly and welcoming, that would invite visitors in to relax, and, as they say in Tennessee, “have a large time.”
Process: Looking out and looking in
When designing for a commercial location, I always look outside, and inside for inspiration. Outside, to the surrounding environment and culture, and inside, to the brand identity and desired communication already in place from the brand.
In looking outward, one of the most friendly welcomes I found in my time at the Marina was the heads of the neighborhood turtles, popping out of the water to check me out as I walked down the docks. Often piled on the banks sunning themselves, they were the most permanent residents of the place. It was only fitting to make them the hero element of this welcome sign.
The “X” design backing the turtle was drawn from looking within the brand – as the Marina’s existing logo was formed with two crossing oars. The name “Cherokee Marina” was a tribute to the homelands of the Cherokee tribe, and so the feathers and geometric decor derive from inspirations of a Cherokee aesthetic. We’re fortunate to be alive in a time now where one can do a ton of visual research with a few simple questions on Google (this was before AI hallucinations showed up on the scene and complicated the process of actually getting answers).
Working with what we’ve got
It doesn’t happen so much anymore, now that I have perhaps the world’s largest supply of leftover paints from previous jobs, and new cans joining the lineup all the time. However, in those days, I would sometimes show up at a worksite, like the Cherokee Marina, and find a perfectly adaptable existing set of leftover paints, to build a pallet and compositions around. I did have to do some careful sorting to pull out like formulations of paint (oil and water really don’t mix), but once I had a little collection of latex-based pigments, I set to letting available supply dictate color and design decisions. In this way I was able to take on a playful creative constraint, and save my client from any additional supplies expenditures.
Cherished Constraints
I was grateful for the creative constraints on palette, as I had complete freedom on design. I actually prefer the structure of a collaborative process, where clients come in with ideas they want executed. I love working with clients to pull their vision out of the recesses of their mind, and get on the same page with words and sample images, so together we create the art of their dreams. In this case, I used the existing branding and existing paint on site to give that collaborative feedback I thrive on, and the result is pure southern river charm.
Approx 40″ x 40″
latex paint on wood
Welcome Sign at Cherokee Marina on the Tennessee River