Start With the Art: Man Cave Makeover

As an artist, my lifelong passion lies in crafting spaces that speak volumes without uttering a word. Our process always starts with the end in mind: a meaningful art piece or collection that truly reflects you. Our goal is to transform your space into a sanctuary for joy, memories, and celebration.

Take Bobby Thomas's recent passion project in Cherry Log, Georgia. He didn't just renovate; he built a dedicated escape – a stunning new building featuring a chef's kitchen, a lively cafe bar, and a top-tier gym. This was his reward for 30 years of hard work building his successful propane and fuel company.

Bobby understood that standard decor wouldn't do justice to his dream. He wanted something more profound. Our consultation focused on his personal style and long-term vision. The result? Purposeful, art-driven installations throughout his building, each piece thoughtfully chosen to complement its surroundings and collectively celebrate Bobby’s home, family, and passions in a way that truly resonated with his heart.

Transforming Bobby's Building: A Story in Three Walls

Bobby's new building wasn't just constructed; it was infused with his story through three distinct artistic expressions:

1. The Legacy Wall: Stepping inside, you're immediately drawn to a striking exposed brick wall. Here, a mixed-media painting unfolds the Thomas family's century-long connection to this land. Bobby's cherished home stands proudly against the backdrop of the stunning North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains he still calls home.

2. Charcoal Narratives: In the cozy cafe/sitting area, a wood-paneled wall whispers tales of Bobby's life. Through a collaborative process with Bobby, we crafted 18 neutral, organic charcoal composites. Each piece honors the people, places, and pivotal moments that have shaped him, creating a visual tapestry of his cherished memories and stories.

3. Fitness Icons in Monochrome: Bobby's passion for weight training takes center stage in the expansive fitness area. Amidst the mirrors and equipment, three equally sized canvases command attention between the windows. Paying homage to his heroes – Muhammad Ali, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Hulk Hogan – these black and white paintings feature a subtle red glow, echoing the sleek black and red of the fitness equipment.

This project was a true partnership, and Bobby was thrilled with the transformative power of the artwork, exceeding his vision for the space.

“Working with Bryan and his company was so easy and the results are far more than I could have dreamed. All of the artwork is such a reflection of me.” - Bobby Thomas

Ready to tell your story? Whether it's a single wall or an entire building, let us bring your passions to life. Our initial consultation is free. Contact us today and let's create a space that inspires you. Let's collaborate on your passion project.

“Art improves your life. Art lifts your spirit. Art makes you think and reason. And above all, art comforts.” - Bryan White

Happy Earth Day 2024

Fun fact: We were one of the first photographers in the country to change our business to positively impact the environment. While we admit we still have some work to do to reduce our carbon footprint, we made huge decision way back in early 90’s that completely changed our photography business and became environmentally friendly before that was even a thing. Read on…

Ditch the Proofs

This was our brochure for the new way of delivering wedding portraits mere days after the wedding. No one else in the southeast, was doing anything like this. It was exciting and completely terrifying at the time, but this decision ensured that we were an in demand wedding photographer and we started booking weddings up to two years in advance.

Way back when we first opened our studio and began photographing weddings in 1991, printed paper proofs were the standard delivery process for newly wedded couples. It was expensive - and wasteful. It was typical to print about 150-200 small prints, place them in an album that was passed around throughout the family and then discarded. When you’re doing 50+ weddings per year, that is a lot of wasted chemicals and photo paper.

Enter Chris Norris, an entrepreneur who sent a letter touting his newly developed software that would revolutionize the wedding photography business, saving time and money and increasing sales. As the company CFO, the Production Manager/Actual Production Department and VP of Marketing (Bryan and I each wear a lot of hats), I was intrigued and set up an appointment.

Chris drove up in a van with his family, and looking back, I can’t believe we let him into the house with his giant computer case. He proceeded to hook up everything to our television and demonstrated how we could photograph a wedding, scan the negatives, and present a slideshow set to music to our blissful couples the weekend they returned from their honeymoon! And wait, there’s more! We could then immediately design an album on the television screen, showing the selected images in the album pages and then flip through the entire book so the couple could see what it would look like before placing their order. (I wish I had a photo of the television screen to share.)

Wow. We were blown away. We kept sitting there watching as Chris demonstrated each feature, wanting it, but realizing it had to be expensive. It was unprecedented. It was exciting. And yes, it was expensive. It was $14,000!

But we realized the value in this process and took out a loan instead of buying the new car we needed. I learned how to manually scan the images with a video editor and a contraption called a Fotovix. It was unwieldy and time consuming, but I was determined to make it work. I learned the DOS software and became pretty quick at creating an album so that the couple could see their choices immediately, weaving their love story into a visual slideshow that brought them to tears almost every time.

While most photographers took about a month to deliver paper proofs in an album, we were delivering a finished album in the same amount of time! More importantly, the couples took great pride in knowing they designed their own album (mostly) themselves. It was priceless. We became a very in-demand studio through word of mouth and began booking weddings up to two years in advance.

At the time, we didn’t even know what ‘carbon footprint’ meant, but we knew printing photos that were thrown in the trash was wasteful and unnecessary. We began using this digital process for our portrait clients, as well, and have never looked back.

• Blayne

Album Design Services

Now is a great time to get those photos out and into a beautiful book for your coffee table or someone else’s.

Let our designers create a stunning book, using your photos or ours, artfully packaged and delivered straight to you. There are no more excuses for letting your photos lounge around in hyperspace - get them OUT and into your life today! We can help. Schedule a phone or Zoom consultation, let us know what you want and we’ll take it from there. No need to come in to the studio and if you’re using your own photos, we’ll help you get them uploaded quickly and easily. Set up a Free Consult in our NEW Online Store now!