It's all about image at a Sparks shopping
center that plans to go on a decorating streak.
A line of 315 hand painted tiles, each depicting
a work by a famous artist,will grace the
10,000-square-foot Artisans Plaza.
"We really wanted our building to stand
out," says co-owner Denise Oliver of Two
Daughters LLC."It makes the building truly
unique and easily identifiable."
But how does that translate into business
profit?
"We can't say that this will translate into
an additional 5 cents per square foot in lease
rates," says co-owner and leasing agent Don
Wallace of Gaston &Wilkerson Management
Group."Rather than looking at it as a straight
economic proposal, we strive to build a quality
project that's esthetically pleasing.We try to
make all our buildings as architecturally interesting
as possible."
The architect is Jim Wallace of Blakely
Johnson & Ghusn; the contractor is K7
Construction of Reno. The tiles will be
installed in mid-May with the center scheduled
to open in mid-June.
The name,Wallace adds, also suits the
denizens of Artisans Plaza Medical Building,
a 28,000-square-foot office complex rising
immediately behind the shopping center. The
office condos surround a 3,000-square-foot
atrium.
But the name especially suits Oliver, owner
of Playful Potter,who will operate a 2,000-
square-foot pottery painting studio at Artisans
Plaza.
Oliver and her Playful Potter staff,Vickie
Blair and Tabatha Wade, hand-painted the
eight-by-eight inch ceramic tiles. Each cost $8
and took up to five hours to complete, she
says. The art is inspired by Picasso,Matisse,
Pollack, O'Keeffe,Warhol and Mondrian.
The Prater Way center, situated north of
RED Development's Legends at Sparks
Marina, is expected to be a big tourist draw.
But the tiles aren't just a gimmick to lure those
tourists to the next shopping center over, says
Oliver.
"We were looking to have an investment in
real estate," says the artist,who graduated
from University of Nevada, Reno,with a major
in art and a minor in business.
Playful Potter has done business for five
years at Baring Village Shopping Center, where
Oliver employs six, aged 17 to 72. Customers
drop in to paint works of art on pottery.
Groups book the space for birthday parties,
bridal showers, and scout troop outings.
Summer camp targets kids who try their hand
at painting in the fashion of famous artists.
The venue also draws corporate events.
"They bring in food and celebrate accomplishments,"
says Oliver."Or simply come in to paint
for team building exercises. They may paint
coffee cups for co-workers. It's a chance to get
out of the office and do something creative."
And do the men like to paint pottery?
"Most of them take awhile to get into it,"
Oliver admits."But they come around.We have
miniature monster trucks and ATVs for them
to paint.
"And every guy likes to paint a cereal bowl
that holds as much as they really want to eat."
