The Hotel Playhouse created by members of Metro Artisans Guild.

Posted by: Diane Capuano

This is how the West was won—with trompe l’oeil murals, painted finishes, plenty of hard work and a whole lot of talent from a dedicated group of professionals.

This dedicated group included the members of the Metro Artisans Guild, the International Decorative Artisans League’s chapter in the Greater St. Louis area. Fifteen artists from MAG lent their talents to the Wild West Fest, a philanthropic project undertaken to benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for Children in St. Louis County.

The project involved the creation of 11 spectacular playhouses using a Western town theme. MAG members participated in the creation of eight of the playhouses; other businesses in the St. Louis area created the three others. Playhouses included a schoolhouse, restaurant, general store, stable/blacksmith, hotel, movie theater, boat—even an old-fashioned Western jail.

Trompe l’oeil was a major part of all 11 of the playhouse projects. Among the trompe l’oeil effects created were: cowboys and cowboy boots, merchandise in a general store, tasty-looking food and beverages in the restaurant, a silhouette of a blacksmith working with an anvil, the front desk of the hotel, the ticket window at the theater, authentic-looking signage on every building, and (more…)