Creativity shines through Carpentersville shop
When you walk into Surface Studio, Keren Navarro's new business in Carpentersville along Randall Road, you can see her creativity on display throughout.
There's the fish pond, complete with three-dimensional fish and lily pads, which she lovingly sculpted out of concrete. There's desk, which she actually uses, that was made by hand with several different textured products. And even the floors and walls are covered with plaster and concrete molded into fanciful designs.
While Navarro is proud of the artwork she has on display, she's equally proud of something you might not even notice when stepping into her studio. The majority of her creations, she said, are made with green products that are environmentally safe.
Navarro said she couldn't live with herself if the art she was creating, and which she helps others create inside of her studio, was in some way negatively impacting the planet.
So now she uses products like Modern Masters for faux finishing, which is made up of products such as seashells, tree bark and wheat.
"That really started two years ago when I became a grandmother and realized my grandson might not have a planet to grow up on," said Navarro. "It hit me in the middle of the night. So my products are mostly 'green.'"
Often, she said, she imports her materials from places such as Japan and Italy, as well as numerous locales across the United States, to ensure they are environmentally safe.
With those products, she creates inside of her studio, which she uses as both a showroom and an educational facility.
She sells many of her items on display out front.
But in the back of her business, she also teaches people how to make them on their own from plaster and concrete.
She has the walls and floors done in many different styles and faux finishes, which she can then also try to teach you to do, or come to your house and create for you on your walls and floors.
"I can do it, or you can learn how to do it. I opened this studio hoping to showcase my artwork and teach others," she said.
Navarro said she started faux finishing about 12 years ago. But she wasn't happy just doing that. She started looking for other mediums.
She would take many textural products and artfully create with them on walls.
"Then I found concrete and found I could really be creative with that," Navarro said. "I never knew what you could make from it. And most people are surprised when they see what you can do."
Navarro welcomes you to stop into her business, located at 2319 Randall Road, any time to check out her work. For information call (847) 426-2377.
Coming soon: The frame is already up, and before you know it there will be a new Famous Dave's restaurant along Randall Road in Algonquin.
The business is going up in the Galleria shopping center, on the east side of Randall.
New location: The Great Clips, formerly just off Randall Road in Carpentersville, now is open along Randall Road in Algonquin.
The business is located in front of the Algonquin Commons shopping center, just north of the new Mimi's Café.
Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from South Elgin to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or at (847) 894-5036.