The Tablescapes Event Rentals building, located in the Fulton Market area, was the latest to receive a facelift from a local artist. The black, white, and gold mural was painted by Melina Scotte, and the fine dining tableware it features represents the business inside.
Owned and operated by proud Chicagoans, Tablescapes serves as one of Chicago’s premier event companies and has been a go-to for events in the area since the 80s. While the artwork incorporates many of the fine dining products they have to offer, most importantly it tells the story of celebration.
“The building has good bones, but it didn’t really tell any type of story,” says Tablescapes CEO John Mlynski. “It could just blend in with the fabric of the Fulton Market area.”
Mlynski, a long-time resident of Chicago, says he has enjoyed many of the murals painted by citizens in his area. While walking to his wife’s salon of over 40 years, Mlynski took notice of Scotte’s artwork, giving him the idea to use their commanding brick building as a way to show the city what they do.
“I had seen some of Melina’s artwork in a couple of different places,” says Mlynski. “I really liked what I saw and the artist when I met her.”
Scotte, originally from Argentina, relocated to the Chicago area in 2014. As an experienced artist, she had done murals before, but this was her first time painting for a business. Mlynski wanted Scotte to have as much creative freedom as she needed, but did request a floral element and had a few suggestions for the design.
“I do flowers in most of my pieces, so I think that is what they were expecting,” says Scotte. “But the garlands and decorative pearls, those were John’s idea.”
From there, prep work began on the brick – including cleaning and brushing for better adherence of the paint, and waiting for warmer days that allowed Scotte to work outdoors.
Unlike many muralists who use spray paint, Scotte paints by brush. Because of the extensive labor and the outdoor project being weather permitting, the entire process took approximately three months.
Scotte used black and white to reflect the elegance of the many weddings and events that are planned inside. As an active showroom, the building serves as a space for clients to experience the products firsthand. Now when giving the address, guests are able to ‘just know’ the building.
“There was a lot that went into it, but in the end, Melina delivered on our vision to an unbelievably great degree.”
Scotte’s next project isn’t far away, as Mlynski has already slated her to paint a private area of their indoor studio space, including a 30-foot wall. As the area is commonly used for employees to take breaks, they can’t wait to see the project completed.
“When you are surrounded by things that are beautiful, you create your own environment,” says Scotte.
