Lori Capullo | 5/10/2012

Marsha Faulkner
Studio M Interior Design - Jacksonville

Marsha Faulkner designed the artwork on the wall (mixed media, recycled coffee filters on canvas). [Photo: Douglas J. Eng]

At 18, as she backpacked her way across Europe, Marsha Faulkner decided that paintings by local artists would be her souvenirs. "I've collected as long as I can remember," she says. "Plus, I had limited space, and it was easy to roll them up and stick them in my backpack."

Faulkner has a penchant for oils and acrylics on canvas, although lately she has gotten into charcoal drawings. She picks them up at local art festivals and gallery showings open to the public. "I hang them throughout the office, rotating them frequently, and if a piece fits someone's project, I sell it," she says. "We just sold out our lobby area."

Hitting the spot: "I've had a lot of requests for assistance in placing art pieces," Faulkner says. "It's the icing on the cake for me. Depending on the project, a canvas or sculpture can serve as the focal point of the entire space."

Favorite places for finds: "I'm always successful in Paris, and Florence is fantastic. And London has fabulous antiques. I even like to shoot up to Savannah, Ga. — SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) is right there, and it infiltrates the city."

Sound advice: "I encourage my clients to explore art on their own, especially when they travel. It's always a memory when you hang a piece you find on a trip, and it always sparks a conversation."

Tags: Housing/Construction