By GARY DEMUTH

Salina Journal

If someone brings it, Laurie Ann Colahan will paint it.

Whether it's a cabinet or picture window, a table or piece of barn wood, Colahan will hand-paint ordinary items in vibrant colors to give them new life.

"I'll try to paint anything people bring in," she said. "They'll bring in old pieces of barn wood or old tiles from the ceiling or they'll want to make an old piece of furniture look updated."

Colahan also does pet portraits taken from photographs that customers supply, which she hand paints on canvas.

Even though Colahan does a lot of painting, it's not the primary focus of her business, Laurie Ann's, located in the Martha & David store at 110 S. Santa Fe.

Colahan spends the majority of her time doing custom floral designs and home and event decorating, which includes weddings, private parties and business gatherings.

But whether the assignment is home decorating or furniture painting, Colahan said she approaches each job as an artist.

"I'm a jack of all trades and an artist at heart," she said. "Florals are an outlet for my art, and so is my painting."

Before opening her own business four years ago, Colahan spent 18 years as an art teacher at Salina South High School, where she taught three-dimensional art, jewelry-making, silversmithing and painting and drawing.

"I taught a little bit of everything," she said.

Although teaching was a satisfying career, Colahan said she always wanted to have her own business.

After leaving her teaching job, Colahan owned and operated Grigsby's Greenhouse on North Street with her sister-in-law for three years.

But Colahan's dream was to open her own custom design store. Four years ago, she was approached by Martha & David owners Martha Brown and David Petty about renting space in their store.

"They asked if I would work for them designing florals," Colahan said.

Colahan constructs decorative wreaths, baskets, vases and outdoor decorations using artificial flowers and greenery. Her goal as a decorator is that people won't be able to tell the difference between what's real and what's artificial.

"You know you're doing good when people come up and try to smell the flowers, and you tell them they're artificial," Colahan said.

Colahan shares space in the southeast section of the store with another "Laurie" -- Laura Pestinger, owner of Paperie, who makes customized paper products.

Colahan said the two businesses complement each other.

"We work as a team," she said. "I'll do wedding decorations, and (Laura) will do invitations, napkins and other paper products."

Colahan said she never knows what's going to happen at her business from day to day.

"I never get bored because I'm never not busy," she said.

Unsurprisingly, Colahan's services are most in demand at Christmastime, when wreaths, garlands and swags are her most requested items.

Colahan said she never tires of doing design work.

"I love the creative process," she said. "It's satisfying to see pieces come together into something beautiful. It makes me feel good to make customers happy, and if they come back for something else, I know I'm doing my job."

nReporter Gary Demuth can be reached at 822-1405 or by e-mail at gdemuth@salina.com.

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