Michele Snell

Michele Snell of Rincon is a stay-at-home mom who has utilized her gifts and talents to establish a successful career as a self-employed artist.

Where most would see a blank canvas or blank wall, Snell envisions beaches, landscapes, fountains, old brick or great mossy oaks.

The self-taught artist's brush strokes are now visible in local churches, private homes, businesses and schools. Snell most recently completed a series of Savannah-themed murals at the Hawthorn Suites near the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Hawthorn Suites general manager and sales director Rosie Litchfield said hotel owner D.D. Patel saw Snell's artwork displayed on the wall of a conference room in Rincon.

"We were looking for someone to do murals in our lobby area and when he saw it, he said, 'This is it,'" Litchfield said of Patel.

Snell consulted with Patel and Litchfield and soon began working on a collection of hand-painted murals in the hotel lobby. The murals depict Savannah scenes such as Wormsloe, River Street, historic homes and cathedrals.

Litchfield said she and her staff enjoyed having Snell around during the mural work.

"She is truly gifted, and she is also a delightful person," Litchfield said.

The murals give life to an ongoing renovation project at the hotel that includes repainting rooms, installing marble tile in the hotel lobby, equipping rooms with flat screen televisions and installing new equipment in the hotel gym.

"There is hardly anyone that comes in that doesn't comment about the artwork," Litchfield said.

Snell added some special touches in the murals such as one with a military airplane to honor the National Guard soldiers who are guests in the hotel and another that depicts a dog belonging to a former guest.

"We enjoyed the guest and dog so much and it is a nice reminder to our staff of their visit," Litchfield added.

Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Snell moved to Rincon in 1994. She began painting professionally in 2000 when friends saw a mural she created in her daughter's room.

"The next thing I knew, I had orders for murals," she explained.

Besides the Hawthorn Suites, her most recent works include murals at Rincon Elementary gymnasium and the Ephesus Primitive Baptist Church student center.