Sealed with a Kiss – “SWAK”

By Rebecca Pikus

Sealed with a kiss is a term used to express endearment from one person to another.

“SW” just happens to be the first two letters of Sandy Swett’s last name (the photographer) and “AK” are the last two letters of Peter Mikulaks last name (the artist).

“SWAK” was created as a way to identify their creative collaboration, two artists working on one portrait. Peter started playing with words and names and this one “SWAK” stuck a cord between both of them.

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Both Sandy and Peter express a level of endearment about their work and it shows in their over the top techniques mastered in the creation of SWAK portraits.

Sandy, owner of Red Door Pictures and Pets n Their People Photography is on an accelerated path to success! Red Door Pictures is a joint effort between Mother and Son, Travis Cosentino. Sandy gives credit to her son Travis as a growing talent. Travis’ achievements in videography and photography could be an article by itself.

Red Door Pictures covers Major Events in the Coachella Valley and has become the “go to team” for professional Real Estate Photography and Videography.

Palm Springs Homes, magazine calls on them frequently for their photography services. Sandy also works with several pet rescue organizations because she has a love and passion for animals. “Photography brings me as much joy as it brings to others when they see the portraits I do that “capture that moment or emotion”.

Peter Mikulak a professional working artist for the last six years has a portfolio of accomplishments that some artists never experience. Peter is a sensitive man and is very passionate (some might say consumed) with his career. In 2011, Peter donated all of his belongings to the Salvation Army except a suitcase of clothes and his backpack of art supplies.

At the time, Peter was a general contractor. He called his business partner and gave him the business. He drove his SUV to the Grandmother of his youngest daughter’s home and handed her the keys so long as she would drop him at the bus station in downtown New Haven, Connecticut.

“NO PLAN B” is what Peter chanted to himself all the way to Grand Central Station in New York City.

Peter had some hard times when he first touched down in Palm Springs. He says there is something to be learned from hard times. “It was a test to see if I would give up my dreams. I chose not to give up.”

In 2013 Peter visited the Forever Marilyn Statue, downtown Palm Springs to make money for a family in need. He sold a handful of portraits of the Marilyn that day. He was so inspired that he continued doing it for a year and sold over 700 portraits of Marilyn.

Selling to tourists took his work to every corner of the globe. After Marilyn, Peter went back to Connecticut and opened a kiosk at a high end mall and sold over 500 personal portraits over the 2014 holiday season.

Peter returned to Palm Springs in 2015 and plans to make this his home base and his primary focus is on the collaborative fine portrait effort that he created with Sandy Swett.

Together Sandy and Peter are a force to be reckoned with. Both are talented, passionate professionals in their respective fields.

Their product consists of a professional photoshoot at Red Door Pictures Studio in Palm Desert. Under the eyes and lights of professional photographer Sandy, an amazing photographic portrait is created. Sandy produces a large format-high quality, high resolution portrait for Peter to work with. The image is handed to Peter and he digitally manipulates the image. Once that is done, we print a high quality semi-gloss image for Peter to work with.  Peter’s artistry comes out, he cuts and mounts the image onto acrylic (various sizes available) and then begins the process of mixed media layers of spray paint, airbrush, oil paints, markers, stencils and maybe some other extra as his art is ever evolving. Here is an amazing fact: The work is done on the back side of the acrylic. This means everything is done in reverse and on the backside of the acrylic. When the finished product is flipped over (what we see), is the front surface clear and clean. The finished product is amazing.

SWAK is happy to offer Fine Art Personalized Portraits this holiday season in the Coachella Valley. They can be purchased through Red Door Pictures (760-636-2650) in Palm Desert or at the Gallery where Peter Mikulak hangs his Art, Rebecca Fine Art Gallery (860-944-7654) on Perez Road in Cathedral City.

SWAK will be doing an event you may want to join in on. They are featured artists that will be doing a live portrait party at Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant in La Quinta on Sunday, November 22^nd from 11:00am until 2:00pm. They will be doing another live performance event for the Palm Springs Orchestra next month where you can watch this dynamic duo in action.

SWAK is also available to do Live Private Portrait Parties.