Artist Joe Orsini lives in a dollhouse-like wooden home in the heart of Coconut Grove. The interior could be his business card: the trunk that serves as a coffee table once belonged to his girlfriend's family and was hand-painted by the artist and turned into a one-of-a-kind piece, three hand-painted panels behind the sofa create the illusion of a big city backdrop, and many of his paintings adorn the walls. The result is a warm, colorful and cozy living room.

''This used to be strictly my studio space, but I moved in after my divorce,'' says Orsini, ``I have everything in a shack right now and I'm getting ready to find another space.''

Fortunately, most of his work is done at people's homes.

Self-taught, Brooklyn-born Orsini had an artistic bent but minimal professional training. ''I began painting and drawing when I was very young. I did take a commercial art class in high school, which is really my only formal education in the arts.'' In his teens, his artistic side began to flourish. ''I began doing some pretty wild drawings with winged women decorative borders and swirling, undulating ribbons,'' he recalls.

As a single parent, however, Orsini needed a more secure way to make a living, so he became a house painter.

His artistic bent kept surfacing, however. In the '80s, he noticed the popularity of faux finishes and did some research into the many applications for this craft.

''It became apparent that this was a natural progression for me,'' he says. ``My first faux finish was for a client who wanted several rooms done in different finishes in each with some artwork. Although I had never done this before, I did the first room in a rag finish and continued with other techniques in other rooms with the same great results.''

From then on, Orsini concentrated on faux finishes and wall glazes, perfecting his skills through trial and error. In 1994, he founded Orsini Arts and since then has worked on residential and commercial venues. He has done extensive work for Sandals/Beaches resorts in St. Lucia, Antigua, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos, providing artwork and faux finishes for multiple restaurants and lobbies all over the Caribbean.

What does he enjoy most about his work? ``I love that the decorative arts are a variety of media. One day I am working on a tropical mural, the next day working on a piece of furniture or matching marble or stone for a baseboard. Another day I could be creating a fantasy in a child's room.''

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