When Trumbull resident and interior decorator Holly Sutton-Darr was asked to design a boy's bedroom for the Shippan Designer Show House in Stamford, she knew at first sight it would need something special, something nautical, such as a hand-painted mural. 

And she knew just the artist for the job: her 15 year old daughter, McKenna.

Sutton-Darr did not make the decision to hire her daughter lightly. The Show House is known throughout the state as a compilation of work of some of the top decorators in the area. Her professional reputation was at stake and yet she never hesitated for a moment, even though the teen had never painted a full-size mural before.  

"McKenna has been taking art classes and painting for 10 years," Sutton-Darr said. "She not only has the training, she has the talent. I've known it since she was a little girl. And she did not disappoint."

It was also not the first time McKenna had worked for her mother. For the last 10 years, Sutton-Darr has commissioned an original painting of McKenna's and turned it in to the family's Christmas card. And she has turned many of her other paintings into note cards coveted by friends and family.

Other than the pressure to get the painting done in a timely fashion for the holidays, McKenna creates her paintings on her own, with no input from from her mother.

This opportunity was different. For this job, McKenna would have to work with her mother, taking in to account Holly's design plan for the room and ideas for the mural.

"When I saw the room and my mom told me she wanted something nautical, I immediately pictured sailboats, light houses and seagulls," she said. "But I also knew I wanted to paint this by myself, under my Mom's direction, but on my own."

Holly Sutton-Darr is also a gifted artist with hand painted mural experience, knowledge she tried to frequently impart, according to McKenna. Finding a balance required hard work for both of them.

And for one week this past summer, while McKenna learned to prep her work area, paint her mural to scale and work around the noise of other contractors in the room, she and Holly took their relationship from mother and daughter, to two artists working together.

"At first she would ask my opinion and then get mad, typical mother-daughter stuff," the mother said. "Then I told her you need to listen to me as an artist, not your mother. This is a process and before long we were collaborating, but she still never let me touch a paint brush."

McKenna was not prepared for the overwhelmingly positive response she has received from the hundreds of people who have gone through the Show House.

Holly joked that while she may not get any clients from this event, she is certain McKenna will.

"It's part of why I wanted her to do the mural. I wanted her to see that you could make a living as an artist," the interior designer said. 

As a junior, McKenna is starting to contemplate her post high school plans.  She views her art as a passion, not a career, though she isn't sure what she wants to do instead.

"Art is private, it's just for me," said McKenna. "I paint to relax and get in a good zone. I am not sure I want to major in it in college."

Whether she makes a career out of it or not, art has impacted McKenna's life in so many ways.  

At age 7, Holly was looking for a way to build her self-esteem.  She did all the things most little girls do, like dancing, but it wasn't enough.  

Then Sutton-Darr recalled when her own grandmother was in her 90s and in a nursing home, the staff asked her if she would like to paint.  The novice tried it and was soon winning ribbons in contests and fairs. 

"My own mother also started taking art classes later in life and was quite good at it but unfortunately she fell ill and was never able to see it through," said Holly. "I knew I could paint but never had the training.  When it came to McKenna I figured there had to be something in the blood line so I enrolled her in art classes."  

It was immediately apparent that McKenna had talent and that talent ultimately helped boost her confidence.

Until recently, McKenna has had only one art teacher. For years she took painting classes at the Little Red School of Art and Music in Stratford. She paints in mostly acrylics and sometimes water colors.

"I like to work from a picture rather than out of my head," said McKenna. "It doesn't turn out the same, but I like to base my paintings off of something."

Trumbull High School has given her the opportunity to take a variety of classes including drawing classes and fundamentals where she working on shading with pencils.  

"Thank goodness the high school offers these classes that push her into working with other mediums," said Holly. "It broadens her knowledge and stretches what she is capable of. In these days of budget cuts, I am so grateful that our local high school has this type of instruction."

McKenna also credits Holly for teaching her about art. "My Mom is also a really good artist," said McKenna. "And she knew to push me to keep going when I was younger and wasn't sure I wanted to do it anymore. I'm glad she did."

As for Holly, she couldn't be prouder of McKenna. "She's a better artist than me absolutely," she said.  "I can't wait to hire her again."

The Shippan Designer Show House, at 422 Ocean Drive West, Stamford, is open through Oct. 31. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m. (closed Mondays).