Local artist Thom Piragnoli pays tribute to his favorite folly bar by turning its employees into a work of art
By Miranda Steadman | Contributing Writer
Welcome to Folly Beach where you can find everyone from surfers to beach babes, musicians to artists, heroes to hooligans, and all of the rest. One dive that attracts some of the most interesting people on the island lies nestled next to Bert’s Market on 2nd block East between Ashley and Cooper avenues. Chico Feo is an artist’s dream of a watering hole. Not only is it only two blocks from the beach, it is shaded by a canopy of trees and adorned with local art. All of these aesthetics add a nice touch, but it is the genuinely nice and eccentric staff that makes Chico Feo such a unique place to be.
The laid back ambiance initially attracted Bronx native Thom Piragnoli to the bar. But it was the employees who successfully won his heart over. As a tribute to Chico Feo’s stellar crew, Thom Piragnoli painted a vintage window to showcase the staff’s personalities.
The top row features Jude, a rasta rebel with a heart of gold who loves spinning vinyl and gardening. To the right is Kelly, a fellow nature and music lover who makes beautiful jewelry to boot.
The middle row of the masterpiece begins with Charlie, the witty bartender with the best laugh on Folly, followed by owner Hank, a world traveler, music lover, and first time father. Then there’s Greg on the right, the friendly guy who’s rather keen on the eyes.
The bottom pane features Jenny, the bobbed babe with a hip hairdo and stellar sense of style, followed by Jeremy the clever cook who holds it down in the kitchen. Gentleman John graces the corner with his trademark rugged and manly beard.
“The reason I did this was because I like these guys … they always make me feel warm and welcome and at home,” says Piragnoli. “I feel like they are genuinely glad to see me.”
Piragnoli began painting signs in the Bronx in 1971. He started painting different shops and places for a billboard company.
“I was really good at lettering and also at painting various items like airplanes, whiskey bottles, and hand,” he says. “Then I went into business for myself painting billboards … this was when everything was becoming obsolete. Everything was being done on vinyl and on computers.”
When high-end residential faux finishes were big in the ’80s, Piragnoli painted murals in restaurants. “Everybody wanted things to look like marble and glazes,” he says.
In 1996, he restored the ceiling of Grand Central Station. “I was there and everyday some journalist would come talk to me,” he recalls. The ceiling of the station is a constellation with gold leaf work. It was restored previously in the 1950’s but it had been 45 years since anything had been to it.
While painting Grand Central Station, Piragnoli saw where previous painters had signed their names. He even hid a time capsule in the ceiling with a “Whole Lotta Love” Led Zeppelin 45, a photo of his new motorcycle, and some pay stubs.
Eventually Piragnoli left his painting company to his son up in New York. When he first moved to Folly Beach, local artist Kelly Kane inspired Piragnoli to start making art again.
“She was like a muse to me. Being one of the first people I met down here, she urged me to pick up a brush,” says Piragnoli, whose first piece created on Folly was inspired by the Weeki Wachee mermaids, after witnessing a reunion performance.
Billy Sypolt, another local artist and neighbor, inspired Piragnoli with his stained glass art.
A music lover, Piragnoli owns a jukebox machine of 45s and a quite extensive collection of vinyl. In the past, Thom was hired to paint influential artists of the time on the walls of Big Momma’s Blues Joint up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
