Let's set the scene: Kevin, armed with 20 years of experience and surrounded by more printing equipment than is socially acceptable, was contentedly photographing, printing, and framing his own work in what can only be described as a creative hermit's paradise. Meanwhile, Hannah (that's me) had just sold my small hotel after years of asking guests, "How was your stay?" when what I really wanted to ask was, "Have you seen my art?"

As fate would have it, I was one of those pesky artists who kept showing up at Kevin's door with work that needed printing. Little did he know that alongside my artwork, I was carrying a suitcase full of business ideas and enough enthusiasm to power a small Italian village.

"I just wanted to print my photos in peace," Kevin often jokes. "Then Hannah arrived with her cappuccino machine and five-year business plan."

The Italian Job (Or How We Fell in Love with Sienna)

Our connection to Italy runs deeper than just occasional tourism. I (Hannah) spent years navigating the Mediterranean as a stewardess on yachts, where I developed not only sea legs but also an eye for how the ultra-wealthy display their art collections. Let me tell you, nothing teaches you about presentation quite like serving canapés beside a priceless Picasso while trying not to spill prosecco during a sudden wave.

My love affair with Italy became so serious that I even named my daughter Elba, after the beautiful Italian island. "Much better than naming her 'Marina'," I often joke, "though I did consider 'Portofino' for a hot minute."

Meanwhile, Kevin had made a trip to the Amalfi Coast, allegedly for "creative inspiration" but mostly for the gelato!

During one particularly wine-soaked trip to Venice, we found ourselves mesmerized by the galleries and art scene there!

"That's it!" I allegedly shouted in the middle of a quiet piazza, causing several pigeons to reconsider their life choices. "Sienna! It's warm, it's rich, it's been used by artists for centuries, and it reminds me of every beautiful sunset I've watched from the deck of a yacht!"

Kevin, ever the pragmatist, pointed out that the actual colour is spelled "sienna" with one 'n,' but after the third glass of Chianti, spelling seemed like a problem for Future Hannah.

The colour became our muse – earthy, warm, timeless yet contemporary – everything we wanted our art publishing business to embody. Plus, it photographs beautifully, which is important when your business partner insists on documenting everything.

From Print2Wall: How Hannah's Hotel Management Skills Revamped Kevin's Artistic Hermitage

When I sold my small hotel and was looking for my next adventure, I didn't expect to end up in a print studio that looked like it was decorated by someone whose only design inspiration was "functional equipment stacking."

"The first time Hannah saw my workspace," Kevin recalls with a grimace, "she just stared for a full minute before asking if I'd considered that clients might actually want to walk into the room without performing an obstacle course."

My years in hospitality had taught me that ambiance matters almost as much as service. Kevin's years as a lone photographer artist-printer had taught him that as long as the printer had enough ink, nothing else really mattered. It was a match made in business heaven – or at least a match made in a building with enough square footage to accommodate both our visions.

Together, we transformed Kevin's one-man operation into Print2Wall, a one-stop shop where artists could get the royal treatment for their creative offspring. Kevin handled the technical wizardry, while I brought in the business structure, client experience, and an unreasonable number of Italian-inspired coffee breaks.

The Grant That Changed Everything (Or: How We Convinced Innovate UK We Weren't Just Making This Up As We Go)

In what can only be described as a miraculous validation of our coffee-fueled brainstorm sessions, Innovate UK decided to give us money. Real money! To do art things!

"I still think they mixed up our application with someone else's," Kevin whispers when he thinks I can't hear him.

The grant allowed us to develop new print presentation styles that we'd been dreaming about after our trips to galleries across Europe. The sleek aluminium artwork we saw in Dusseldorf, the textured resins showcased in London, the way light played through acrylic in Amsterdam's modern galleries – all of these elements swirled in our creative consciousness.

We spent months experimenting, which is a professional way of saying "making expensive mistakes and occasionally creating something brilliant." Kevin's studio began to look like a mad scientist's lab, with resin experiments hardening in odd places and aluminium sheets leaning against every available surface.

Sienna Editions: When the Printers Became the Publishers

As we perfected these innovative presentation techniques, a thought kept nagging at us: we were spending all this time making other artists' work look amazing, why not help bring these works to art lovers too?

"It was like running a gourmet restaurant but only being allowed to cook, never to serve the food," I explain to people who wonder why we expanded into publishing. "We could see the finished pieces in all their glory, then wave goodbye as they went off to galleries or private collections."

And so, with more courage than common sense (the foundation of all good business decisions), Sienna Editions was born – the publishing arm that would connect our stable of talented artists with the walls that desperately needed their work.

SwipeRight4Art: Because Finding Art Should Be As Fun As Finding Love (With Fewer Awkward First Dates)

The idea for our launch exhibition came, as all our best ideas do, after one too many espressos.

"What if finding art was as addictive as those dating apps?" I mused, watching Kevin swipe through photos on Instagram.

"Are you suggesting we create Tinder for art?" he asked, looking up from his phone with equal parts horror and intrigue.

And thus, SwipeRight4Art was conceived – an exhibition where art intimidation is replaced with art flirtation. No more pretending to understand complex artist statements or nodding thoughtfully while secretly wondering if you're looking at the piece upside down. Just honest reactions: love it or leave it.

Looking Forward (With Slightly Caffeine-Dilated Pupils)

As we prepare for our launch exhibition on April 17th, we're equal parts excited and terrified – the perfect emotional cocktail for any new venture. Sienna Editions represents more than just a business expansion; it's the natural evolution of our shared passion for art, quality, and helping people find beauty that speaks to them.

"At the end of the day," Kevin reflects, "we've gone from me hiding in my studio making art for myself, to helping other artists print their work, to now actually publishing and promoting these artists to the world. It's like accidentally building a rocket ship when you just wanted a better bicycle."

Whether you're an artist looking for representation by people who understand both the creative and technical sides of art production, or an art lover seeking that perfect piece without the gallery intimidation factor, we invite you to join us on this adventure. It all begins with SwipeRight4Art on April 17th – where we promise all the excitement of swiping right with none of the awkward small talk.

To learn more about our artists and presentation styles, or to RSVP for our opening night reception (where, yes, there will be Italian wine), visit https://SwipeRight4Art.eventbrite.com

About Print2Wall: Founded by former hotel owner turned art entrepreneur Hannah and photography veteran Kevin, Print2Wall Ltd is a one-stop shop for creative professionals. What began as Kevin's personal studio for photographing, printing, and framing his own work evolved into a comprehensive service for artists, and now into Sienna Editions, our art publishing venture inspired by countless European gallery visits and an unhealthy amount of Italian coffee.