If these walls, could talk they might say "aloha" or "s̄wạs̄dī" ("hello" in Thai). From tropical landscapes to the animated face of a drunken poet at a local Thai restaurant, Ron Genta’s paint brush turns elevators, walls, ceilings and even fiberglass finishes into works of art.

Genta graduated from Ringling before computers were a thing, and he learned his craft by mixing oil paints on a palette like the Old Masters—evident by the ceilings he’s transformed into dappled sunset skies. His tropical landscape murals hint to the 20 years he spent painting in Hawaii, and his punchy pop art shows off the skills he honed as during a stint as an editorial illustrator for magazines.

From an early age, Genta knew his path would lead to a career in art.

“I'd be in class and the nuns would smack me in the head cause I'd be doodling instead of following lessons," he recalls. "Then it was very much confirmed when I turned 15 and went to Italy and the museums there. I was in awe. It triggered an affirmation for what I wanted to do."

Genta's original art pieces—no prints or reproductions are available—hang in local cafes and restaurants, entertaining customers with humor and whimsy. His murals transform condo penthouses into tropical retreats. For a custom commission, a client even hired him to make their fiberglass garage door mimic exotic Brazilian wood.

His jack-of-all-trades artistic talent led him to label his services “Gentafication,” a play on his last name. And the studio he’s had for the past 15 years, Gentafication Creative Services, on Washington Boulevard just south of Ringling Boulevard, is packed top to bottom with his work—plus a CD player blasting reggae and a well-used easel.

“Sometimes I just say I'm a painter, because what I do is always evolving," he says. "I do color consulting for homeowners, and design and creative directing for businesses. It often starts with one thing and grows into a bigger project."

"I like to be accessible and have people call me directly. There’s no reason for a middle man in art," he continues.

You can find Genta's work at the Drunken Poet Café, the Bean Coffeehouse on Siesta Key, Pastry Art, Screaming Goat Taqueria and Solorzano Bros. His residential art projects are in The Oaks, Golden Gate Point, Palmer Ranch and Chesapeake Park and more.

To find out more about Genta or commission a project, contact him at (941) 321-3351, surf his Instagram or visit Gentafication Creative Services at 314 South Washington Blvd., Sarasota.