New amenity at Plainfield's luxury day spa

Art students Robert Drew and Daniel Jenkins
created a mural for Ingrid Alexander's 'Castle Spa'.

Castle Spa, Plainfield's only luxury day spa, has added a new amenity for its patrons.

Thanks to the creative efforts of two Plainfield art students, the spa now has a gracious meditation garden in shaded seclusion at the rear of the property.

Daniel Jenkins, who begins his second year at duCret School of the Arts today, and Robert Drew, who is in his third year at the Art Institute of Boston, painted a panoramic mural on the property's fence which provides a backdrop for the restful meditation area which centers on a soothing waterfall. Residents of Plainfield, both are graduates of Timothy Christian Academy.

Daniel Jenkins is a student at duCret School of Art	Robert Drew is a student at the Art Institute of Boston

Working in the classic mural tradition, the pair sketched their ideas in consultation with Castle Spa's owner and director, Ingrid Alexander. Once the concept was finalized, Daniel and Robert prepared a 'cartoon', a finalized version of the mural on a grid framework. Duplicating the grid framework onto the mural space -- in this case, a fence -- allows the smaller sketch to be accurately 'blown up' to the full-size which is more than six feet high and about forty feet in width.

The mural is centered on a restful fountain
in the spa's meditation garden.

One practiced muralist has described the art form as a cross between fine art and house painting, because while the concept is highly artistic, the actually painting replaces the fine strokes of working on a small canvas with the large brushes and broad strokes of house painting. The technique appears deceptively easy, but is difficult to master, as any muralist will gladly tell you.

The restful garden perfectly complements the atmosphere of the spa itself, which offers soothing massages, facials, manicures, body treatments and other spa delights to both individuals and small groups.

Owner Ingrid Alexander has furnished the spacious former residence with an eye to providing comfortable and relaxing surroundings in the public areas and professionally equipped private areas for individual treatments.

Besides the large and airy reception room, filled with antiques, there is an inviting tea room for relaxing with a cup of soothing herbal tea and perhaps a scone, or a light luncheon with others in a group having a spa day.

Castle Spa owner Ingrid Alexander is ready
to answer your questions or give a tour of the spa.

The spa also has several inviting nooks turned into restful areas where a patron may read or simply relax between treatments. There is also a healthful sauna, a bracing treatment brought from the Scandinavian and Baltic countries that Americans have learned to appreciate.

Rounding off all the services offered on site, Castle Spa also offers a full selection of moisturizing creams and lotions made with natural ingredients, which may be taken along for home use or given as the perfect gift to a friend.

To ensure a relaxed visit with the devoted attention of the spa's professional staff, all treatments are by appointment only.

Visit Castle Spa's website (www.castlespa.net/) or call -- (908) 756-3200 -- to arrange for a visit to the spa or a detailed explanation of the services offered.

Castle Spa
927 Park Avenue
Plainfield, NJ 07060
(908) 756-3200
Email: info@castlespa.net
Website: www.castlespa.net/

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-- Dan Damon

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