# Latte Fine Art Barrista Mike Breach of Smile To Go Creates Caffeinated Masterpieces By Meghan Young | Published 2013-04-05 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mike-breach References: [visualnews](http://www.visualnews.com/2013/04/04/latte-fine-art-by-barista-mike-breach/) & [storyboard.tumblr](http://storyboard.tumblr.com/post/47110050769/the-fine-art-of-coffee-portraiture-heres-more) Boutique coffee shops have set themselves apart from larger chains through more personable service and creative drinks, but barrista Mike Breach has taken this up a notch with his [latte fine art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/global-barista-champion). An incredible feat of skill and patience that could rival the masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso, Mike Breach demonstrates that detailed portraits can be depicted as easily with [milk foam and espresso](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banana-cloud-latte) as it can be with pencils and paintbrushes. Using a [bamboo skewer as a paintbrush](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/delonghi), Mike Breach has portrayed rock stars, extraterrestrials, artists and some of the most brilliant minds. He reveals, "I kind of want to be like Willy Wonka with coffee- make it interesting and fun for people; take the pretentiousness out of it, take the seriousness out of it." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 17% | Activity: 40% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Latte Art:** Opportunity to enhance customer experience and differentiate coffee shops through creative and visually appealing latte designs. - **Creative Drinks:** Potential for innovation in developing unique and artistic beverages that go beyond traditional coffee recipes. - **Alternative Art Mediums:** Exploring unconventional methods, like using milk foam and espresso, to create intricate and detailed artwork. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Coffee Shops:** Chance for boutique coffee shops to attract customers and build brand loyalty by offering latte fine art as an engaging and personalized service. - **Hospitality:** Opportunity for hotels and restaurants to elevate their guest experience by incorporating visually stunning latte art into their beverage offerings. - **Art and Design Education:** Incorporating latte fine art techniques into art and design curriculum to broaden students' understanding of unconventional art mediums and innovative approaches. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Pop-Up Art Gallery Cafes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saatchi-flowers-signature-cappuccino.md) - [Playful Coffee-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/andrew-rae.md) - [Tri-Spout Latte Art Pitchers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/latte-art-pitcher.md) - [Smart Milk Frothers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreo-baristamaker.md) - [Barista-Approved Coffee Milks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cornish-barista-milk.md) - [Eight-in-One Milk Frothing Units](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dreo-baristamaker-air.md) - [Artistic QSR Merchandise](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/damon-brown.md) - [Motion Liquid Art Distortions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lidris.md) - [Limited-Edition Cup Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shade-akanbi.md)