When one of our team members, Monica Arrache, told me she was traveling to visit her hometown of Boston (one of my fave cities) I hounded her asked her nicely if she would photograph anything Fauxology-ish in order to share with the readers. She finally had enough of my begging kindly did so with not one, but two amazing spaces.
Emerson College came upon the closed and dilapidated Art Deco-styled Paramount Theatre and commissioned it to undergo a $92 million dollar renovation to transform it into The Paramount Center. The renovation was overseen by Elkus Manfredi Architects. The interior theater has been restored to look like the movie palace that opened in 1932, complete with gold figurines, murals and restored historic finishes. It now houses classrooms, offices and several state-of-the-art performance spaces for Emerson College. There are guided tours for the public as well. Here are some of Monica’s images…
...and they do mean, ANYBODY...
559 Washington Street, Boston, MA
I found an excellent article on its history and current interior design. Additionally, there is a 5-minute video from The Emerson Channel in case you’d like to see further into the space:
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into the new Paramount Center and that it inspires you to visit it while traveling in Boston. I’d like to send out a special Thank You! to Monica for the images and information. I’ll have the second location up soon. Have a great day!
I’m just horrible with crafts or artistry on small objects. Big walls, sure, but small surfaces? Can’t do it — and I’ve tried, trust. Which is why when I saw The Art of Ebru post over at one of my fave blogs, Art’s the Answer, I was overtaken by the sheer mastery the blog’s writer, Theresa Cheek, has of the art form.
Ebru is the process of floating ink on water to create marbleized patterns. A fellow decorative painter in Texas, Theresa shows examples of Ebru on different surfaces, talks about her collection, demonstrates the process and showcases some of her work. That’s just so impressive. My Mother, who is a creative genius with small objects, thinks it may come around for me eventually. I’m not so sure — but I do hope you enjoy Theresa’s artistry. Have a great day, dear Reader!
I stumbled onto the Natural Pigments website via my friend, Jeff Huckaby. When anything has the tag “rare artists colours and materials” — well, how can you resist? The company and site are based in California and their goal is to help artists acquire hard-to-find art materials. They provide supplies that have been used in “historical painting since pre-historic times up to and including the eighteenth century”. Amazing to find such a company, no? They go further to say that they obtain minerals from mines as far as Russia and resins and other materials from India, Kenya and Malaysia as well.
The reason Jeff called me about the site? It’s because they offer an affordable and wonderful True Fresco Painting workshop. The 3-day class runs $425 and teaches the historical technique “as practiced in medieval Byzantium and Italy”. It really does look like an incredible workshop.
Their newsletters are always full of great information as well. Just in the last three, I’ve learned about the metalpoint drawing technique and the use of oil colors and materials. I enjoy them greatly. If you are in the New York City area on September 14 – 15, they are also sponsoring a free lecture series open to the public at the Art Students League of New York. The subjects include the Origins of Color: Secrets of the Old Masters and Color Theory & Practice. They will last approximately an hour and George O’Hanlon, technical director of Natural Pigments, will follow his lecture with a digital presentation and a question and answer period. I wish I could attend, I tell you what. To find out more, check out the Events column on their site.
I find it fun to poke around their site and read about materials for disciplines such as encaustic painting, tempera, gilding and others. The site also has cool articles (check under each category for “articles”) and a forum to talk about the materials and techniques. Until next time!
Artist Sheri Hoeger
Many years ago I heard of The Mad Stencilist and thought that was such a joyful name for a business. I had to look into the company and discovered that it was headed by the wonderfully talented Sheri Hoeger — and to this day, I admire her amazing creativity, professionalism and warm personality. Sheri has been working in the decorative painting industry for over 22 years. Her main focus has been residential interiors and she’s worked on nearly every imaginable surface from walls to floors, fabric, furniture and accessories.
In 1993, she began teaching and launched her pre-cut stencil line as The Mad Stencilist at IDAL. Her husband, Hugh, joined her full-time to run the management and marketing segments of the business in 1998. Shortly thereafter, Say What? Lettering, the first custom self-adhesive stencil masking system available to the decorative painting community, was launched and it now encompasses the Beyond Words Decorative Designs. Sheri has also been an advisor for The Faux Forum since its inception, made numerous television appearances and has also created instructional DVDs for our industry. I’m so happy that we were able to e-chat about her art, hobbies and a bit more about her studio and businesses.
The drapery was painted with an airbrush. The stencil was cut from acetate and used a paint and pull process on the wall.
SH: As my artistic skills evolved, I learned to use many different materials and techniques and have branched out into fine art, painting in acrylic and pastel. I especially love trompe l’oeil murals and capturing the essence of personalities in my animal portraits.
RG: You’re also very well known for your airbrushing…
SH: It’s not something I could have planned. I was introduced to the airbrush when I worked as a manicurist in the early 80’s. A friend showed me the traditional dry brush method of stenciling at about the time that multiple overlay stencils first became available. I loved the soft look of the airbrushing combined with the crisp edge of the stencil and it fascinates me to this day. In 1988, I began making my own stencils to match my clients’ décor and this, combined with airbrushing, became my ‘signature style’. Of course, I still use stencils and airbrush frequently, and enjoy developing new ways of using them.T'loose is Sheri's standard poodle and the dog love of her life. (Pastel)
RG: Do you have other go-to materials you use?
SH: Whenever possible I like to work from my own photographs. I take hundreds of photographs of whatever I happen to come across and file them by subject in my computer. I also love Dover Publications because they publish archives of historic ornament, illustration, old catalogs and other art resources that are copyright free and reasonably priced.
Handpainted using a wet T-shirt. I think this would be the best kind of entry in a Wet T-Shirt contest.
RG: Professionally, who are some of your inspirations?
SH: So many artists have influenced my development! Jan Dressler and Dee Keller were very inspiring, and both were very helpful when I was starting out. Pascal Amblard, Sean Crosby and Jennifer Carrasco are fantastic. William Cochran is incredibly inspiring, both as an artist and a human being. I’ve studied with William and had the chance to work with him on his project The Dreaming in Frederick, MD. It was a double pleasure to work on it along side my son, Ryan.
The landscape was painted with an airbrush using natural foliage as a mask. When grouped together, your eye makes it into a positive. The column was marbled and gilded.
RG: Are there any art books or artist biographies that you recommend for us to read?
SH: Like many artists, I have an addiction to art books. One of the first artists I was really inspired by is Lyn le Grice. Her books The Stenciled House and The Art of Stencilling were instrumental in my falling in love with stenciling, and that was where I first heard about SALI (now IDAL). I love all of books by Graham Rust and they have inspired quite a few of my murals. The Stencilled Home by Helen Morris is really great, and The Art of Faux by Pierre Finklestein. One of the most useful ones I have come across is Perspective Without Pain by Phil Metzger. Carolina D’Ayala Valva’s book on Grottesca is fantastic, and I can’t wait for the release of Pascal Amblard’s upcoming book.
RG: What are some misconceptions about art that you encounter?
SH: The idea that many people have that they “can’t” draw or paint. I think most of those people have been unfortunately convinced of that by insensitive comments, resulting in a fear of trying. I don’t discount that there is a degree of “talent” that gives a person some pre-disposition for success in art, but the most talented artists I know work incredibly hard, devoting countless hours with a persistence that is mind-boggling. I believe that art is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Skills can be learned and perfected with practice and I’ve seen many determined beginners produce incredible work that surprised themselves and their teachers. I believe that being creative is a basic human need, whether it’s in art or math or science or cooking. That’s one of the reasons our business is so satisfying. We help give people the tools and opportunity to be creative beyond their expectations.
Airbrushed using the Renaissance Border from The Mad Stencilist Collection.
RG: Speaking of being “creative beyond expectations”, I’ve heard that you are a musician as well! What are your preferences? Do you play in an actual band?
SH: I love an eclectic array of acoustic music. Hugh and I have had the joy of playing music together for fun and semi-professionally for many years. We play a lot of Bluegrass, Americana and Soft Rock/Folksy stuff. We enjoy harmony singing and Hugh plays guitar, mandolin, bass and a little banjo. I play bass. Favorites are Alison Krauss and Union Station, Chris Thile (now in the Punch Brothers), Chris Stuart and Backcountry, Dan Crary, Laurie Lewis, Nanci Griffith and Tim O’Brien.
RG: That sounds amazing — I love the fact that both you and your husband enjoy performing together. Can’t get any better than that!
In 2002, Sheri and Hugh moved to a two-acre property near Placerville, CA in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, just East of Sacramento. They wanted to keep their business home-based and also have a studio that combined both in a beautiful, spacious setting. Their studio, Big Oak Arts, offers workshops in fine and decorative arts. In addition to Sheri’s classes, they will have Pascal Amblard teaching 3 workshops in September (his first visit to the West Coast) and William Cochran will return to teach his Trompe l’oeil Mastery Series in March 2011. Check out their schedule here. Sheri is also presenting a recent project at the upcoming PDPA Education Summit in Golden, CO. So many great things going on and coming up, no? Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview — and I’d like to thank Sheri for taking the time to e-chat. I do look forward to seeing her studio AND hearing her play. Please be sure to click into all the sites — there’s so much good stuff to see and read about. Have a great weekend!
Green is a color that signifies life — growth, renewal, healthiness. It is a color that denotes nature and balance and can usually be found within a calm color scheme. Used well, it can help alleviate anxiety and relax both the mind and body. Many famous phrases revolve around the color, such as “going green”, “green with envy”, “green-lighting a project” or “it’s not easy being green”. Mmm…maybe that last one not so much. ;) In entertainment, there is even a “green room” — it is the area a performer can be found waiting until his or her time to go on stage. Interestingly, it is rarely painted green.
Sensational Color has wonderful further information on the color green. In the meantime, I found a few catalog and magazine images that showcase this beautiful color.
Wallpaper or Decorative Artwork
Venetian Plaster on Accent Walls
Unexpected Areas
Overall
I hope you’ve been inspired to Go Green! Until next time, dear Reader!
Image Sources: Architectural Digest, Interior Design, Benjamin Moore, Phoenix Home & Garden and Elle Decor
I subscribe to a lot of newsletters since I like keeping updated on the latest and greatest. I received the August newsletter by Golden on their Proceed System and in it, there was a mention of a Finishes & Techniques area of their site wherein they give out complimentary recipes on finishes using their products. It’s nice to have freebies like that! The newsletter mentions that they are going to start adding more recipes to this area very soon — so keep an eye out. In addition, there is a video section produced by the Faux Design Center.
Embossed Glass Beads
We’ve tried their glaze and it has one of the longest open times available. A friend of ours loves to use their texture products prior to his decorative work. If you’d like to read more about the Proceed Systems product line, click to read their story and see a list of retailers. The Faux Expo in Orlando also has an upcoming class. By the way, the site also has a comprehensive resource section that provides great links for artists — everything from publications to associations to material sources. Have fun learning new recipes!
Hey Fauxology readers!
Suzanne Rosales here, just dropping by to say hello and tell you about this great article I found. Many of you may design and work on your own website and if that is the case, this article is a must read!
Smashing Magazine (one of my FAV sites to read) featured an article regarding applying Interior Design principles to the Web. It talks about incorporating principles such as balance, proportion, rhythm, emphasis, color, texture, and lines to your site just like you would incorporate it into your interior design or while planning your finishes.
Below are examples of balance and emphasis applied to web design. They suggest to not only find balance symmetrically and asymmetrically but to find radial balance in your design elements. Another great tip: Having emphasis on a design piece. For instance, I love the example of the colorful dog on the website (fourth one in the series below). It instantly catches your visitor’s and brings them into your site to find out more. (Tip: You can zoom in on the pics by clicking on them.)
You can read the article from Smashing Magazine and see all their great examples by clicking here – Applying Interior Design Principles To The Web. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Sincerely,
Suzanne Rosales
A few weeks ago, we profiled the wonderful artist Lynne Rutter. She writes an incredible blog, The Ornamentalist, and I look forward to reading each post she writes. The latest one, A House Inspired by a Jasperware Teapot, talks about how she took inspiration from an unusual source — and created an exterior masterpiece for her clients. Here’s the Before…
…and you’ll have to click on the post link to see the results. You’ll love it, trust. (Jasperware certainly gets around since I’ve also found it to be inspirational.) BTW, in the post Lynne also includes information on how black can be a serious contender for the exterior of your home. I kid you not — I’d slather it on if the architecture of my house would allow it. (Sadly, no.) Have a great day!
I stumbled onto my decorative painting career when I roomed with a film scenic artist. Her home was right out of a movie set (with props, too) and to this day I smile at the memories of my time living there. She taught me how production designers and scenic artists work to create a particular mood and how spaces are truly tailored to fit their characters. If only everyone adopted that theory and brought it to their own homes.
Since then, I’ve paid attention to the sets and design of the movies I watch. I also love to know about the artists that create so much of this work. One artist was Albert Whitlock, one of the film industry’s most skilled illusionists. Here’s a fascinating 1-minute excerpt from the educational film, Albert Whitlock: A Master of Illusion.
His specialty, Matte Painting, refers to the visual effect of creating the background scenery of a film. For instance, these visuals:
Painted Mountains in the Background (Movie - Earthquake)
Can you see where the set ends and the painted background begins? It's tough! (Movie - History of the World: Part 1)
Albert Whitlock’s painted backdrops can be seen in over 500 films and television shows and he is a two-time Oscar winner. He is generally known to have been the best of all the matte painters. He was able to create scenery that was impossible to film realistically, such as periods in the past (like 1930′s Chicago), disasters (the Hindenburg) or because they were too expensive to build (a mountaintop city). The trompe l’oeil work had to be masterful since the better you were, the less your work was able to be detected when seen with live-action photography. In fact, directors used to check with him first before they took on a project — they wanted to make sure the visual effects could be achieved within the budget and scope of the production.
Incredibly, Mr. Whitlock referred to himself as a craftsman rather than an artist. He was unassuming and sought to demystify his craft, saying that it was “something that could be learned by anybody willing to make the effort”. Syd Dutton, who used to be his assistant, says “I remember one beautiful landscape Al painted that was supposed to be a whole bunch of weeds, chaparral in California. When I looked at it up close, it looked like Persian writing — just squiggles — but when you stood back, it looked just like chaparral. Al always said, ‘Paint is the effect of light, not the object itself.’“
Mr. Whitlock passed away in 1999. Here is an 8-minute tribute to him created by Craig Barron, of the Visual Effects Society. It’s educational and inspiring (and has Mel Brooks, another fave of mine prominently featured as well). Rest in Peace and Beauty, Mr. Whitlock.
Interested in learning more about the art form? Check out The Invisible Art: The Legends of Movie Matte Painting. Many thanks to the following blogs and sites for information and visuals: Rays in Blue, IMDB, Film Reference, The ASC and YouTube. I hope you’ve enjoyed this feature!
Today we’re going to take the visuals down to a simmer and hit, yes, the dreaded business posts. Judging by the traffic and lack of comments, the business posts don’t get a lot of love — but since I run a creative business and most of my dear Readers are professional creatives, I think it’s important to mix up the both. A bitter pill, I know. :)
As you may know, I love About.com — the Blogging area alone is worth its weight in gold. But, if you ever wanted to spruce up photographs of your work for your portfolio or create better pictures (with cool effects) for your own blog, we would need to head to the Graphics Software area. Here, the area guide, Sue Chastain, offers a complimentary Adobe Photoshop Basics Online Course. There are self-paced lessons that will get you going on the basics of Photoshop. Once you sign up, you will receive one e-mail a week for ten weeks. (Here’s the course outline – scroll to the bottom.) I just signed up so, hopefully, Fauxology’s visuals (as well as Garay Artisans) will get that much better. Have a wonderful day!
