Rough Week saved by Venetian Plaster Mavens!

I was running a very tight schedule this week and went coast to coast over night.  Chicago to Phoenix to San Francisco to Washington D.C. to Lancaster, PA to Buffalo, NY ... finally back to Sweet Home Chicago!  So tight, that I ended up completed my sample board preparation on my first night in Phoenix and used my rental car as a DRYING RACK!  (Don't try this at home kids!)  See photo:



Before we get into the details of my visits with artists and painters in Phoenix and Lancaster, I want to promote 3 events for this coming week.

Tuesday, October 19th: 3:00 PM- 5:00PM at Sherwin-Williams in Birmingham, Alabama at 419 37th Street.
Thursday, October 21st: Noon and 2:00 PM in the Seattle Design Center, Seattle WA

Central Florida Sherwin-Williams Color and Faux Event!!!
Friday, October 22nd: 11:00AM- 2:30 PM inTampa, Florida. located at Ala Carte Pavillion, 4050 Dana Shores Dr., Tampa, Fl 33634  This will be a Ton of Fun and more Color, Design and Faux information than you could ask for.... all in 1 place. (Be there or Be Square)

Back to the Tour of Duty...

I began this past week at the Scottsdale, Civic Center Library presenting to and meeting with a large group of interior designers and decorative artists to discuss the Faux Impressions program and Faux finish in general.  Laurie Clark, the local Sherwin-Williams Design Account Executive, put together a fantastic crowd and event.  I even had the pleaseure of seeing Char Burrows, ASID of C.B. Interiors, an old friend of mine from Chicago.  We did a lot of great projects together in Chicago in the 1990's  before she left us for warmer climates. (It was 60 degrees and beautiful that morning and 98 degrees by afternoon!)

Over the next 24 hours, I met and painted with 100 or so painters and decorative artists. They kept me on my toes and were very inspiring.  See photos below:

....I am having technical difficulkties loading my photoS !!!

The sample above was created by Francisco Espinosa.  He rolled a thin coat of Quartz Stone over a dry layer of Metallic.  Then he scraped it back thin for a striae effect with his trwel.  A few minutes later he skip trowel applied some additional Quarts Stone in random patches.  Very Cool!

Multi Media Artist,  Fish Smith was very creative, blending metallics, Quartz Stone and Venetian Plaster. (above and below)  http://www.designsbyfish.com/

Below Trisha Gale, created a textural masterpiece:

Venetian Plaster Mavens 1 & 2:

Phoenix has some serious Plaster Masters and I was lucky enough to spend an entire afternoon with 2 VP Mavens; Joanna and Linda Couch.  http://www.decorativefauxpainting.com/  This mother and daughter team really knows their stuff.  Being a paint nerd myself, I have a good nose for other truely devoted and knowledgeable creatures.  Well, I have met few who know as much about the decorative finish process and business, let alone know the nuances of all of the various product offerings on the market related to Venetian Plaster, Metallic Plasters and Glazes, as Joanna and Linda.  It was also a treat to see them work the trowels and product.

I was very impressed with their stories of the classroom and their approach to teaching the decorative arts.  I also was blown awayby their marketing and sales book.  I asked them if I might take a few photos to share with their peers on the blog.  Notice in the close up below, that they feature a close up photo of the decorative finish on a page with a room shot of the finish installed. (Very Smart!)

Joanna on Left & Linda on Right

Joanna and Linda worked the Dimensional Basecoat, Quartz Stone, Venetian Plasters and Metallics with aboandon and came up with some fantastic looking finishes.  Thankfully, they loved the way that the products performed and how easily they moved.  Linda, commented that she was beginning to think that her Venetian Plaster Days were over, But with how easy our product applies and burnishes, she is going to  keep on truckin!!  (Lucky for us, because she has a lot to offer as an installer and instructor)

For videos of how-to install go to www.sherwin.com/faux

Cross Country, to meet VP Maven # 3!
After sleeping on a few planes, I made it to Lancaster, PA and before doing a session with over 30 decorative artists, I made a trip with Sherwin-Williams Sales Rep Pat Gerlach to the jobsite of Janie Reeves.  Janie was another unvelievable source of information, wisdom, inspiration and wit!  She taught me a few things and reminded me of a few.  Her attitude and expertise were just the spark that I needed to get ready for an afternoon hands-on session with an impressive group of central PA artists.

Janie had a beautiful sample of Venetian Plaster with some embedded, colored plaster scroll work. (see above)  http://www.design2finish.net/

Meeting artists of this caliber is what keeps me going on these tough weeks. Thakfully Janie was able to finish her beautiful installation and make it to our afternoon group hands-on session.

Lancaster,  PA was great:

Jenn Mathews, above showed me her recent Veneitan Plaster samples. Jenn, has installed 6 jobs recently with our new Venetian Plaster and said that she no longer has to plan a trip to the massage therapists or doctor after burnishing Venetian Plaster.  Her unsolicited comments MADE MY DAY!

See Heath's Sea Sponge Rolled metallic samples.  He took out mini Sea sponge roller and random roll er applied the light blue metallic glaze over the charcoal colored base.  Great looking and Fast to the Wall!
Thanks to all for your help and your open approach to the sharing ideas and best practices.

Week of October 25th:
I will be in San Jose and San Francisco 25th ans 26th  and Minneapolis the 27th!

Thanks for checking out this week's blog and look for another update next Sunday!

For more information contact Ed Mattingly at ed@mattinglynolimitspaint.com

www.sherwin.com/faux

Circling NYC via Long Island, New Haven, CT and Paramus, NJ

Where's Ed this Week?!:

Tuesday, October 12th at 9:00 AM: Scottsdale Civic Center library, 3839 Drinkwater Blvd. I am also looking forward to meeting with a couple of Venetian Plaster Guru's in town!Wednesday, October 13th:

7:30 AM: at Sherwin-Williams, 9700 N. 91st St, Peoria, AZ
11:00 AM: at Sherwin-Williams, 8710 E. Shea Blvd. Scottsdale, AZ
3:30 PM: at Sherwin-Williams, 1805 E. Baseline Rd. Tempe, AZ
Thursday October 14th at 2:00PM: at Sherwin-Williams, 1261 Manheim Pike, Lancaster, PA

This past week was BUSY!

New York City and the surrounding territories got a lot of attention from Sherwin-Williams this past week. This special attention including multiple training sessions with SW store managers and Sales reps and dozens of key customers in Plainview, Long Island, as well as reconnecting with the Jersey Boys from last week and a trip to Connecticut. 

I want to thank everyone that I met for being patient with my scratchy voice and coughing throughout the presentations.  Thanks also to Nyquil and most importantly DAYQUIL.  (All rested and better now)

I was inspired by my visits and worked out my inspirations on a Textured Fresco sample board this weekend. Step-by-step how to listed later in this feature:

While I was busy, slopping our new products and doing several hands-on sessions getting to meet some of the regions Top Decorative Artists, Jackie Jordan our Director of Color Marketing was presenting ColorMix just miles away for interior designers and architects. http://www.swstir.com/


We really hit it hard in the burroughs! (Photos below)

Long Island:
I was really excited to meet the local artists in Long Island, as many of them have great reputations and portfolios to match.  See the photo below of the local IDAL Chapter.

Bob Hendricks, a NYC SW Sales Rep is shown below, holding a sample board that a customer recently did on a commercial project using our Quartz Stone and Metallics to create a jazzed up, Concrete finish.

Marty Weisehahn of Classic Faux Studios attended both days of sessions and will be teaching our products and portfolio finishes to professionals in the area in coming months.  What a great guy, dedicated instructor and a  super talented artist.  Check in with Marty for scheduled class times.  http://www.classicfaux.com/

The timing of all of this activity facilitated "SW TEAM" New Haven, Paramus and Brooklyn all to work together to service an important customer on an installation in NYC.  Thanks to all who worked together to get enough Venetian Plaster to the job site! 

Phone Ahead, Better Yet, Get a Sales Rep: For those of you getting ready to use our highly regarded, Venetian Plaster or Metallics or Textural Coating, I would recommend that you check with your local store to be certain that they have enough product on hand for your project. Due to the newness of this product and the popularity, it would not be safe to assume that on any given day that your store has unlimited quantities of a specific faux product or tint base.  It is all about communication, and if you work with your sales rep, he or she will see to it that they pull whatever is necessary to keep you busy "on the walls!"  If you do not have a sales rep, ask your store manager to put you in touch with one.  This person will look out for you to make sure that you are getting the best pricing and professional care.  If you don't have a rep, get one soon!

Connecticut:

I made good use of an evening and drove from Long Island to New Haven, CT to meet with Holly Whiting of Artistic Finishes. Holly is planning to teach classes with our line and we needed to spend a little time together to go over the product capabilities in detail. I was a little under the weather, but was so glad that i made the trip.  Cool studio and an incredible artist!

 http://www.artisticfinishes-ct.com/  Holly is also a moderator on the Faux forum http://www.fauxforum.com/ 

The photo below shows the entrance to her studio.  Holly's space has great windows for natural light and a lot of hieght for her commissioned murals and art work.  This is a very open and inviting space in which creativity bounds.  The walls are covered in her finishes and art work and I found myself envying her crib. 

At the entrance, after you notice the "larger than life" handpainted wall of stone,  you see in the center of her foyer an acrobatic's swing, harnesses and matts.  Now that's entertainment!

The stone wall she points out, is a work in progress that Holly paints during her open houses and client gatherings.

Harrisburg, PA:
After, spending a couple of days in Long Island, CT and Manhattan, i headed to Harrisburg, PA for a meeting with about 40 decorative artists.  What a group of talented and experienced decorative artsits!  We were joined by Carolyn Blahosky from the IDAL national board.  I want to  thank Local Sw Sales Rep Pat Gerlach for hunting down this incredible group of painters.  As always, I learned a thing or two from this group and got to see some first rate portfolios.  It was exciting to see the various techniques and watch the group share ideas and get creative together.  I will be back in the area this coming Thursday at 2:00PM at the SW store in Lancaster, PA.

 

Upcoming Stops on the Tour of Duty:

Central Florida:  Save the Date!! 

Sherwin-Williams Day of Faux in Tampa on Friday October 22nd

9:00 AM:    Open house

11:00 AM   Color Mix 2011 by Carolyn Barton (Interior designers and decorative artists)

Noon:          Lunch

12:30 PM:  Faux Impressions Preview by Ed Mattingly  (Interior designers and decorative artists)

1:30 PM:     Faux Impressions Hands - On Sessions for Paint Contractors

San Francisco & San Jose, October 25th and 26th

How -To: Textured Fresco Step-by-Step:

See the video below of how to quickly apply the Old World Texture using our innovative combination of the Dimensional Basecoat, Mini Sea Sponge roller and Rounded Edge Trowel.

Textured Fresco

Step 1a:  Apply the Dimensional Basecoat using the Mini Sea Sponge roller.  Roll in short curving motions and apply generously in random patches.
Step 1b: Back trowel with the rounded edge 10" trowel to smooth and flatten the Dimensional Basecoat, creating various shapes and high and lows.

(In Video Above)

Step 2: After the texture is completely dry, apply a coat of Duration Home matte finish in color SW 6221.

Step 3:  After the paint is dry, apply a glaze with a cellulose sponge of sponge mitt, rubbing the glaze into the crevices and softenening and blending the glaze off of the high spots, to create a beautiful and dramatic Old World effect.  Glaze color SW  6048.  Ratio =  2 parts latex glaze, 1 part XIM latex Extender, 1 part paint. (3/1 ratio)  This could be a completed finish.  See below:

Step 4:  After the glaze is dry,  you can apply accent metallic glazes.  Using the same type of cellulose sponge or Spnge Mitt, lightly rub and blend 2 metallic glazes for a desired highlight effect.  SW colors featured in our Metallic Glazes are SW 6221 Moody Blue and SW 6334 Flower Pot.

Step 5:  For additional highlights, you can lightly sand the high spots and texture with a medium sanding sponge.  Rub lightly to "break through" the colors for your desired distressed effect.

Thanks for checking out this week's blog and look for another update next Sunday!

For more information contact Ed Mattingly at ed@mattinglynolimitspaint.com

www.sherwin.com/faux

Jersey Boys/ Girls & Eli VP Presidente

I spent the majority of this past week in Upper New Jersey, working with some fantastic artists and decorative painters.  I will be back in the area this coming week in Long Island and Connecticut.  (Circling the Big Apple)  While I circle, Jackie Jordan the Color Marketing Director for Sherwin williams, will be in NYC at the D&D building presenting our 2011 ColorMix on Wednesday from 11:00AM- 1:00PM.  (Be There or Be Square. For more information contact Andrea Dinice at andrea.dinice@sherwin.com.  or http://www.swstir.com/

The Jersey Boys kept me very busy in both Edison and Paramus.  (In Paramus, I was able to see the Empire State Building from the Sherwin-Williams parking lot!) We had our usual fun and exciting blend of Paint Contractors, Interior Designers and Decorative Artists.  At one of our sessions, I even met a 3D visual artist, who was interested in better understanding faux finishes and wall textures, to use in his work both in TV commercials and movies.  Really Cool guy and a very fascinating topic.

Here is a photo of one of the 2-step metallic/metallic plaster finishes created by an assistant store manager in New Brunswick.  Take a look at Jeff Doane's creative textures.  He even used the quart lid to help with his, garden inspired swirls.

I have a video of an inspired and inspiring contractor, Paul Knakkergaard discussing with Tony Spatarella, DSM the advantage of our quick, easy and repeatable metallic base coat with Quartz Stone, Plaster finish over.  (I actually took a good video for once!!)

The , NJ/ NYC Territory is a hotbed for creativity and style and I immensely enjoyed being with this group of professionals.

Where's Ed:
This coming week, I will be in Plainview, Long Island on Tuesday and Wednesday and Camphill, PA on Thursday.

SW Faux Impressions Preview, Hand-On Sessions: ("Where's Ed Now?")

Tuesday and Wednesday October 5 - 6, 2010.  Plainview Long Island, NY:  9:00 AM and 1:30 PM at:

80 Express St., Plainview, NY

Thursday, October 7, 2010.  Camp Hill PA:  8:00AM at:

1905 State Street, Camp Hill, PA

Phoenix, Birmingham, Seattle and a Big Event in Tampa on Friday October 22nd!!

While, I was busy trying to keep up with the Jersey Boys and Girls, a VERY special Venetian Plaster situation was taking place in New Mexico.  Eli Lucero was rocking some Sherwin-Williams, Venetian Plaster and Quartz Stone, Metallic Plasters on a commercial installation.  Eli is the Presidente of Venetian Plaster or the "PofVP"!

I had the pleasure of meeting Eli on Tempe AZ a couple of months ago, when we spent an afternoon together talking shop and playing with our new line of products.  It was pretty funny when I showed Eli how easy it was to roll out our plaster and backtrowel it for a VERY fast and easy installation.  He politely, told me "Put away your roller, "and showed me his "Blades of Fury!"  Eli has worn down as many trowels with his supernatural, efficient method of wall application as most painters have worn out roller covers.  Eli also mentioned more than once that our VP moved, "Like Butter!"

As always, when I am learning something, I sat back and enjoyed the view and tried not to miss anything important.  I was very pleased to have made the trip to Arizona to meet this master and planned to be certain that Sherwin-Williams products and field support would not let him down. I am well aware that a new product needs to be "taken for a ride" and am very excited to see Eli doing just that.  See his efforts with our products and others at http://www.ivenetian.com/ and the you tube videos at "elilucero." 

In his most recent video you will see him crank out a Venetian Plaster installation and hear Eli say..."If anybody has any doubts about how Sherwin-Williams Venetian Plaster works, watch this...Virtually NO resistance to my knife...Flown Across this wall!..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na1O5opnKe4

I look forward to working with Eli on pushing what can be done in this category and I can't wait to see what he and his team come up with next!

As if that wasn't enough, Pat Ganino and Mike (Faux God) were busy installing Venetian Plaster in Manhattan at a modelling agency.  Pat and Mike were cranking out the VP Jams and covering a lot of square footage in their first overnighter.

I guess this week, 3's Company, because I received a photo from Jeff Davis from Indiana, who just happily and successfully installed our Venetian Plaster with it's Super Easy Burnishing resin.  (Photo below)

What a week, I was a very "Proud Pappa" and can't wait to see what Long Island has in store for me.

As promised last week, here is a photo of my Extreme Crackle finish with the step-by-step details.

Extreme Crackle:

Step 1:  Apply 2 coats of SW 6132 Duration Home matte finish with a 3/8" nap roller.

Step2:  Once dry,apply a coat of Faux Impressions, Metallics tinted to SW 6132 with a 1/2" microfiber roller or a 3/4" Collossus roller sleeve.

Step 3: After overnight dry, apply a thin and even coat of Faux Impressions, crackle medium.

Step 4: 1 hour later, apply SW 6108 Duration Home matte with 2 large, Fully loaded, Sea Sponges in a pouncing and banging method.  Allow the paint to spatter and drip and crackle...(This technique will definitely wake up the neighbors!  If the walls not rocking, than this finish ain't poppin!)

Step 5:  After overnight dry, glaze and colorwash the crackle fissures and drip and distressed areas with SW 6103. Rub the glaze into the crevices and rub it off of the high spots.

Step 6:  When dry, take a medium grit sanding sponge and sand off the high spots to create a further distressed appearance.

Step 7:  Reglaze with both the metallic color, and a lighter and darker glaze to your liking.

This finish and variations on an extreme distressed crackle will be featured in upcoming Sunday blogs.

PDPA, Ecucation Summit, Paschal Video peak:

Take a look at the cool exterior mural on the facade of the St. Louis, Sherwin-Williams training center.  Next week I will discuss my earlier visit to this decorative finishing hot spot!

For more information contact me at ed@mattinglynolimitspaint.com or go to www.sherwin/faux or stop into one of our 3000 stores near you.

Thanks!

Ed