 |
 |
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
ArticlesPublished in several Press Publications suburban Chicago newspapers, Feb. 2002 School teaches students the art of fauxBy Marie Lazzara, Staff writer, Press Publications
Taking a piece of marble and recreating it on canvas was the challenge presented to students during a recent class at the North American School of Decorative Art in Villa Park. With smooth jazz tunes coming from a radio, Michele Santillli, the school's director, observed her students' progresses as they painted their film canvases taped to large white walls. Helping them were photos of marble and actual green onyx eggs. The students picked up their brushes at 9 a.m. and called it a day at 5 p.m. They would be back for more the next day. Santilli, a Villa Park resident and co-founder of the school, teaches professionals and beginners how to do decorative painting such as marbling, wall glazing, muraling and frescoes. NASODA's goal is to bring to students in North America a higher standard in the instruction and application of decorative arts according to European standards. Santilli has a background in graphic arts and took classes at College of DuPage to become an interior designer during the 1980s. Her interest in decorative arts was sparked by how her drafting teacher decorated his office. It had a marbled look. "I was taken by it," Santilli said. "That's been a passion ever since." After leaving COD in the mid-1980s, she became an independent contractor decorative painter and took intensive workshops to learn about marbling, wall glazing and other art forms. Her business helped her make contacts with other artists and manufacturers of specialized art products, such as glazes. From there, she began holding seminars about these specific products. She also became of member of The International Salon of Decorative Painters, a gathering of painters and other artists to share techniques and hold public exhibitions. During the 1990s, she added to her work teaching decorative art classes on a part-time basis. Through her connections, she met Keith Warwick, a master painter from England who developed some of the art products she was demonstrating. Warwick took over an art school in Chicago in 1999. He asked her to run the school with him. Santilli also set up a satellite site in Villa Park. When Warwick died later that same year, Santilli became the school's director and closed down the Chicago location. The Villa Park location became the official site and opened that fall. Students come from a variety of fields. "We teach to the professional," she said. "We have a lot of contract painters that come to enhance their business. That's a large portion of our students. (Decorative art designing) is such a trend in decoration now that they are getting requests for it. "We also have decorative painters who come to better their skills. We also get enthusiasts or do-it-yourselfers, who come to do it for their own enjoyment. They are getting the information that the professionals have so when they do it, they get to know how to do it right." The popular looksDecorative painting, Santilli said, is not a fad but has existed for thousands of years. At her school, students learn not only from her but from European artists who demonstrate the styles that have been perfected over the centuries in countries such as France and Italy. Books also aid them with examples of the art. Santilli said that decorative art in this country "is a huge trend" for people. Because people live in a fast-paced world, they can have a relaxing, simpler environment by changing the scenery. Decorative painting encompasses many forms. Santilli said that, for example, wall glazing is placing color on a wall to create visual texture. A person can see the depth of layers. To do a wall glazing, a person would use a sponge to "manipulate the color on the wall." "This is the kind of thing that everyone can have in their home," she said. Paint can give the illusion of real material. Santilli described the art of stone blocking is where an artist paints blocks on a wall, giving it a 3-D effect. That effect is known by the French term of "trompe 1'oeil" or the "to fool of the eye." Another popular style is the fresco, which is the painting of watercolors on wet plaster. "The 'old-world' look and Venetian plaster is very big right now," she said. "Decorative painting has been | around for so long that, in some circles, it always has been going on and it will never stop. Right now people who come from moderate to affluent incomes are hiring decorative painters. "For a while, it was more so that they were bringing in the masters from Europe to do the high-end jobs. What we are doing is teaching the people in North America to do it." The price range for Santilli's classes start from $195 for classical wall glazing to $1,095 for marbling and woodgraining, for example. Santilli notices a difference between American and European students. With the busy workload Americans have, it is difficult finding time to learn about decorative art. Her school offers classes during the week and throughout he year. In countries such as France, people have five months of study. "It doesn't work that way here in the States," she said. "We are not supported by the government as far as trade schools are concerned so painters have to take off a week of work to come here. They can maybe do a week or two at a time. They just extend their education over a long period of time." A creation of their ownAfter having several classes under their belt, some think of having a decorative art business, Santillli said "People have a creative need," she said. "It's a great outlet. I've had people who are creative in other fields such as hairdressers or chefs who also love to paint. You can make a good living in decorative painting if your skills are up to par." Painters can charge from $1,000 to $10,000 for a living room depending on the technique that will be used, Santilli said. For the future, Santilli sees the interest of Americans growing. "I see the level in the States rising," she said. "What I'm really enjoying is seeing decorative painters from all over the country, meeting here and networking and getting to know one another. We're creating that fellowship." Students such as Sue Martens of Elmhurst enjoys her time at the school. Recently, she was in the marbling class. "Michele makes it look very easy," Martens observed. "Before I never had an interest in marbling. I watched what she did and after that I never looked at a piece of marble the same way again." Martens, the owner of Martens Designs, a home-based business specializing in faux finishing and furniture painting, learned about the school two years ago from seeing brochures at the J.C. Licht store in Elmhurst. After attending a demonstration given by Santilli at the store, she signed up for classes. Before knowing about the school, Martens did decorative painting on the side. She has studied the basics and other art forms such as marbling and working with Venetian plaster. "It's wonderful being there because you meet so many people in the field and you learn so much," she said. With the information she has accrued, Martens puts it to good use by trying the techniques at home before offering them as services. She also finds peace in her work. "All the things that I have going in my head, I put them out, and I just focus on what we are working on whether it is marble, stone or wood-graining finishes," Martens said. For information about the school, contact Michele Santilli at info@nasoda.com. Marie Lazzara’s e-mail address is: mal@libertysuburban.com Published with permission from Press Publications. |
|
|
||
|
|
||
 |
NASODA - North American School of Decorative Art © Copyright 2002-2004 NASODA / Use of Images Registration/Cancellation Policy Site by Lenef Web Design |
