Tuesday, July 28, 2009

International Decorative Artisans League-Memphis 2009



Just got home from the IDAL convention held in Memphis , Tenn. this year. This was a very intense week of classes, lectures, demos and sightseeing!


I was fortunate to assist Pierre Finkelstein in one of his faux marble classes.(never washed so many paintbrushes and cups!) He is the author of The Art of Faux, which is a must have in any decorative artist's library.

Working with Lucretia Moroni is always a class on my list! We learned Italian techniques for producing several varieties of marble.

It was my first time to study with Tania Seabock. We worked with gilding and painting decorative ornament on leaf. Such a beautiful technique!!





Here I am working with Vella, a trowelable product carried by many Sherwin Williams stores in the US. This is a great look with the feel of Venetian plaster. Vella can be waxed, polished to a high sheen or left dull for a more rustic feel. It can be embossed or manipulated to resemble marble...a very versatile product!

It was so good to see Helen Morris, owner of Stencil-Library in the U.K. and Design Inspiration blog. Helen was the keynote speaker for the opening of the convention.

To unwind in the evening, we would hop on the trolley and head down to Beale St......home of the blues and great food!






All the heavyweights in blues are represented here. Music pours from every storefront as you walk the downtown street.




This is part of the menu from the Memphis location of Ground Zero, a popular blues club partially owned by Morgan Freeman....seems barbeque is a staple here!


These conventions are always good sources for cutting edge decorative finishes. Faux Effects booth featured a new twist on animal skin showing it in a high gloss mimicking patent leather! They also featured an asian influenced stencil technique done with layers of texture.


Stencils are much more complicated with intricate designs influenced by delft tiles, moroccan floors and moorish fretwork.



If you are needing a green product, JaDecor is the answer. Teaming up with the Cotton industry, they offer a wall finish that is "acoustic, thermal,repairable, durable, and Green". This is the perfect finish for a home theatre , art gallery, or a noisy environment such as a school.




Looking for sophistication? Sherry Haydel, Ltd has it covered. She is based in New Orleans and features a line of fabrics, hand painted furniture and fortuny inspired stenciled walls.


This is a detail of some of her artisan furniture finishes.

The convention ended with a banquet wrapping up a creative week. Helen's skirt summed up the week featuring an iconographic stencil of Elvis along with the IDAL logo.

All things must end, and the 2009 IDAL convention is now being filed in many tired brains as we travel home to practice newly learned techniques. Exposure to new things makes us see the familiar in a different light. Go out and look at your world with new eyes today!

11 comments:

Regina at Fauxology said...

Awesome, awesome post! LOVED all the pics and the incomparable Helen Has Left the Building. Looks like you had a great time. I do look forward to IDAL next year! :)

Theresa Cheek said...

Thanks Regina! Look forward to seeing you!

stencil helen said...

Theresa, where did the time go? I really wanted to speak with you more than the time we had. I have just spent my coffee break with your blog, it is so beautiful and thank you for mentioning me.

Theresa Cheek said...

Helen,
Seems we all felt the time slipped away too soon! So nice to meet you though. I love your sense of style!!!

Beth Connolly said...

Patent leather, Fortuny, what fabulous ideas!

Theresa Cheek said...

Hi Beth! You would have loved the show.

ceecee said...

Oh I bet you were in heaven! And Memphis is so much fun. I've been enjoying reading the posts I missed. We could all use a friend like you who brings such fabulous lunches. What a lucky gal she was! Hope you have more fun in store for your summer. It's winding down so fast.
Catherine

lulu said...

Love your post! You did a great job capturing the magic for all of those who missed the party this year! I can't wait for next year!!!!

Theresa Cheek said...

Thanks Lulu! I love your blog as well. Great to find another art blog out there.

(IN)DECOROUS TASTE said...

Hi Theresa!

Landed here via home before dark's comment on my blog (My mom and I do lots of decorative painting, as well). Anyway, I'm glad she introduced me to your work!

I love the domed/tented ceiling with fishbone stitch detailing. I haven't seen anything like it before- the paint looks almost leathery in appearance.

Theresa Cheek said...

Hi Lauren! Thanks for stumbling in to my blog!

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