The FAUX FINISH SCHOOL of Artistic Illusions Studios welcomes you...

Faux Finishing has never looked better!

THE FAUX FINISH INSTRUCTORS

So by now you are asking, "And exactly who are the faux painting instructors?"

Well, they are Dan and Amanda Folster, a husband and wife team, making a great living as Decorative Faux Finishers. Dan is the mathematical detail fanatic, and Amanda is the artistic detail fanatic. Amanda thinks up the crazy ideas, Dan figures out how to make them work AND stay within codes! (Together they make one really well-balanced person!)

Dan Folster is the "jack of all trades, master of most" type. His background begins with his dad, Kenneth Folster, who is ranked in the Top 5 in the United States by Early American Homes Magazine for his Windsor chair crafting skills. Ken Folster has not only had a personal request from the President and the First Lady to hand-carve an ornament for the White House Christmas tree, but now has his work displayed in the Smithsonian Institute! (Yes, shameless bragging on Grandpa Folster, but he deserves it!)

Besides being a fan of old world textures, Dan Folster is an accomplished woodworker of many years as well. He is an accomplished trim carpenter. And a tile man. And a hardwood flooring guru. (He restored the oak floors in the home of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw!)

Dan has designed and built a television studio set, theatre sets, room additions, buildings, and the faux finish school Italian Piazza.

Also to his credit is the title of "Master Training Specialist" in Naval Aviation Electronic Warfare. While stationed at Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida he taught students of all education levels and backgrounds difficult and detailed classified material. He also wrote the instruction manuals for the Navy on the subjects he was teaching.

Dan is not only a gifted artisan, he is also very technical and thorough...if it's got written instructions, you can bet he has read them (or possibly even written them)!

He can teach you things you never knew about faux finishing.

For class schedules please see LeINFORMAZIONI.

Amanda Folster is the creative side of this dynamic duo! She was the kid who was in trouble for drawing on the walls, the teenager who was sent to the office for doodling while the teacher was talking, the adult who finally discovered her niche in the world with murals, decorative finishes and textures. Amanda began painting murals professionally in Florida in 1994, then branched into faux finishing and textures after moving to Nashville.

Amanda has "worn many hats" as well. After achieving national certification in the non-sporting breeds catagory, she opened and operated "THE BLUE POODLE" the #1 premier styling establishment for pets in Pensacola, Florida.

Creative Styling and Business Marketing were among her favorite subjects in this arena.

Also to her credit, Amanda holds a first place trophy in "Business Card Design" in a national competition among the nation's top pet groomers and kennel owners.

Following the sale of the Blue Poodle, she focused her attention on the horse world, heading up advertising and coordination of a NATRC Competitive Trail ride, and organizing weekend trail events for as many as 120 people and horses at a time.

As for her role as an instructor, Amanda has taught in many industries.She has guided students through the mazes of pet grooming, horsemanship, high school art classes, theater set design, mural painting, and faux finish clinics. She's even taught her horse to lay down and play dead-so if you are at least as smart as her horse, Amanda says she can teach you what you need to know about faux finishing!

THE PROOF IS IN THE WORK!
Shortly after moving to Nashville, Dan and Amanda joined forces when the faux finishing side of the business grew too big for her to handle alone.

Since then, they've done work in some of the largest homes in Tennessee, for the famous and the reclusive, for businesses and individuals.

They have consulted on, worked on, designed for, and contributed to the completion of projects for clients such as music industry professionals, record producers,
Cover Girl super-model Niki Taylor, the Ingrams of Ingram Publishing,
Gordon Inmann of Franklin National Bank, Jim and Theresa Patton and the Gaylord Opryland Hotel's Presidential Suite to name just a few.

Dan and Amanda's faux painting and texture work can also be seen on the HGTV show "Homes Across America", "Talk of the Town", as well on the upcoming weekly cable talk show Panorama with Henrietta, a christian talk show produced in Ohio.

They have been featured guest speakers at the Southern Womens Show, Nashville Home Show and frequently host How-to Clinics for Sherwin Williams Paint stores.

Publications of their work include Nashville House and Home, Nashville Lifestlyes, Architect's Digest, Murfreesboro Lifestyle Magazine, and numerous newspaper articles in the Tennessean.

Amanda has written and edited faux finish technique articles and developed
faux finish business e-books as well!

Dan and Amanda have been commissioned to work in Nashville's numerous
Holiday Homes, Designer Showcase Homes, Junior League Designer Showcase Homes, and Parade of Homes Shows, including the 2003 Parade of Homes held in the Governor's Club .

This 9,000+ sf home, nestled inside this exclusive gated golfing community, was valued at $2 million dollars. Le Chateau Morel swept all 7 awards for interior work and design, including the "Best Faux Design".

Their current project is a 12,000 sft European style home owned by Jim and Theresa Patton in Princeton Hills to be featured as a "Holiday House" to raise money for local charities - scheduled to open February 11,2005

Please see Citazioni for comments on the Folster's work in the field