I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, where I rearranged my bedroom a lot because, really, who wants to play outside when it’s 40-below? After high school, I moved to Colorado (where I transitioned to rearranging the furniture at work), and attended school—well, schools (business, marketing, hotel management)—and managed a funky boutique hotel. After 15 years, I moved back to Minnesota (did I think it had gotten warmer?). There I started a decorative painting business to let my creativity grow. In my spare time (again, 40-below), I started playing on a computer, researching all I could about decorative finishing and painting everything in sight: walls, floors, washer and dryer, refrigerator, etc.
Jumping ahead several years, I was looking for an outlet to promote instructors and products in the industry—something different than just the typical class structure. Hence, Faux Retreat was born. The retreats are offered two to three times a year, and everyone who attends the retreats spends a week taking classes. What makes them really unique is that everyone stays and eats together in the same house (I do all the cooking). This gives everyone more quality time to network and bond with others in the industry. The last several years, I’ve been having the retreats in other locations as well and last year, held my first international retreat.
Gabriela Sanchez
Many times over the years I had halfjoked that I wanted to have an annual event called “Fauxstock.” Realizing the idea of sleeping on the ground and spitting out flying bugs wasn’t so appealing, I switched my train of thought in 2014 after hearing that another industry event was to soon hold its last event. I decided this would be a good time to test the waters for an event of my own.
The idea of ArtFusion is to not only be an annual event to bring decorative painters together, but also to expose them to other art forms that can be implemented in their own work. It additionally draws others—artists, painting contractors and designers—into the decorative finishing world and educates and mentors those wanting to broaden their own work. ArtFusion is the first event of its kind to bring decorative finishing, cabinetry, encaustic, concrete, marbling, resin finishes, calligraphy, alcohol ink, mural painting and other classes under one roof. ArtFusion is currently a not-for-profit event. It is the hippest event in the industry!
Kathy Boyd & Leslie B. Nesbitt
“I often find that I have more ideas than brain space.”
Art by Cindee Lundin
Art by Trish McKinney
Art Girls Roadshow: Art Fusion
I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, where I rearranged my bedroom a lot because, really, who wants to play outside when it’s 40-below? After high school, I moved to Colorado (where I transitioned to rearranging the furniture at work), and attended school—well, schools (business, marketing, hotel management)—and managed a funky boutique hotel. After 15 years, I moved back to Minnesota (did I think it had gotten warmer?). There I started a decorative painting business to let my creativity grow. In my spare time (again, 40-below), I started playing on a computer, researching all I could about decorative finishing and painting everything in sight: walls, floors, washer and dryer, refrigerator, etc.
Jumping ahead several years, I was looking for an outlet to promote instructors and products in the industry—something different than just the typical class structure. Hence, Faux Retreat was born. The retreats are offered two to three times a year, and everyone who attends the retreats spends a week taking classes. What makes them really unique is that everyone stays and eats together in the same house (I do all the cooking). This gives everyone more quality time to network and bond with others in the industry. The last several years, I’ve been having the retreats in other locations as well and last year, held my first international retreat.
Gabriela Sanchez
Many times over the years I had halfjoked that I wanted to have an annual event called “Fauxstock.” Realizing the idea of sleeping on the ground and spitting out flying bugs wasn’t so appealing, I switched my train of thought in 2014 after hearing that another industry event was to soon hold its last event. I decided this would be a good time to test the waters for an event of my own.
The idea of ArtFusion is to not only be an annual event to bring decorative painters together, but also to expose them to other art forms that can be implemented in their own work. It additionally draws others—artists, painting contractors and designers—into the decorative finishing world and educates and mentors those wanting to broaden their own work. ArtFusion is the first event of its kind to bring decorative finishing, cabinetry, encaustic, concrete, marbling, resin finishes, calligraphy, alcohol ink, mural painting and other classes under one roof. ArtFusion is currently a not-for-profit event. It is the hippest event in the industry!
Kathy Boyd & Leslie B. Nesbitt
“I often find that I have more ideas than brain space.”
Art by Cindee Lundin
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Art by Trish McKinney
Art Girls Roadshow: Art Fusion
I grew up in Duluth, Minnesota, where I rearranged my bedroom a lot because, really, who wants to play outside when it’s 40-below? After high school, I moved to Colorado (where I transitioned to rearranging the furniture at work), and attended school—well, schools (business, marketing, hotel management)—and managed a funky boutique hotel. After 15 years, I moved back to Minnesota (did I think it had gotten warmer?). There I started a decorative painting business to let my creativity grow. In my spare time (again, 40-below), I started playing on a computer, researching all I could about decorative finishing and painting everything in sight: walls, floors, washer and dryer, refrigerator, etc.
Jumping ahead several years, I was looking for an outlet to promote instructors and products in the industry—something different than just the typical class structure. Hence, Faux Retreat was born. The retreats are offered two to three times a year, and everyone who attends the retreats spends a week taking classes. What makes them really unique is that everyone stays and eats together in the same house (I do all the cooking). This gives everyone more quality time to network and bond with others in the industry. The last several years, I’ve been having the retreats in other locations as well and last year, held my first international retreat.
Gabriela Sanchez
Many times over the years I had halfjoked that I wanted to have an annual event called “Fauxstock.” Realizing the idea of sleeping on the ground and spitting out flying bugs wasn’t so appealing, I switched my train of thought in 2014 after hearing that another industry event was to soon hold its last event. I decided this would be a good time to test the waters for an event of my own.
The idea of ArtFusion is to not only be an annual event to bring decorative painters together, but also to expose them to other art forms that can be implemented in their own work. It additionally draws others—artists, painting contractors and designers—into the decorative finishing world and educates and mentors those wanting to broaden their own work. ArtFusion is the first event of its kind to bring decorative finishing, cabinetry, encaustic, concrete, marbling, resin finishes, calligraphy, alcohol ink, mural painting and other classes under one roof. ArtFusion is currently a not-for-profit event. It is the hippest event in the industry!
Kathy Boyd & Leslie B. Nesbitt
“I often find that I have more ideas than brain space.”
The Women Create Foundation is a catalyst for small but significant strides to empower women creators through grants that help bring projects to life and foster innovation.
