Learning from a Master

I had the privilege of attending a class taught by a master in Old World Finishes this past January. Amy Howard has learned from the masters in an Italian Bodega to learn how to create a patina in the original ways. These finishes have been and are still in high demand from Interior Designers, furniture collectors, and consumers like you and me! She took this training, has built several large businesses and has been featured in so many magazines over the years.

In this class, about 30 other ladies and I spent a week learning and creating 12 new finishes that we can use on our furniture and art pieces. Amy showed us the finishes and the steps to complete them, and then we would each replicate the finish ourselves.

This is a picture of me and Amy Howard in Memphis. I pulled her aside to grab a quick picture when I didn't have any paint all over me! You know she was in high demand from everyone. I loved how she went around to each of us while we were working on each finish and gave us a thumbs up or gave a little more direction on how to complete the finish.

Some of the finishes we learned was a caproni plaster wrap, a Texas Finish, driftwood looks with different types of wood, and even Scandinavian finishes. The last picture is one days worth of paint brushes needing to be cleaned. I'm used to using the same brush over and over, but we had an endless supply of clean brushes to use. Bless the ladies who stayed late to clean our brushes!

I will forever be grateful for the things I learned during this week. Not only did I learn the painting aspect, but I also learned about photography, business tips, and built a nice network of others that are on the same path. These ladies will be my tribe for a long time coming!

Blessings from Texas

Jamie Orsburn

My Back Porch LLC