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Veneshe Plastering
A trip to Tuscany
launched house
painter Lori
Blomstrom into the
art of Italian
plastering
by Leslie Feldman
142 Bucks County Town & Country Living • Spring 2007
L
ori Blomstrom had no idea that a trip to Tuscany in
2002 would transform her life and her career. Yet, on
that trip Lori developed an interest in Italian artistry
that led to her training in the art of Italian decorative
stuccos at the School of Italian Plasters.
Lori, owner of Easton-based ShePaints Etc., LLC. a
painting company she established in 1996, said of that trip,
“The Tuscan countryside ignited my interest and
enthusiasm for Italian artistry and design.” “I fell in love
with the old world, European aesthetic which was both
rustic and refined. I was especially drawn to the
construction and design in which you could really see,
touch and feel the work of individual craftsmen,
combining artistry with their physical labor, and this
resonated with my own experience.”
Having a background in construction trades gave Lori
the freedom to focus on the artistry of color, texture and
design. When she built an addition to her farmhouse a few
years later, she began experimenting with plaster finishes,
and her research led her back to Italy
and the authentic Venetian plasters she
recalled from the places she’d been.
“I started in the painting and
construction business with my dad
Rudy more than twenty years ago,”
she said. “I love residential and
commercial painting, but when I
began applying Italian stuccos, a
whole new world opened up for me
personally and professionally, where
artistry, client services and hands-on
application brought a new level of
inspiration and energy to my work.”
In 2005 Lori trained at the School
of Italian Plasters in Atlanta, and then
she traveled to the Safra manufacturing plant in Villa Franca, Italy.
There she received her certification.
When she returned from Italy she
established Veneshe as a division of
ShePaints Etc. LLC. as a vehicle to
introduce these finishes and techniques to her clients.
Venetian plaster is an ancient
building material comprised of lime
and/or marble that is applied by hand
in translucent layers, which harden to
stone. Perfect for walls and ceilings,
Venetian plaster can be applied to any
room in a home or business for a
stunning effect. When sealed, it is
durable enough for kitchens, bathrooms and high traffic areas.
The term “Venetian plaster” is
commonly used in the United States,
for what the Italian people call
“decorative stucco.” Not to be
confused with faux finishes, authentic
Italian plasters are derived from a
hydrated limestone powder or
grassello. Natural lime plasters have
been around since ancient times but
reached a new level of art form in
Venice, where building structures
could not support the weight of
marble and stone. Plastered walls
created the look of polished stone
without the weight and could
withstand the dampness and protect
both interior and exterior walls from
the elements. These plasters give
more breathability and permeability
to the substrate beneath the finish and
are resistant to the moisture and the
saltiness that is typical of Venice.
The plaster is first custom tinted
and then hand applied by trowel. The
first layer is applied as a thin skim
coat and subsequent layers are
troweled with translucent layers of
plaster until the desired texture and
dimension is achieved. Plaster can be
brought up to a high polish, low
polish or matte finish, and ranges in
texture from cool, glassy smoothness
to a rough, granular finish. The
applicator’s skill in applying each layer
is critical to the look and feel of the
finished work. Infinite color combinations are possible, from cool Mediterranean blues and greens, to warm
Tuscan reds, golds and terra cottas, to
clear alabaster whites and ivories.
Colors can be combined for a richly
opulent effect, and decorative mica
waxes and sealers provide extra
shimmer as well as durability. With
color and texture you can create a
look that is very old world, or dramatically contemporary.
Surface hardening takes place over
days or weeks as the plaster cures and
turns back to stone. It is an ecological
finish: it contains no toxic chemicals
and creates a dust-free, natural surface
that is mold and mildew resistant,
with colors that will not fade over
time. The finish breathes, absorbing
and releasing humidity. Many of the
finishes can be used for interiors and
exteriors, becoming weatherproof
after twenty-eight days. Most can be
scrubbed and some can even be
pressure washed, making them not
only beautiful but also profoundly
practical for both commercial and
residential areas
“Authentic Venetian plastering can
transform any room into a one of a
kind work of art, imparting a
sensuality of texture and color that is
impossible to achieve with paint,”
explained Lori. “There is something
for everyone, including richly
polished surfaces glowing with flecks
of marble dust and mica, deeply
translucent finishes that invite inner
reflection or rustic walls that harkens
back to an older world.”
Lori added that her company
imports their materials directly from
Safra, a manufacturing company
located near Verona, Italy. The
company mines the limestone and
the mineral used in the plasters and
tints, and operates an on-site
laboratory, testing facility and studio.
144 Bucks County Town & Country Living • Spring 2007
The company has invested years of
research into ancient recipes, which
are meticulously reproduced and
then reformulated to apply on
modern substrates.
Women entering the Venetian
plastering field are a fairly recent
phenomenon, and Lori believes this is
helping to revive a lost art. Perfecting
her skills in Italy, alongside master
craftsmen, was a special thrill for Lori
because the authenticity of the
materials and techniques are so
inspirational. “I’m the only woman in
Pennsylvania certified by Safra to
apply their decorative stuccos, and
only one of about twenty women in
the United States who trained with
Safra in Italy,” she added.
Lori has been working in male
dominated professions for all of her
career, and has found that competence and a positive attitude really
win skeptics over. “Because of our
names—ShePaints Etc., and Veneshe,
people aren’t necessarily surprised
that we’re an all-women company,
although they’re sometimes surprised
to see just how much we can do,” Lori
commented. “Unfortunately in this
field, customers often have had bad
experiences with contactors who don’t
show up, who leave behind messes or
who don’t dedicate them-selves to a
job until it is finished. We’re really
different, not just because of a
perspective we bring as women but
because of our professionalism.
“When I began applying Italian
stuccos, a whole new world opened
up for me personally and professionally, where artistry, client services and
hands-on application brought a new
level of inspiration and energy to my
work,” says Lori. “Veneshe is not just
my Italian plastering business, it is my
passion. I gain so much satisfaction in
working with my clients to create
places of beauty and self expression.”
To contact Lori, call 610-253-3539
or visit www.veneshe.com. ❖
Leslie Feldman is a freelance writer and
a public relations professional.