2007 Torch Awards- BBB of N. AL

The BBB of Northern Alabama hosted the 10th annual Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics on November 15, 2007. Average To Art was honored to be recognized as a finalist for the small business category.

Small Business Winner:
Bama Jammer Promotions

Finalists:
Average To Art
Green Mountain Soap Co.
Turf Tamer

DAE in Madison Spirit

Heads up everyone!
Watch for the Wednesday Madison Spirit newspaper this Wednesday.
There will be an article about the Decorative Artist Exchange inside!

Searching for stencil sites

Try out this link for stencils.
Click on the link below and you will go to a long list of excellent stencil sites that will keep you busy for hours.

Or type the kind of stencil you want in the search box and you will get links to click on that take you to the exact web page of each site that has the stencil criteria that you entered.

http://www.stencilsearch.com/links.html

Have fun!
Lou Ann Lanier
faux & beyond faux finishing studio

DAE November Meeting

DAE November Meeting

Come as you are AGAIN!
DAE Meeting Informal -
Appetizer / Finger Food - Cover Dish
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
6:30 pm at the Studio/Home of Lou Ann LanierLocated at 154 Maple St. in Madison
To make things easier on everyone we thought we'd try a meeting that you don't have to get cleaned up for.
Please RSVP by e-mailing
louann@fauxandbeyond.com

Awesome Stencil Site (located in USA)

I came across this site and was impressed with the stencils from Delaware. We should be ordering from this company for a job coming up. I'll let you know the results.

http://www.designerstencils.com/

What they offer...

New Home Decor Stencils

Dimensional/Embossing Stencils

Winterthur Museum Stencils

Designer Demis Stencils

Designer Minis Stencils

Culinary Stencils Dress up your cakes, pies, cookies, breads, chocolates and more- SO COOL!

Custom Stencil Services

Custom Lettering - Custom Design Services -

Commercial Stencils/Logos
Photo Gallery Need ideas? Check out or Photo Gallery

How-To Section

Videos Section It's just like having a personal instructor!

OCTOBER MEETING October 16th

Come as you are!
DAE Meeting
Informal - Appetizer / Finger Food - Cover Dish
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007
6:30 pm at the Studio/Home of Lou Ann Lanier
Located at 154 Maple St. in Madison
To make things easier on everyone we thought we'd try a meeting that you don't have to get cleaned up for.
Please RSVP by e-mailing
louann@fauxandbeyond.com


Driving directions
From hwy 20/Madison Blvd turn on to Hughes Road
Turn left on to Mill Road
Turn Left on to Sturdivant Street (3rd street to your left)
Sturdivant street "T's" into Maple Street
Turn left onto Maple Street
Turn right onto first and only gravel driveway on Maple Street
Plenty of parking space and turn around room if you will drive all the way up the driveway past the garages on your left and house on the right.
Park and go to the front entrance of the house.
603-8258 call me if you think you are lost

VOTE!

Yes? No? Questions and Comments...

1. Would you attend a decorative finishing/mural workshop from Average To Art?

2. Would you like to be able to have professional-grade finishing products readily available for you in Huntsville?

Please post your comment below or e-mail info@AverageToArt.com

THANKS!

October Meeting

The DAE October meeting will be held at Faux and Beyond Studio in Madison, AL on October 16 at 6:30pm.

More details to come.

Thanks!

FOR SALE: Ralph Lauren River Rock Paint

Average To Art has 5 gallons of River Rock Paint that was bought for a client and was not used for the job. The retail cost is over $200, and we would be happy to pass it on for $100 (or better offer) with two "specialty" rollers and covers included. Four gallons are unopened and one is ¾ from making samples. Please call Alissa 256-658-0657 if you are interested.

Thanks!

Average To Art: Small Business of the Year Finalist!!!

Average To Art- 2007 Personal Services Small Business of the Year Finalist!!!
Thank you to the HSV/Madison County Chamber of Commerce for honoring small businesses in our community.
Pictures of the Small Business Awards festivities coming soon!

***MEETINGS CANCELED***

The DAE meetings for July and August have been canceled due to summer scheduling conflicts with multiple members. We will still post updates and info over the two months. Let's stay in touch & see you in September!

New Faux Brick Tool

I haven't used these yet, but they look interesting and if they do what they say, they look like a supply and cost saver.

BrickBratz -Create texture faux brick and stone with ease - no taping!Create texture faux brick and stone with ease - no taping! The "Brickbratz" system was created about 3 years ago when Brenda Brunderman (inventor) was having difficulty with a faux brick job for a restaurant. After spending a tremendous amount of time taping grout lines, I then applied the texture medium. Apparently the wall had not been prepped correctly, and the base coat along with the medium was pulling up with the tape. She had no time left, so came up with this system, and finished the wall very quickly. Time saved has left her wanting to share this with fellow Faux Artisans struggling with current brick techniques. This time saving, user friendly system helps create textured brick without having to tape and measure all grout lines.
BrickBratz -Create texture faux brick and stone with ease - no taping! BBset468List price: $34.95Our price: $29.95

http://www.fauxfinishingshoppe.com/fauxfintool.html

Suggestions for Location

Do you have a suggestion for our next meeting’s location? Shea’s Express closes at 3pm this summer and we need a new place to meet. Are there any local businesses you would like to support? Comment below or e-mail Alissa your ideas.

Average To Art on the Radio

Alissa Murnane, owner of Average To Art, will be Amanda Howard's guest on her Saturday Real Estate Show on WVNN . Tune in (770AM/92.5FM) on June 30, 2007 at 2pm to hear more about how to turn your average walls into art with lime plasters and other "green" primer, paint and plasters.

Do you have any questions about finishing products? Contact Alissa and she will do her best to address your questions during the show.

Contact: http://www.averagetoart.com./contact.php

http://www.wvnn.com/

Amanda Howard's web site... http://www.ringtheteam.com/

Shea's Express

Our meeting Tuesday, June 19th will still be at Shea's express, however, the dinner menu will not be available. The restaurant has new summer hours, but they are graciously letting us have our meeting after hours and will keep the coffee and dessert bar OPEN for us.

See you at 6:30.

Art League of Madison

Alissa Murnane, owner of Average To Art, will be speaking to the Art League of Madison at 6:30 on Monday, June 18, 2007 about marketing your art business.

Please join Alissa and the Art League of Madison at Pottery by You:
411 Hughes Rd. Madison, AL 35758
256. 325-2964
www.potterybyyall.com

http://www.artleaguemadison.org/

Free Art Law Workshop

Free Art Law Workshop- Art Attorney, Marcus Hunt- "Copyright and Trademark Basics"
Marcus Hunt, Arts and Entertainment Attorney and founder of Alabama Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts is scheduled to speak to the local art community at 12:30 PM, Thursday, September 6th, 2007 at The Arts Council in Huntsville, AL.
Alabama Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (ALAArts) along with The Arts Council are hosting a free workshop entitled Copyright and Trademark Basics. Mr. Hunt will present information on the everyday issues that relate to artist and arts organization in the areas of Copyright and Trademark Law.
Mr. Hunt will speak about the vision and impact of Alabama Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts.
For more information on the Copyright and Trademark Basics Workshop please contact Dan Halcomb or Gina Hurst:
The Arts Council
c/o Dan Halcomb
700 Monroe St. Suite 2
Located inside the Von Braun Center
Huntsville, AL 35801
Tele: 256.519.ARTS (2787)
www.artshuntsville.com
danhalcomb@mail.panoply.org


Gina Hurst, Art Consultant
gina@ginahurst.com
www.ginahurst.com
Tele: 256.361.4960

June Meeting Reminder

Who: Professional Finishers and Muralist

Where: Shea’s Express on Church Street in Huntsville, AL
Directions and menu: http://www.cynsheas.com/express/

When: The Third Tuesday of the month, June 19th at 6:30pm

What: Bring Business cards, portfolio, great ideas for spreading the word about our industry in Huntsville, and a networking state of mind

DAE Artist of the Month

Would you like to be DAE's artist of the month? Simple e-mail dae.hsv@gmail.com. Provide a brief bio and photos of your work. One artist a month will be chosen by the order in which they are received.

Huntsville Artists

Check out http://www.huntsvilleartblog.blogspot.com/. The site was created to "Promote Local Artists and Art Awareness" All local artists are welcome to share their work, stories, and advice. There have been many postings for opportunities in all mediums and another place for you to be recognized.

Average To Art's Alissa Murnane Featured in First Commercial Bank Ad

Alissa Murnane, owner of Average to art, is featured in First Commercial Bank’s ad in the June 2007 Initiatives magazine. To see Alissa flip to page 9 in the “Facts on BRAC” issue.

Saturday Market at the Village of Providence

I would like to invite one and all to come by and visit me at my booth at the Saturday Market in the Village of Providence on June 9th from 8:30 till 2pm. I'll will be displaying samples of different faux finishes offered in my classes and for clients. It would be great to see a familar face or two.

Last months Saturday Market offered a wide variety of talented vendors to visit so if you decide to come by plan on spending some time there and doing some shopping with some of them.

Hope to see you there,

Lou Ann Lanier
http://www.fauxandbeyond.com

June Meeting

Who: Professional Finishers and Muralist

Where: Shea’s Express on Church Street in Huntsville, AL
Directions and menu: http://www.cynsheas.com/express/

When: The Third Tuesday of the month, June 19th at 6:30pm

What: Bring Business cards, portfolio, great ideas for spreading the word about our industry in Huntsville, and a networking state of mind

Decorative Artist Exchange Forum

We have created a forum for all of us to start dialogues about subjects that pertain to our industry and subjects that do not. The blog will act as our website for now (keeping it industry related only) and the forum will be for discussions (anything goes).
The forum’s address is: http://groups.google.com/group/decorative-artist-exchange

Art Business book

Hi everyone. Thanks for an enjoyable night last night.
The book that lays out the contract for "commissioned pieces" ie: murals, is titled:
This Business of Art by Diane Cochrane

I bought my copy from ebay, or half.com, amazon or somewhere like that. I would suggest checking books out at the library before buying them. It gives you a good idea of if they are worth your time and money. (book stores are also useful)

Have a great afternoon.

Stef

PS: We were talking to the owner of Shay's and had an idea to follow up on a dream/idea of hers. She had envisioned people coming in and giving them crosses to hang on the large curved ceiling/wall. She imagines that there would be many crosses overlaying or gathered together. I have been spreading the word through the school and community and trying to get people to drop in and hang a cross. This is great publicity for the store but also for the christian community that needs to support other Christian Businesses. Please go in again and hang a cross!! Let any friends know and media people if you know them!

Thank You & Logo Contest

Thank you to the artists who came to our May meeting. Thank you for all of your inspirational ideas and positive attitudes. The Decorative Artist Exchange is on its way to contribute greatly to Huntsville, Alabama, and the southeast… just to start. Please contact Alissa if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for our group and meeting agendas. Alissa will be sending everyone a list of members’ contact information in the next few weeks.

Any great organization needs a Logo. The Decorative Artist Exchange invites you and/or a graphic designer you know to design and donate an original logo to be submitted by our June 19th meeting. We are looking for a professional, clean design that will be timeless yet creative and translate well in all advertising mediums.

June Meeting

The Decorative Artist Exchange meet the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm. Our next meeting is June 19, 2007 at Shea’s Express. Visit http://www.cynsheas.com/express/ for directions and menu options.

Book of Interest: Murals/Drawing

“Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards is a fabulous book that teaches you technical skills to improve your murals/artwork. Using this book, it is easy to set aside a half hour very day/week to read and practice a “lesson”. You will see fast results, improving your work quickly.

Book of Interest: Decorative/Faux Finish Pricing

“Faux Estimating Made Easy” by Lynn H. Fife is an excellent book/resource that teaches you how to properally bid jobs. Get fair prices for your clients and your business. Their website is http://www.evergreentech.net/ or http://www.gofaux.com/ and their phone number is 800.697.5413. They also sell software you can order or download off of the site to make bidding easier.

Meeting Reminder

Tuesday, May 22, 2006
6:30 @ Shea's Express on Church Street

Directions and menu: http://www.cynsheas.com/express/

Please Bring:
-Business Cards
-Picture and/or sample portflio

Average To Art's Huntsville Hospital Pediatric Playground Mural Project

Average To Art was asked to paint the 66’ x 13’ exterior mural for the Huntsville Hospital Pediatric Playground. We painted it over about 14 days, averaging 10-12 hours a day, adding hidden elements along the way. It was a terrific experience and can’t wait for the kid’s to enjoy.

Thanks to our contributors:
-Average To Art Team:

Alissa Murnane (Mural Design/Character Development/Painter),

Austin Ramsay (Technical Advisor/Painter),

Judy Mosley (Technical Advisor, Painter),

Cindy Pressnell (Character Development/Painter)
-Howard Studios Ltd. provided character sketches
-The Blinds & Borders ladies helped “color in the lines”

If you are in the Huntsville Hospital area, stop by and see the mural.

DAE's Next Meeting

You are cordially invited to our next Decorative Artist Exchange meeting Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 6:30pm at Shea’s Express. They have great atmosphere, coffee drinks, desserts and an extensive lunch/dinner menu. To see more and get directions, click on the link http://www.cynsheas.com/express/

We are trying our best to reach as many finishers and muralists in the area to be a part of the Exchange. If you know of any PROFESSIONALS in the field, please feel free to invite them along or pass on the information to Alissa Murnane (Average To Art) and we will contact them directly.

Decorative Artist Exchange History

Sample Provided by Average To Art

The Decorative Artist Exchange was founded by Alissa Murnane (Average To Art, Inc) and Lou Ann Lanier (Faux & Beyond Faux Finishing Studio) in the summer of 2005. Our goal was, and still is, to establish a positive working relationship and build a network of professional decorative/faux finishers and muralist in the Tennessee Valley.