by Marc Potocsky 10/ 15/ 13
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I was born in New Haven, CT; lived on Olive St., Wooster St, and Pardee St. New Haven was my home town, my stomping ground; it’s where I grew up and went to School. I have wonderful memories of down town New Haven, its where we hung out as kids, shopping, High school, the museums and the Yale Art Galleries, and the stores, the green, all throughout the 60’s and 70’s. So when I was commissioned by Yale art department in 2011 to do a decorative painting project for the newly renovated art gallery I was elated and honored.
.jpg "Then and Now")
Then and Now
The Yale Art Department wanted a Faux Bois/ straight wood grain on all the existing wood trim, crown molding, window casings door casings, doors and paneling on the first floor of the Street Hall building. This decorative paint technique we used at MJP Studios is similar to tight strie glazing.
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Faux painted wood at Yale Art Gallery- Street hall- by MJP Studios- Marc Potoscky
We worked with a wonderful group there at Yale, I first first heard from Jeffery E. Yoshimine the director of Exhibitions. And then met with with Patricia Kane and John Stuart.
After discussing what they were looking for we made sample boards of the faux painted wood graining for technique and color. The technique we used requires and open time glaze, Golden Paints Proceed line of slow drying acrylics fit the bill rather than a traditional oil glaze. Using different size spalter brushes and steel combs to manipulate the glaze. Much of the actual wood was original Chestnut and Pine, circa 1866.
MJP Studios on site sample Yale Art Gallery
After the sample boards were approved we did a partial sample on site on one of the window casings and paneling so the curators could get a good feel for how it would work in the room. All the wood surfaces were prepped and base coated by Mackenzie painting , CT.
MJP Studios on site Shop/table
The Yale art Gallery Restoration Faux Bois (wood) Project 2012 CT – Marc and assistant at work – MJPStudios
In progress
Completed section Faux Painted wood Graining CT Yale Art Gallery by MJP Studios
All the areas of decorative painting by MJP Studios were on the first floor of the street hall building which would appropriately be the decorative arts section and salon of the gallery.
Faux Painted wood at the Yale art Gallery Restoration New Haven CT 2012 MJP STUDIOS
I had a great deal of help by my MJP Studios team of craftsmen and artists on the job site, along with myself, Christi Biotti, Marlow Demars, Beto lucena, Holly Whiting, Nicholas Andreoli and Oskar Haponiuk, all did a wonderful job and gave me 100%.
Faux painted wood grained door in progress, Yale Art Gallery, CT by Marc Potocsky
Faux Bois (wood) Graining at Yale art Gallery Restoration (book match). MJP Studios 2012
Completed faux wood grained trim and molding at Yale art gallery by MJP Studios-CT
Large Window casings complete
Instead of graining the inner panels as one piece, I decided to split the panels into two parts, as if they were two real boards, for a more authentic look.
Matching the original finished Chestnut in the entry way to a much darker color..
Over glazing and toning to match existing chestnut in front entrance of Street Hall Building. Yale Art Galley Restoration. MJP Studios – CT
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Beautiful 1800’s wood trim almost complete. -MJP Studios
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One of the American decorative arts galleries, seen from the new elevator that now forms the core of Street Hall. The cast iron support column was revealed during restoration and retained as the gallery’s central element. © Elizabeth Felicella, 2012 MJP Studios
View of ancient art sculpture hall, Yale University Art Gallery ©Elizabeth Felicella, 2012
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Montgomery’s installations, designed by Ivan Chermayeff, were called works of art in themselves. Some chairs and artifacts were hung on the walls. © Elizabeth Felicella, 2012.
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The Faux Wood graining looks great! It was a pleasure working with all the great folks at Yale, and Dimeo construction we made some new friends and relationships, and I am really proud to have been a part of the renovation of such a historical site that houses some of the most beautiful pieces of art work in the world, and it all happened in my old home town and my back yard.
Marc Potocsky