Phil Bertolacci in his studio
Hi
there, I have been a jobbing plasterer for most of my professional
life and have worked with many different techniques in different
contexts over the years. I have spent many years living and working
in France and Italy and have come to love the creative flair they
use to create stunning finishes using Venetian marble plaster.
The
technique itself is as old as the hills, it has been around for
a thousand years or more I believe but it was in Venice where
they perfected it. They wanted to create buildings with a solid
stone appearance, in a place where weight was a critical factor
and would not allow them to use their first choice of material.
Hence the name; the Venetians worked out ways to create fantastic
effects, by rendering over much lighter building materials, giving
them appearance of being solid stone. You can literally apply
this technique to almost any smooth surface, giving the appearance
of stone, with all its durability and properties, using a small
fraction of the materials. Not only that but you can layer and
burnish it to crate a range of stunning effects, colours and textures,
the only limit is your imagination!
I
have recently chosen to re-locate my business in the Welsh borders,
in a amazing place, which is also home to a ground breaking community
led sustainable development project, focussed on renovating the
old Victorian Workhouse
in Llanfyllin Powys. I am developing courses, my own product range
of pigments and lime putties as well as undertaking commissions
myself. I am really looking forward to hearing from you.
Phil.
