Martin Alan Hirsch

About Martin Alan Hirsch

In 1987, Martin Alan Hirsch opened Decorative Finishes Studio in Louisville, Kentucky. Through comprehensive study throughout the world. as well as in his studio, Martin has created and mastered hundreds of decorative faux finishing paint techniques. In September of 1992, Martin opened The Faux Finish School, a division of Decorative Finishes Studio. The Faux Finish School was the first faux painting business program in the country that taught not only faux painting, but also the \"business\" side of this lucrative career. In 1995, The Faux Finish School\'s website was created and became the first faux painting studio and faux finishing school on the Internet. Martin not only continues to develop new techniques, but also teaches the incredible faux finishes he has mastered. Utilizing his passion and commitment to faux painting as an artform, Martin coordinates the teaching of enthusiastic students wanting to begin or continue a career in the art and business of faux finishing with an array of incredible instructors, including renowned decorative artists to make sure you have an incredible learning experience! His students are some of the most successful faux finishers working today! In 1998, Martin designed and \"broke ground\" on Decorative Finishes Studio\'s \"Italian Villa\" studio to exemplify his work. The \"villa\" was completed in a little over four months. It boasts a new two-story old world style facade, fashioned after the great villas in Tuscany, Italy. complete with faux finish Corinthian columns, Italian plaster archways, engraved stone work, open flame lighting, faux finish rusted balcony railings and a walkout veranda! Michelangelo faux renderings have been applied in an eleven layered fresco style to the front of the villa, The faux painted villa shows Martin\'s passion and commitment to the faux painting artform, as well as giving students a chance to view faux painting in its ultimate form.

Experience

1. Director - the Faux Finish School

   Decorative Finishes Studio

   Jan 1987 — Present · Louisville, KY, US

   Martin was asked to be Logistics Coordinator for the SALI EXPO in Chicago - 2006 as well as San - 2007, the largest faux finishing and decorative painting expo in the world!Martin was Logistic Coordinator for The SALI/IDAL EXPO in Charleston,SC in the summer of 2008.Martin Alan Hirsch was also voted in as a member of The Faux Effects International® Advisory Board in 2007 and maintains an active role in this position.Master Artisan Martin Alan Hirsch also worked logistics for the Meeting of the Masters® 2007 which was held at The Addison Conference and Theatre Centre, located in the Dallas Metroplex on the weekend of October 27-28 and will be working on said event in 2009.Although Masters were present by invitation only, the doors were open to nearly professional faux and decorative artists for two exhilarating days of demonstrations, theatre presentations and fellowship with artists from around the globe.Martin\'s passion for this industry continued in 1993 when he invented the now famous \"Neon Leon\" stippling brush.Martin had a company send him nylon bristles that could replace the standard horsehair bristles in brushes used for texturing ceilings. He had over 15 different bristles.some white, some pink, some blue and one in particular.\"neon green\". He picked the neon green bristle, the amount of bristles, as well as the length of nap that would be best suited for faux painting.Today this brush is a common tool found in faux painter\'s brush boxes throughout the world as well as faux finishing books and HGTV! Martin is proud to have designed, invented and marketed this brush.Martin has been in this industry of over two decades and continues to support projects and shows he feels are a benefit to the industry. He continues to build workshops that stay on the cutting edge of this industry.