RYAN POLLASTRO

I discovered faux painting as a teenager shortly after moving to New York City from Denver, Colorado in 1995. I moved to New York with the intensions of becoming a drummer in a famous rock band, and I was impassioned to succeed even if I died trying. Of course, that all changed when I met Pierre Finkelstein. For those of you not familiar with Mr. Finkelstein, he is the author of two published books on faux painting, and is regarded by many as the best faux painter living today. Fortunately, I had the honor of learning the craft of faux painting while working under Pierre’s guidance for over six years.
Pierre’s European background and education molded him around the traditional style or “Old School” method of teaching where everything evolves from the basic elements of the jobsite. That means I had to learn how to clean a brush before I could paint with it. And before I painted a surface I had to learn about preparation, sanding and taping. I was trained like an apprentice learning every aspect of the jobsite. I worked my way up from taper and sander to head foreman and senior painter all the while studying and producing patinas, plaster finishes, faux wood, faux marble, and trompe l’oeil with Pierre.

After learning how to successfully run high-end residential jobsites with a full crew, I felt it was time to set off on my own and venture out to Los Angeles. Before starting my own painting company, I explored archival frame finishing to learn another aspect of the decorative arts. A friend from The Getty Center Museum referred me to Vandeuren Archival Framing. At Vandeuren I was given the freedom as a frame finisher to design my own painted finishes on frames to compliment the masterwork of historical and contemporary artists. I also developed an eclectic eye for decoration and color, as well as learning various gold leaf finishes.
Painting and music are my craft, and today I run my own faux painting company, Ryan Pollastro Decorative Painting. In my spare time I continue my interest in playing the drums.

 

 

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