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Soon after that I began adding color and designing effects in white veneer plaster. I developed a unique decorative application technique with this product, creating some very nice multi colored effects and using a natural Bees wax as a sealer. Applied correctly, and with the use of the right colors, this was a very elegant finish; I did many projects in this effect. In coordination with Sherry Hayslip of Hayslip Design Associates, we developed many color combinations and many effects that were truly one of a kind and even though some were installed over 10 years ago, they are still being enjoyed by our clients to this day. This effect became a very popular finish in the Dallas, Preston Hollow, and Highland Park areas. We are one of the few Companies that still offer this Finish, and no one has the color range that we offer. In 1996 I was exposed to Venetian plaster, and I knew of people taking classes, but I felt like there was more to this product than any one class might offer. At that time there wasn’t much information on this product, so I did some research on the internet and I was fortunate enough to find a company out of San Francisco, Area Code Architectural Products. One of the most respected suppliers, designer, and applicators of Venetian finishes. They were one of the first company’s to import True Natural Lime Based Venetian Plaster into the US. They offer some of the finest Italian Plaster product available in the world. After writing to them and describing the work I was doing with color in Veneer Plaster, I was invited to come out and work on a project with their applicators. I was taught first hand the application Technique of the Finishes they offer. Since that time I have installed many projects with these products of Venetian Plaster.
 Venetian Plaster is really a few different products and combinations of products, where as most people refer to it as a single product. All this information can be confusing, because some companies have incorporated traditional terms such as Marmorino, Grassello, and even stucco Veneziano into the brand names of their products. The information I was getting was less than complete you might say, and knowing that knowledge is power, I contacted two manufactures of Venetian Plaster, and in the summer of 2002 made plans to go to Italy and further my understanding of the terminologies and history of the product. I spent 28 days in Italy, working with two different Stucco Masters from different manufactures. It was quite an experience; I was able to get answers to many of the questions I had, discover many different products and product combinations, some history, a lot of terminology, and valuable application techniques of these quality products from Italy.
The history of Venetian Plaster is most interesting. Building materials and techniques used by the architects and artisans at the time of the Republic of Venice (1500’s) were substantially based on those described by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, Roman writer, architect and engineer (born c. 80–70 BC. 15 BC) from his handbook De Architectura at the time of the Roman Empire. Vitruvius states in his hand book, the Roman art of Building was the heritage of the Greek Culture. In De Architectura he wrote of specific application, and processing techniques of the Lime based Plasters. He was convinced that ancient stuccos were superior because of the length of time the lime putty was matured and because of the time dedicated to chopping and beating it.
Later Caius Plinius Secundus (AD 23 – August 25, 79), better known as Pliny the Elder, author of a 37 volume encyclopedia on natural history Naturalis Historia. Expanded on Vitruvius’ writings and wrote of the Roman's method of slaking limestone, keeping it in covered pits and in dark cellars for three years. The secret was the slow and thorough slaking and maturing of the limestone, like fine wine. The reason is that, if exposed before application, it absorbs the atmosphere and carbonic acid gas, which carbonates it and causes it to lose its causticity, binding, and hardening nature.
This information was extremely valuable to the builders and architects of Venice, trying to make buildings as light as possible so they wouldn’t sink into the mud underlying that city. Like the Romans they enhanced lime plaster with marble dust to simulate the sheen of marble without the weight. The technique became known as Venetian plaster (stucco Veneziano, in Italian) and was used around Europe till the early 19th century. StuccoVeneziano at that time was a type of lime putty During the 1950s and 1960s; Italian architect Carlo Scarpa made the technique popular again. Encouraging a cadre of artisans who revived and taught disused techniques, Scarpa and his disciples spread interest in Venetian plaster throughout Europe and to North America.
Italian’s refer to the term “Stucco” as decorative plasterwork of a fine nature. So the term StuccoVeneziano literality means Plaster of Venice, that had been developed from the original materials and process that was developed during the days of the Roman Empire.
True Venetian Plaster is basically just slaked lime marble dust and water. Today there are many manufactures of Venetian Plaster products, but these days there are many products called Stucco Veneziano, you can find these products in paint stores and home improvement centers. Products like these have a high content of acrylic resins for ease of application and for binding properties. These products tend to get away from the beauty of the natural lime products. What makes True Venetian plaster special is that the limestone in Italy is the purest in the world, and it is a calcium limestone that slaked properly and given time to mature ( 3 years) creates a very “Fat” or high-grade plaster material suitable for frescos, like Grassello De Calce.
Having the experience of using many different manufacturers’ versions of the same product, I have found that many manufacturer’s products do vary in look and appearance, some products with the same names are dramatically different in appearance. I feel that I have a true understanding of what products make the nicest looking finishes, because I have experienced many different manufacturers’ products. And after using all of these products, I have found that the best finishes come from the products I started out using, with Area Code Architectural Products.
I have invested many hours of research studying the makeup and history of Venetian Plaster, and hundreds of hours in my Studio, where I continue to design color and effects in search of the best combinations for the most unique and attractive finishes in Venetian plaster available.
Below are some of the writings of Vitruvius. They are some of the earliest writings on the processing and applications of Venetian Plaster.
8. Stucco, therefore, when well executed, does not either become dirty, or lose its colour when washed, unless it has been carelessly done, or the colour laid on after the work was dry: if however executed as above directed, it will be strong, brilliant, and of great durability. When only one coat of sand and one of marble-dust are used, it is easily broken, from its thinness; and is not, on that account, capable of acquiring a brilliant appearance.
9. As a silver mirror, made from a thin plate, reflects the image confusedly and weakly, whilst from a thick solid plate it takes a high polish, and reflects the image brilliantly and strongly; so plastering, when thin in substance, not only cracks, but soon decays. On the contrary, that which is well covered with plaster and stucco, and closely laid on, when well polished, not only shines, but also reflects to the spectators the images falling on it.
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