News

June 20, 2013

The School of Applied Arts has been commissioned to restore the Castle Baron Von Richthofen and is in the process of building the student program around it and compiling the approach to restoring one of our nation's treasures.

• May 2012

Construction on the new SAA facilities recommences after a winter of raising funds. The new school facility will include the classroom/working studio, School Store, and Museum of Art in Architecture. Building will continue throughout the summer and we are hopeful to open the doors spring of 2013.

• June 2011

SAA Students visit the Big Apple. In a trip to NYC instructor André Martinez and students visit the city and drive to New Berlin for a private tour of the Golden Artis Colors factory. With gracious hospitality Golden lab professionals demonstrate paint making at its core for second year students.

• December 2010

Major announcement that the School will be initiating the construction and development of a museum of Art in Architecture in Denver's Santa Fe Art District. Read more...

• November 2010

SAA Students train with world famous decorative painter and author Pierre Finkelstein in Cherry Creek, Colorado. On a brief visit to Denver, Mr. Finkelstein takes time to mentor SAA students on a local painting project where they explored the details of job-site management, French patina, and faux stone.

• June 2010

Rounding off the school year, students participated in a decorative painting presentation at the Denver Art Museum. With the end of the year at hand, students in the work program are preparing to end class but continue to work on the current decorative painting projects. Compiling a client presentation for an heiress to the Morosini family of Rome, in which they had a hand designing, organizing it and seeing it through was a great way to finish a fantastic year.

• May-April 2010

In conjunction with the International Decorative Painters Salon and with special thanks to Jean Luc Sable, the School of Applied Arts takes instructors, students, and families to Paris for an educational field trip. With a formal invitation to the Chateau De Versailles, lead instructor André Martinez guides students through Paris and gives lectures and demonstration at the Ecole d'Architecture and the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Read more...

*January 2010 Students hand paint marble in the US mint to match the original.

• October 2009

Instructor André Martinez, students Fernando Moreno and Jon Smith travel into Roosevelt National Forest for a five day school field trip focusing on minerals in relation to decorative painting. On their backpacking journey from the 5,000 ft base to the 10,000 ft peak of Crystal Mountain, they visited three historical mines hidden in the woods and discovered minerals such as White Mica, Garnet, Quartz and many others. Students will be recording their studies this week and refining their treasures into decorative painting materials. To read more about the trip click here

Samurai swords next to a painted glass window in the 29 Degrees Dojo. The dojo was painted by SAA students in 2008 under the direction of Andre Martinez

• September 2009

Martial Arts and Decorative Painting come together.

Sensei James Bedwell from 29 Degrees and SAA instructor André Martinez lead students during a lecture Sept. 28th about the similarities in discipline between Decorative painting and Martial arts. This merge of conversation brought to light the comparison between the painter and the brush as similar to the Samurai and the sword. Discussing subjects such as balance, symmetry, breathing, focus, and physical fitness, students on both sides were opened to a new way of understanding their disciplines.

Fresco painting in Colorado residence

• July 2009

School of Applied Arts project in Denver residence brings world class fresco painting to Colorado.

The April- August school summer project has gone to great lengths to be one of the best ever. Architectural Trompe L' oeil, European textures, extremely large murals, and historical fresco painting are some of the pieces being done by students and instructors in a group effort to elevate the level of decorative art found in Colorado's private residences. Featured here is a formal powder bath with a replication of the Villa Poppea and Villa Livia paintings from around 240 AD.

4'x7' acrylic on textured canvas

• April 2009

André Martinez, (Principle Instructor) paints a contemporary twist on a neoclassical Mural theme in Milan Italy.

As a member of Salon, the International Gathering of Decorators, Andre participated in the exhibition in Bergamo, Italy in April. Bergamo is a fantastic suburb of Milan and has a history filled with decorative painting. Such a setting helped the painters produce beautiful masquerade inspired work. Andre's panel, at right, depicts the modern masquerade: Two lovers disinterested in each other and fully engaged with their electronics. Andre's Salon panel with be on display at Andre's studio at the Dry Ice Factory.