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by K.J. Wolf - fresco artist
Director, The Fresco School of Los Angeles (East Coast)

Once upon a time about four years ago, when the heat was stifling and I was in a small studio in Los Angeles, sifting sand to make a Fresco, I wondered what I had been dreaming about all the long years in search for just such an experience. Two chimney smoking and energetic guys, one from Russia and the other from the United Kingdom, were speaking and demonstrating at a wizard speed the deft and rich art of preparing a surface (like a skin) that would hold a glimmering and shimmering painting in lime plaster, called Fresco.

I had always wanted to paint as the masters of the Renaissance had, and here was my opportunity. I had traveled 3000 miles within the United States to find this experience, as no other was available, not even in the home of Fresco, Italy. The irony that it was, if not in my own backyard, was that it was just on the other side of the country from me.

This fascinating fresco demonstration is an excellent opportunity for you to get familiar with the creative process and concept of buon (true) fresco - painting on wet plaster. iLia Anossov, Nathan Zakheim, and Masha Zakheim will introduce their audience to the traditional method of the true (buon) fresco and erase most of the misconception about traditional buon fresco technique that one may currently have.

The event takes place on June 29th, 2004 at Venetian Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada as part of 2004 Fauxcademy Awards week.

The TrueFresco Art Network, Fresco Society/Foundation and Fresco School would like to wish you all a happy holiday season and hope that it finds you in good spirits.

The Fresco School (FrescoSchool.com) would also like to extend an invitation to all who are interested to attend a 3 day workshop occuring in the first month of the new year. The work shop is schedualed to take place the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of January. We hope that these times work well for you. By holding our classes on the weekend we have tried to accomodate ourselves into your busy scheduals so as many people as possible can learn about the beauty of fresco painting. More information about these classes and enrollment form are available at our website here. We hope to see you there.

Again we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

INTRODUCTION

Fresco Society/Foundation is the corner stone of Ilia Anossov and his team of talented artists. It's a planning for a nonprofit organization, dedicated to reviving the fresco tradition and reuniting the modern man and artist with his creative roots began in 1996. The foundation's initial presentation took place in November 2003.

HISTORIC POINT OF REFERENCE

Fresco art has accompanied the human civilization from its very first steps in the Neolithic caves of modern France. Today, about 35 000 years later, it is a home and point of reference for multiple art forms from painting to calligraphy. It was the first medium, which explored the principles of composition, scale, and color and has marked the growth and prosperity of every culture as a companion of architects and artists. Fresco gained the position of an art form with exquisite decorative qualities and up to this day enlivens palaces, temples, homes, and even the symbol of American achievement and democracy, the White House.
Fresco Foundation is founded upon the urgent need to rediscover, restore and build upon the traditions of fresco painting. Incorporating fresco into our daily lives, homes, office and public buildings, as well as educating in the traditions of visual art are key initiatives, as more and more people around the world believe the new renaissance of fresco has begun.

This is the question that I encounter the most. The story of fresco painting began over 35,000 years ago in the caves of modern France where the Neolithic man applied natural earth pigments to the moist limestone walls of his cave to illustrate his life and beliefs. Of cause Neolithic man did not call his paintings frescoes. So as every civilization there after had own name for the technique used for the magnificent wall paintings found in it's most treasured environments, temples, public spaces and homes - the only technique that allows us to see those masterpieces thousands of years after they were created. Through the years this technique has been refined and now we know it as Buon (true) Fresco.

Our June 2003 Fresco Painting Workshop was exceptionally successful and proved to be a major event in contemporary fresco revival. Each student has completed a fresco that would challenge an artist with prior fresco experience, however for most of our class that was their first one. After over 3 years in operation "Nationwide Fresco Painting Workshop Program" has picked up speed and extended its class length from 2-days to 2-weeks of Buon Fresco Painting running bimonthly in Los Angeles along with workshops scheduled across the nation. During Los Angeles 2-week of Buon Fresco students can pick from several class offers, but our intensive 5-day Professional program is limited to 5-6 people per class. Our next class begins on August 7th (enroll here) and there is only one space left. There is a new highlight of Los Angeles Buon Fresco Weeks - lecture on fresco relocation/restoration Nathan Zakheim, a leading fresco restorer/conservator. iLia Anossov and Mr. Zakheim have joined forces to generate support for a major fresco painting project