Kanata’s Best Small Business Storyteller for 2019 is Terry Stevens of Art Zone Studio! 

 

And here's the winning answer...

   I gave my front teeth to have a job like that
I was doing a faux stone wall on a large winding staircase for a very upscale office building. Upon sanding the bulkhead on an extension ladder, I did not notice that the vibration from the electric sander was causing the ladder to gradually move to the point where it slipped and fell onto a very sturdy desk right in front of it along with me. I promptly had my two front teeth removed. I called an after hour dental clinic and they said: "Can you find your teeth?"
I found one of them, what now?. She said to get a container of milk and drop it in the milk, that will keep it alive. It was about 6 o'clock. I got to the dentist and he temporarily put back the one tooth and created a temporary second one and said "This should suffice just so people won't think that Halloween is early. I left, drove back to the job and continued working till about 10 o'clock. The owner came by with an entourage to show off his new office. I just smiled and no one knew the difference. I gave my word that I would complete the job in 2 weeks and he didn't have to pull teeth to get it done.

Published: Saturday, February 04, 2012

Tish Smith has worked on the CHEO dream homes since 1999, originally with designer Donna Correy and now with her partner Terry Stevens, who is also an artist. After studying graphic design at Algonquin College, Smith offered faux finishes and Venetian plasterwork. When she met Stevens, who recruited her to work alongside him at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Ottawa, the pair completed several large jobs for homes in Toronto and a domed ceiling in a golf club with eight giant panels depicting images of the Tuscan countryside and wine bottle labels.

Now based in Ottawa, the pair is the creative brilliance behind the murals in the current CHEO home, including a magical Harry Potter bedroom.

"Ottawa is a smaller, but less competitive, market," says Smith. "We've done underwater murals for twin boys, a jungle theme with a built-in cave scene in a basement for some grandparents and plenty of storybook characters. The most important thing is to find a theme that's relevant to the child," she says. "That could be a storybook or an activity that resonates."

So if the idea of wallpaper and the horrors of scraping it off in a few years when it's stained and out-of-date doesn't grab you, give a whimsical lick of paint a try. With talent such as this in Ottawa, the only limit to the walls and doors of your child's bedroom is your imagination.

To contact these artists: tishartstudio@hotmail.com or artzonestudio.net

 © Ottawa Citizen 2012

Tish and I have had several requests asking "How to do what we do," especially faux marble, stone & specialty paint finishes.

The finishes are often detailed and specific so we are offering an on-line service to reveal our approach and specific information.  We have invested much time and money in learning how to do these finishes and found that the effort has been invaluable for many years and continues to be a source of pleasure and income. As expected,there is a consultant fee based on the complexity and uniqueness of the finish. However once you have it, it is yours to enjoy.

                         All the best, Tish & Terry