Venetian plaster 101
1- Day
Saturday

Venetian plaster 101 – Step into the world of authentic Italian craftsmanship with Venetian Plaster 101, a one-day intensive workshop taught by Ronald Layman. Using Grasello di Calce from Bernini Italian Lime Plasters, imported directly from just outside Venice, Italy, this course introduces students to the timeless art of Venetian plastering. Whether you are a painter, designer, decorative artist, or an absolute beginner with a love for beautiful finishes, this course is your perfect starting point. You will learn the fundamentals of surface preparation, tool handling, and application techniques that have been refined over centuries—skills that give you the confidence to move on to more advanced

Marmorino 101
1- Day”
Saturday

Marmorino Workshop with Ronald Layman Transform your walls through classic Venetian plaster techniques in this hands-on, immersive one-day workshop led by master decorative painter Ronald Layman. Using Bernini Marmorino — a premium lime-based plaster known for its luminous, marble-like finish — you’ll learn the essential skills needed to apply, burnish, and seal this elegant surface. What You’ll Experience| Welcome & Introduction — An overview of Bernini Marmorino: its history, properties, and why Layman favors it in his decorative practice.

Tadelakt 101
2- Day
Saturday & Sunday
May 30-31
June 20-2
October 24-25

This two-day, hands-on workshop introduces students to the traditional Moroccan plaster known as Tadelakt—a lime-based finish valued for its depth, movement, and natural water resistance. Students will learn the full process from start to finish, including material handling, application, compression, burnishing, and sealing. Emphasis is placed on understanding how the material behaves, recognizing proper timing, and developing control over the surface as it transitions through each stage. Instruction includes a live demonstration on cement board, followed by guided, hands-on practice. Each student will create multiple sample boards, working through different stages of the process to build a clear understanding of

Italian Lime Plaster Course
3 – Days
Friday – Sunday

This immersive, hands-on workshop is designed to introduce students to the full spectrum of authentic Italian lime plaster techniques using Italian-made materials. Each day builds upon the previous, offering deep technical knowledge and real-world application skills.

Students will leave with multiple completed sample boards, certification of completion, and the knowledge to begin offering these finishes professionally.

The Art of Painted Wood Graining
5 – Days
Monday – Friday

Master the art of painted wood graining in this five-day, 35-hour hands-on workshop. Learn to replicate realistic wood species like maple, oak, pine, walnut, and flame mahogany using traditional techniques, glazes, and tools on 2×4 foot study panels. Perfect for beginners and pros alike—create stunning, portfolio-worthy finishes and receive a certificate upon completion.

Traditional gold leaf class
5 – Days
Monday – Friday

Master the Art of Gilding and Gold Leaf Application A hands-on gold leaf and gilding workshop. Gold leaf has been used for centuries on palaces, churches, frames, furniture, murals, architectural details, and decorative finishes. In this hands-on class, students learn traditional and modern gilding methods including water gilding, oil gilding, loose leaf, transfer leaf, burnishing, antiquing, and decorative applications. Traditional Gilding …

Venetian Plaster & Marble Effects
5 – Days
Monday – Friday
June 22-26, 2026

This intensive 5-day course is dedicated to the art of transforming authentic Italian lime plaster into marble-inspired decorative finishes. Working with grasello (Venetian plaster) and marmorino, students will learn how to manipulate these traditional materials—along with gold leaf and specialty mediums—to create surfaces with depth, movement, and a refined, stone-like appearance.

Scagliola
5 – Days
Monday – Friday

Scagliola is a centuries-old process used throughout European churches, palaces, mansions, and architectural interiors to create rich decorative stone and marble effects through the use of plaster, pigments, glue, carving, and hand craftsmanship. In this intensive five-day hands-on workshop, Ronald Layman guides students through the traditional process of creating decorative Scagliola panels from beginning to end. This is not a paint technique and it is not simply applying a finish over a surface. Students will physically build decorative stone surfaces by creating patterns, carving into plaster, filling designs with color, sanding, polishing, oiling, and waxing to reveal depth and movement…