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DOUG DANFORTH
If there were any specific passions in my life, the most notable would have to be that of creativity. I admire the trait whenever it crosses my path: A parent or teacher producing in a child a hungry and yearning desire to know; a worker who -- after many hours on their feet, and with a world and distractions of their own -- can still make me feel welcome and important while in their establishment; or an electrician or mechanic who can take chunks of steel and wires and produce power and dependability; and then, of course, there are other Artists and Artisans. . . they all amaze me.
As for me, I have to make things that are beautiful, emotional, and substantial – all three together. I can't not create. It has been my joy and my curse since I was very young.
Thankfully, I had parents who encouraged my artistic flair, or at the least, endured it. I remember in early grade school, embellishing my homework and tests with borders of whatever I was consumed with at the time – sea maps with serpents, cloud faces blowing storms, and directional compasses – or later it was astronomical phenomena, like stars, planets, comets and nebulae. I'd get punished for drawing on walls. Who knew?
My college major began as art, but I bent to pressure in believing that there was no strong future in art alone, and with the addition of drama and dance, I ended with the degree choice in Fine Arts. But it's my education since, over the last thirty odd years, where I have been greatly fortunate to have learned many things, traveled a great deal, and experienced a hefty some, but not enough, of life's amazing great challenges. As it turns out, most all of those things have worked together as education to enhance the specific creative passions that I am now endeavoring to perfect. I may have that 'perfection' goal in another thirty odd years, but I hope not. There is so much that can be done for everyday life artistically, that the possibility of 'attaining' a final level is, well, impossible.
And boy, am I glad of that.
This little site is a brief comprehensive of some of my work. I have more and more (and more) pictures available, should anyone desire to see them. Although instrumental in conveying information, photos are somewhat akin to relatives' vacation movies: They give you the information, if you can endure the presentation. I appreciate that you wish to spend time flipping through these pages. The pages in this presentation are email-able, should you wish me to send any of them elsewhere. My aim is to please the heart, mind, soul and eye.
To get a somewhat more technical perspective on my qualifications, as well as how I do business, please take a look at intro/bio of this site. In the meantime, enjoy turning the next pages and get some ideas. Challenge yourself to find thoughts and dreams of what you feel, and we can work together to express your world. Yeah, I mean be creative.
Now you know how I feel.
Basic experience history:
Artist for forty-five plus years
Carpenter for twenty-five-plus years
Faux finish experience for fifteen-plus years
Faux stylization & technique education for eight years
Furniture design and construction for fifteen years
Silk-screen production for seven years
Antiques restoration for five years
Off-set printing/graphics art preparation artist for five years
Corporate graphics artist for three years
Other features of note:
o Resided in Paris, France, 1974-75. Illustrated books and literature for international French language distribution.
o Showed custom furniture piece at Highpoint, NC furniture show, Honorable mention, 1996
o Featured in Christmas 1997 issue, Southern Accents magazine, cover story (through company employed)
o Taught faux finish at NEISD continuing education 2001 – 2006
o Teaching faux finish, the Southwest School of Art and Craft, 2004-- current
o Two-page color article(s) featuring faux finish and design at homes of clients. San Antonio Express News, 'Spaces' section, July 6, July 16 and August 3, 2002; July 16, 2005; July 8, 2006; May 6, 2007
o Appearance on KMOL/WOAI Living morning show, five times 1997-2005
o Appearance on Designing Texas with Jocelyn White, CBS, June 1, 2003 and two subsequent repeats
D O U G D A N F O R T H D E S I G N
-- Interior Design – Interior Detailing – Faux Finish – Trompe l'oeuille – Fantasy Finish -- Murals – Consultation -- Furniture Design – Custom Furniture Finishing and Painting
– Bas Relief -- Room Design/Coordination -- Custom Painting/Fine Art – Antiques Repair and Restoration – Finish Carpentry – Remodel Design and -- Subcontract Communication -
Skill Experience: Considerable knowledge of --and Time devoted to-- the following: Interior design and coordination; Faux finish, fantasy finish, trompe l'oeuille, murals and specialty painting; Restaurant design and coordination; Color, hue and shade interaction; Color matching/alteration; Furniture design and creation; Antiques restoration and repair; Teaching/education faux techniques; Veneers, laminates, papers and layer techniques; Computer photo scanning and printing; Computer pixel augmentation, specifically image and color altering; Fine art framing, matting, glazing and museum installation; Offset printing and plate preparation; Silkscreen printing and screen making; Film positives, negatives, and transfers; Architectural drawings, scale and symbols; Basic construction and framing, with understanding toward related utilities; Finish carpentry and cabinetmaking; Water garden/Pond design and construction.
Artistic/Technical Experience: Considerable knowledge of –and Education in– the following: Fine art production in pencil, pastels, pen and ink, watercolor, latex, oils, and collage; Screen art, seriographs, and giclée; Latex and oil applications, wet and dry renderings; Glazes, lacquers, and resins; Spray (aerosol and airless) work in lacquer, oil, shellac and latex; Metal leafing, chemical aging and acids; Commercial ad design, cartoon ad drawing, and copy paste-up and design; Basic architectural and schematics layout.
Fee Basing: Most jobs are formulated with a weekly compensation, which runs at a better overall rate than hourly. Most weekly compensations run at $1700 per. For a more basic breakdown however, the following numbers establish a fee base by the job and/or package: most finishes range from 5 to 15 dollars per square foot, and most murals range from 12 to 30 dollars per square foot depending on travel, surface locale, surface texture, masking and finish, as well as medium and detail (custom-ordered items, metal leaf, metal powders, rare/expensive color paints and glazes, and specific high detail elements such as faux mosaic, faux leaded glass, faux animal print and other minute masking and applications). Custom piece/furniture work is conditional, but based on $50/hr. estimate of time (artistic and transit), plus materials. Extensive travel time (more than one half hour drive each way) is considered as work hours, with compensation equivalent to consultation. Out-of-town work requiring lodging bases an additional $150/day compensation, plus air, if applicable. Consultation/artwork is $45/hr, minimum $95 per home visit. Estimates of productions require a 50% deposit to lock-in project dates and work commitments, with the balance due upon completion. (Longer/larger jobs break down into equal segments after 33% deposit, taken in draws.) The presentation of the deposit fee check (payable to Doug Danforth) constitutes acceptance of terms and permission to begin. Two hours of consultation are included per project, and are rebated into the project fee if paid prior. Changes resulting to additional time and/or materials resulting in 20% or more of the bid require adjusted terms and additional beginning deposit, otherwise a fee will be assessed at final. Cancellation within 72 hours of commencement date forfeits 50% of deposit, or amount of fees and time invested in preparation, whichever is greater. Check returns require $50 fee plus any resulting sequential losses as a result, and legal fees if applicable.
Commitment: My ultimate goal is to render a product of satisfaction for my client. I humbly consider myself a 'provider of dreams,' one who might create in reality what was envisioned in the mind. Whether the product is flat, 3-D, static or flexible -- my skill and my desire are equaled to fulfill the request. I prefer not to do a specific design more than once, giving each client a unique and singular work of art. And I do enjoy challenges of creation.
REFERENCES available upon request.
Doug Danforth Doug Danforth Design
418 E Myrtle St. Email: DougDesign@msn.com
San Antonio, TX 78212 210/472-1492
PROJECT TIME BREAKDOWNS
Consultation 5% -- Two hours of consultation is offered gratis with each block of work. Additional consultation is rated at $45/hr, working with the client above and outside time allocated for the project (trips to material sources – ie flooring, lighting, rugs, cabinetry, appliance, furnishings etc. – or meetings with related professionals or sources of information related to project). Photographic representation of work is begun. Commute time consisting of more than what is traveled in one-half hour per day is considered as consultation.
Procurement 15% -- Materials purchase/acquisition is the first line in this order, but is supplemented with work online on computer as well as research from other sources (library, public records, micro film/micro fiche etc). Reference materials, online links, other sources of materials/ artisans/ supplies, and visual and aural idea focus reference (magazines, radio bits, TV bits, specialty books/publications, newspaper articles/ads, CD/cassette promotions). Working along with other involved artisans/workmen (carpentry related-- wall or doorway de-construction or reconstruction; large re-creations such as counters, soffets, niches, arches and other cosmetic elements; flooring and floor refinishing, wall décor in paper or fabric, window/stained glass glazing, or other specialty installations; electronic installation etc).
Preparation 30% – Surface readiness, masking and surface protection, tarp/plastic sheeting and other coverings to related areas, prime paint/stain conditioning. Access to work area (scaffolding, ladder, hoist, rigging) and set-up, acquisition of labor assistance, acquisition of specialty tools, and related surface readiness. Sheetrock/ gypsum/ plaster surface preparation or alteration. The attention to texturizing or the removal of texture (ceiling acoustical or other unwanted textures). Ventilation for temperature/humidity comfort and/or promotion of materials dryness. Wood trim or wood surface repair/work foundation repair or reconstruction. Relocation or movement of related furnishings or architectural elements (shutters, handrails, moldings, shelving or other semi-permanent materials). Removal or relocation of electrical equipment such as ceiling fans, lighting, wall/ ceiling mount televisions, stereo and entertainment center relocation, and kitchen or bath appliances; relocation of power sources/wires, telephone/computer relocation, and water source relocation (faucets, hose bibs, water source for refrigeration or cooling sources).
Foundation 25% -- Work artistically performed that is crucial to the finished art-related work, yet not quite categorized as specialty painting/ specialty work. Base color paint application, base texturizing, color selection and mixing, finish mixing and finish color preparation, masking and colorization of trim and related surfaces, lacquer or shellac application and other exotic/specialty material application.
Finish 20% -- Faux finish, fantasy finish, trompe l'oeuille painting, mural painting work. Glazing/wash/over-paint and other surface finish; Venetian plaster and other troweled or worked surface finishes, metallic applications/burnishings, precious metal leafing or powders, lacquer and specialized work for semi-precious stone, vegetative or animal inspired re-creations.
Wrap 5% – Touch up, clean up, take-down of work access mechanicals and supplies. Final consult with client and punch list. Finish photography. Receipt of final fee compensation.
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