About Michael and Faux Bois

Michael Palella started working with his father in the masonry business 40 years ago. Doing stone, brick and stucco fireplaces, stone walls, and walks etc.  He began making cement statuary from molds and progressed to repairing damaged antique statuary and creating new molds as well. Michael’s obsession with the art of cement creations took him into the world of Faux Bois (fake wood), the art of making something from cement to look like wood. His artistic talents were brought to the surface and he decided pursue this talent. With this in mind he experimented with different cements and texturing methods. He then decided to take workshops with the  Faux Bois artist, Donald Tucker, to further his knowledge of the art. He has taken his extensive knowledge and created works of art that he is proud to place on the market.

Faux bois (from the French for false wood) refers to the artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in various media. The craft has roots in the Renaissance with trompe-l'œil. It was probably first crafted with concrete using an iron armature by garden craftsmen in France called "rocailleurs" using common iron materials: rods, barrel bands, and chicken wire. Early examples of the craft survive at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont opened for an exposition in Paris in 1867. In 1873, the inventor of ferrocement, Joseph Monier expanded his patents to include bridges. He designed the first bridge of reinforced concrete, crossing the moat at the Chateau Chazelet, in France. It was sculpted to resemble timbers and logs. Ferrocement faux bois uses a combination of concrete, mortar and grout applied to a steel frame or armature to sculpt lifelike representations of wooden objects. Final sculpting can be done while the mixture is wet, in a putty state, or slightly stiff. Techniques vary among artisans. Most popular in the late 19th century through the 1940s, ferrocement faux bois has largely disappeared with the passing of those most expert in its practice. What few objects remain from that peak period (mostly in the form of garden art, such as planters and birdbaths) are now highly prized by collectors. In Mexico and Texas, this style is sometimes known as "El Trabajo Rústico" (The Rustic Work). It is often characterized by a more realistic look in both composition and coloring, as well as a more finely detailed finish than comparable European work. One highly regarded artist who worked in this style was Dionicio Rodriguez, a Mexican who relocated to Texas in the early . Although Rodriguez is not widely known, his large-scale faux bois installations have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Dionicio's great-nephew is one of the handful of artists still creating Faux Bois today.

Pricing and Ordering.

To aquire your own piece of original ferrocement Faux Bois by Michael Joseph.

Please contact

Michael Joseph

At

860-488-3992

mike06777@gmail.com