About Michael and Faux Bois

Michael Palella began working alongside his father in the masonry business more than 40 years ago, building a strong foundation in traditional craftsmanship. Over the decades, he honed his skills creating stone, brick, and stucco fireplaces, as well as stone walls, walkways, and other custom masonry projects.

His artistry expanded as he began producing cement statuary from molds, eventually progressing to repairing damaged antique pieces and crafting new molds of his own. What started as skilled trade work soon became a true passion. Michael’s fascination with cement as a creative medium led him into the world of faux bois—the intricate art of transforming cement into remarkably realistic wood.

Recognizing his natural artistic ability, Michael committed himself to mastering this unique form. He experimented extensively with various cement blends and texturing techniques to perfect the look and durability of his pieces. To deepen his knowledge, he trained under renowned faux bois artist Donald Tucker, refining both his technical precision and artistic expression.

Faux bois (French for “false wood”) is the artistic imitation of wood or wood grain in materials such as concrete. Its roots trace back to Renaissance trompe-l'œil techniques, but the concrete form emerged in 19th-century France. Garden artisans known as rocailleurs sculpted cement over iron armatures made from rods and wire. Early examples can still be seen at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in Paris.

In 1873, Joseph Monier expanded his ferrocement patents to include bridges, creating a reinforced concrete bridge at Chateau Chazelet sculpted to resemble logs. This helped shape the development of ferrocement faux bois—concrete, mortar, and grout applied over a steel frame and hand-sculpted to look like real wood.

Popular from the late 1800s through the 1940s, the craft declined as master artisans passed on. In Mexico and Texas, the style—often called El Trabajo Rústico—became known for its highly realistic detail. A notable artist of this tradition was Dionicio Rodriguez, whose large-scale works are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, only a handful of artists continue this enduring and remarkable art form.