Robert Marx

Growing up in a household where paint brushes were cleaned along with the dinner dishes, Robert Marx, executive director of The Finishing School, has always been involved in the arts. While pursuing a music career in the late 1970's and early 1980's, he began painting professionally restoring painted and lacquered furniture with his parents, Ina Brosseau Marx and Allen Marx. The renewed interest in decorative painting that continues to today was just beginning during this period.

The Finishing School's first classes were held in 1981. "The school was a natural extension of our work during this period because people wanted to learn the techniques that we were using in our restorations, such as marbling, gilding, and tortoiseshell", Robert recalls. He joined the school full time in 1988, bringing experience from several years of contracting in the field. Three years later Ina, Allen and Robert Marxs' book, Professional Painted Finishes, A Guide to the Art and Business of Decorative Painting was published. The book and companion video series, along with a reputation for excellent classes, solidified The Finishing School's position as one of the world's premier institutions for the study of decorative painting.

The 1980's brought an increased awareness of health and environmental issues associated with solvent based media. At the time there were no water-based materials that performed as well as oil-based media. In 1993, Robert met Raymond Sandor of Faux Effects, Inc. who had developed a revolutionary water-based system for decorative painting. Now, as director of The Finishing School, Robert began a transition to teaching with the remarkable new materials, which was complete in 1995. He has successfully combined the best elements of traditional approaches with the creative possibilities and technical properties of the Faux Effects system.

Under Robert's direction, The Finishing School has grown from one to four locations. He has assembled a teaching team that is unparalleled in the field of decorative painting. Caroline Woldenberg, Carol Kemery, and Sean Crosby each bring unique talents, a wealth of contracting experience, and an uncompromising dedication to The Finishing School and its students. They have worked with Robert to developa curriculum that is based on his belief that "our students can do incredible work. It is our job to empower them with the wide range of skills that they need so that they have the belief in themselves to reach their decorative painting goals".