Artist's unique work put finishing touch on condo

The artist doesn't allow the homeowners to watch her as she plies her skills.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SALEM -- Ronda Howard can totally appreciate the minute details, intricate planning and amount of thought that went into designing the home of Joe and Nanette Soltesiz.
That's because she thinks the same way.
The couple hired Salem artist Howard to hand-paint, stencil and apply textured finishes to the walls of their 4,500-square-foot condominium in Pine Lake Reserve development off Market Street in North Lima.
For four months, Howard worked five to seven days a week, but there are still a few rooms left for her to finish.
She doesn't sponge paint or use ragging techniques made popular by do-it-yourself craft books or shows.
Instead, she custom designs stencils and uses Venetian plaster and layers of textured paint, glaze and other materials to create her finishes.
Her fee is based on labor and the cost of materials, she said, explaining that finishes could run 4 per square foot to 15 per square foot and beyond.
Likes to work alone
To describe her work is difficult, and Howard likes to keep most of her ideas and techniques a secret. In fact, she doesn't allow homeowners to watch while she works.
"I don't do my best work when I have an audience," she said, explaining that her art is personal. "And it can be intimidating when someone is there watching."
Nanette Soltesiz said she and her husband trusted Howard because she shared a vision for what they were trying to accomplish and easily interpreted their ideas, making them come to life.
"We love her work," Nanette Soltesiz said, adding that they found out about Howard at a local home and garden show.
Howard created a decorative finish in one of the condo's bathrooms, making it look as if the ceiling is made of rustic copper. She made a stencil of the letter "S" -- for Soltesiz -- and used it in the condo's office room, where the design is embedded in the plaster. A giant scroll design was painted in the great room on the second floor and made to look as though it is raised from the wall.
In the main family room on the first floor, Howard created broken Roman columns along the wall with plaster and what she calls her "ancient ruins finish."
Self-taught
The self-described perfectionist is originally from Ashland, Ky., but she said homeowners there aren't as progressive and open to forms of art like hers.
She's been in the decorative art business for five years and estimates she's worked in about 60-75 homes and offices in the area. Her business also takes her out of town occasionally.
Before this job, she worked as a correctional officer and safety specialist for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. She was also a paramedic at one time.
Howard did take some art classes in school but says the majority of her training has come from self-study and working with people considered to be tops in the field.
"This is my passion," she said. "I always hated wallpaper, and I wanted something different for my house."