Carmen de la Paz

Carmen de la Paz

CarmendelaPaz

Carmen De La Paz, Designer, Carpenter, DIY expert and TV personality, inspires people worldwide through television projects and her recently established YouTube channel, featuring videos in both English and Spanish. A hands on designer and accomplished craftsperson, Carmen does all of her own work, handling power tools, to create with wood, metal and glass. She is also owner of De La Paz Designs, an interior/exterior design studio specializing in creating designs focusing on decorative finishes and custom made furniture for interior/exterior residential and commercial spaces.

Carmen brings the female perspective on home improvement, power tools, design and a “do-it-yourself” to the television screen and the internet in both Spanish and English through a variety of projects. She is currently appearing in the fifth season of the Emmy Award Winning “Home Made Simple” on the Oprah Winfrey Network Most recognized for her work on HGTV - Carmen’s carpentry and design skills were featured on six seasons of HGTV’s highly rated makeover series Hammer Heads which garnered an Imagen Award Nomination in 2011 and 2010 for Best Reality Show. In addition to many other shows on HGTV, Carmen appeared as one of HGTV’s celebrity carpenters on a season of highly-rated HGTV’s Design Star and was a judge on Mike Holme's ”All American Handy Man” Competition.

Additionally, Carmen currently can be seen as the host in multiple seasons of the PG&E webisode series, Energy House Calls, which was nominated in 2013 for an Imagen Award for Best Web Series, Reality or International. Continuing to share her expertise and craftsmanship, Carmen appeared on George to The Rescue, filmed simultaneously in English for air on NBC and in Spanish for air on Telemundo.

Carmen has gained a strong international Spanish language following from her four years on FOX International’s Spanish language channel, FOXLIFE, with several shows airing in 17 countries including the US, Canada, South America, Mexico and the Caribbean While at FOX Carmen was creator, producer and host of 40 episodes of her own show, Be Handy con Carmen. Additionally, Carmen hosted 40 episodes of the DIY show, Hagalo Facil, for FOX LIFE,and was featured in 80 Episodes of Talkshow Hola Martin and 3 seasons of the highly rated Spanish language talk show, Tu Vida Mas Simple.

Carmen’s other TV credits include: HGTV’s, Showdown I & II where she was featured, for two seasons, as the only female carpenter to compete in the show; NBC’s Today Show Weekend Edition; HGTV’s 250K Challenge; HGTV’s 25 Worst Landscaping Mistakes; HGTV’s 25 Worst Renovation Mistakes; HGTV’s Home for the Holidays; DISCOVERY Espana Mientras No Estates & Ideas Para La Casa; WE Network’s Holiday Home Invasion, Children's Show Paloozaville as Co-Host to John Lithgow and host on FOX Television’s children’s show The DJ KAT Show.

Carmen served as brand ambassador and spokesperson respectively for 3M and the ScotchBlue brand for four years. During her time, she produced content and hosted several how-to videos for ScotchBlue, represented 3M at several industry conferences including Hispanicize 2015, and represented ScotchBlue in a variety of media efforts including Satellite Radio and TV Media Tours, magazine and print Contributions, as well as public events all over the country.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Wisconsin, Carmen is an alumna of Syracuse University and has a BFA in Music Theatre. She also studied Broadcast Journalism though the UCLA Certificate program. Carmen is a musician, plays nine instruments and has an amazing vocal style.

Overview: Decorative Finishes & Textures for Woodturning

Explore the world of Decorative finishes and learn the step-by-step process to applying a variety of decorative finishes and textures to your Woodturning work. Carmen De La Paz shares her knowledge of Metal Patinas, Gilding, Porcelain Crackle, Waxes, Powdered and Alcohol Tints & Dyes - encouraging you to discover the endless possibilities when looking to take your wood work to the next through finishes and textures. IMG_3712_2

Carmen started in the construction and design world as a decorative painter and has discovered many of those finishes work wonderfully when wanting to add depth and dimension to her woodturning work.

Think you have the paint thing down? Are you a woodturner who wants to try more than round and brown? Why not take it to another level with decorative finishes? After many years applying decorative finishes on interior, exterior residential and commercial spaces, Carmen has come to define a few rules to live by in her paint process – these rules can help woodturners in their creative process. Through the years, these “Paint Rules” have helped Carmen prevent work delays and over spending – and they can be applied to your work from the lathe.

Along with her “Paint Rules,” Carmen shares the step-by step process for many of her favorite decorative finishes – Patinas & gilding – to name a few. Remember: Some rules are meant to be broken - IF you have the proper knowledge you CAN break the rules with informed and wise decisions! In paint – it is all about “knowing WHEN” to break the rules and play!

Packing a ton of information into these demonstrations, Carmen encourages your process and discloses tips & tricks to help you discover the endless possibilities when taking your lathe work to the next level through finishes and textures.

Metallic Paints, Patinas and Gilding

Carmen helps you explore and find your “voice” as a woodturner by adding depth, dimension, color & textures via metallic effects. Sharing decorative painter secrets incorporating all sorts of metallic paint effects including: Wrought Iron, Patinas from copper Verde Gris to rust, as well as, Gilding (sliver, gold and copper leaf) - revealing how the possibilities are truly endless. As Carmen often says, “you are only limited by your creativity.”

Color, Crackles & Waxes

Carmen shares decorative painter secrets incorporating Alcohol & Powdered tints and dyes, traditional crackle, porcelain crackle, colored waxes and more. Each process will be broken down with best practices and Carmen shares insider tips she has discovered through the years and that will make the whole process of color that much more fun. Finishes and Textures covered in this demo include: Tints & Dyes: Powdered, Alcohol, Oil VS Water-based, Porcelain Crackle, Traditional Crackle, Liming Wax and more.

Hands-on: Decorative Finishes for Woodturning Workshop

For the first time at a Symposium, Carmen will share her decorative paint techniques via a “hands-on” teaching process.

Participants bring 3 pieces, no larger than 6”, pre-made on the lathe.

Carmen provides the paint, brushes and inspiration. During the session, Carmen works along side participants, helping them take a different perspective of their work via color and textures.

Carmen firmly believes, when it comes to making or painting – there is no better teacher than actually experiencing the learning process first hand. Many creative processes start as a theory and often manifest in a variety of ways based on color selection, layers, texture of the surface – even the weather that day may have an effect on the creative outcome of your work.

Carmen will also demonstrate different ways she uses a pyrography pen (freehand and transferring images) and how it can effect paints & stains – under and over the applications. So much to share – Carmen promises more than you expected! Come play!

Space is limited – to register see further details **

Participants of the “hands-on” session will learn at least 3 different paint techniques shared in Carmen’s Demo on their own work. This will be a fast paced session with participants working on all 3 pieces at the same time – by allowing for layers to dry we move on to final details, finishing all 3 by the end of the “hand-on” session.

**Hands-on Sessions Pre-Requisite:

3 different pieces pre-made by the participant – no larger than 6” per – YES, can be smaller.

1 – A Bowl ; 1 - Open Face Platter with a lip 1 – Box with L

IMG_3749_2 “Carmen’s Paint Rules to Live By” for Successful Decorative Finishes

Think you have the paint thing down? Want to take paint to another level with decorative finishes? Carmen shares her “Rules to Live By” in the paint process. Remember: Some rules are meant to be broken! IF you have the knowledge you can make wise decisions! Just play!

Rules to live by with all finishes:

1. Decide if you are going to work with water, oil or alcohol based and marry the finishes accordingly.
2. Oil based paint over latex/water-based paint always. Water based/latex paint over oil based paint NEVER. Remember: Oil rejects water and thus, your paint will chip and crack over time.
3. When using glues or adhesives (or any kind of glue) keep in mind it will seal out ANYTHING – meaning a stain won’t penetrate where you have sealed with glue.
4. See a finish through – very often they look horrible until you are 98% there – which is usually the final finish coat. Know you can always do it again – now that you have gone through the learning curve.
5. ALWAYS try a sample of the WHOLE process before applying it to your wall or selected piece of furniture.
6. Always apply a finish in the non-dominant area of the application so, when you get to the focal point you have worked out all your kinks and have gained confidence.
7. Be consistently inconsistent – meaning – move the brush/roller/sponge around and don’t get stuck applying it the same way or pattern every square foot of the wall. The goal is to lose track of the brush or sponge and roller so, the application looks random and prevents “lap marks” – where paint double up ad you can see exactly where the painter traveled as they applied the finish.
8. Sealers come in oil and latex/water-based. Keep in mind, oil based products will yellow over time and will change the color of your finish – which isn’t a bad things if you want a warm tone.
9. Safety is an important part of painting! When necessary, wear the appropriate respiratory mask and eye protection. I have found kneepads to be invaluable when doing floor applications.
10. When working on scaffolding or ladders be sure to have a work buddy – this will keep you safe and make things much easier.