Lisa Curry Mair – Floor Cloth Master

Lisa Curry Mair Introduces Me to Floor Cloths

Eight years ago I picked up a Mother Earth magazine and read an article about Lisa Curry Mair and her canvas floor cloths. Never having heard of this I discovered an incredible product that I believed to be a perfect product for Costa Rica’s tropical climate.

Lisa Curry Mair is my inspiration as an artist and as a generous person who gives her time and energy to the art of canvas floor cloths, or as I call them, canvas rugs. I use the term canvas rugs because it translates more closely to the Spanish translation, alfombras de lona. The term floor cloths actually date back to the 1800’s when they were a popular item amongst the colonists who imported them from England.

Having lived on the beach for 20 years and never having found anything to go on the floor that withstands humidity and sand I thought ” I sure wish I had known about these!”

And so, I went right to Amazon.com and ordered Lisa Curry Mair’s book Floorcloth Magic.

The book covers the history of floor cloths, step by step photos of how to purchase, pre-treat and sew the canvas into canvas rugs. Lisa covers many techniques for painting canvas such as washes, sponging, ragging and marbling. Her comprehensive book also covers stamping and stenciling and of course, encourages free hand painting!

Her book Floorcloth Magic continues to be my number one resource for making and designing my canvas rugs. As my own notoriety grows in canvas rug design and I am asked questions about the making of canvas floor cloths, this is the book I recommend.

Period Pieces for Historical Homes

Lisa Curry Mair specializes in Colonial Art for historical reproductions. She has become a leading authority on period art and identifies historic floor coverings for restoration projects. Museums and historical homes such as the Boston Historical Museum in Boston, Mass. have had their floors completely refurbished with original period designs recreated by Lisa.

Check out the incredible pieces she has recreated for these historical homes and museums on her website in Museum Floorcloths.

Lisa also creates canvas murals for walls with her whimsical country scenes, Lisa lives in the countryside of Vermont and uses the peacefulness and energy of her lovely surroundings to reflect in her work. Working out of her 200 year old farm house Lisa Curry Mair has spent her years creating new designs, new products and teaching classes for floor cloth artists. She has just created a new website featuring her folk art called Curry Mair Designs.

I have always appreciated Lisa’s encouragement and support as I started out in my own business creating hand painted custom canvas rugs here in Costa Rica. She answered my questions and advice and even trade secrets. (And I’ve kept them Lisa!)

Her generosity and creativity has been a constant companion throughout the years of creating my own style of canvas floor cloths. I just wanted to give a shout out to my floorcloth guru, Lisa Curry Mair!

I’d love to hear any comments or questions you have, please comment below or contact me through the website.

Thank you!

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