Cristina Acosta

Sources & Referrals:  And Things I Think are Really Great!

This is a work-in-progress list of some of my favorite things.

(if you have a great thing to recommend, I'd love to hear from you)

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Products

Interior/Exterior Paints:

There are many wonderful brands and I can't begin to list them all. I've only included the three national brands that I consistently specify for buildings, and left out the more regional brands.  If you are wondering what makes a good paint, take the time to call the manufacturer and ask them about their product and how it's made. 

• Benjamin Moore: One of the leaders in the coatings world -- Benjamin Moore offers thousands of colors and can match  more. Even better --- the new Aura paint is zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) AND covers beautifully in any color. This is a big deal because until recently, low VOC paints were only available in light colors. Not only do they have a great product -- they generously support Habitat for Humanity. www.BenjaminMoore.com

• Pittsburgh Paints: Josette Buisson -- a dynamic and creative artist has developed a wonderful method to describe color concepts, resulting in a color system for Pittsburgh Paints that she titled "The Voice of Color". www.VoiceOfColor.com

• Sherwin Williams:  Another of the leaders in the coatings world. I began using their product when I was in the sign painting industry. The product is consistent and the quality is high. They offer thousands of colors and a variety of quality levels. www.Sherwin-Williams.com

• Timber Pro Coatings: This small company specializes in what they call "Enviro Safe"  wood coatings: Stains and wood sealers. If you want to preserve cedar or wood trims on the outside of your home, seal a wood deck or log home, this is the stuff. I've even had a client use it on her interior wood ceiling. I especially endorse this product because my sister-in-law and brother-in-law own this company and I completely admire them for getting on the environmental bandwagon in the 1990's, long before it was the cool thing to do. They have distributors nationally. www.TimberProCoatings.com
  

Flooring:  There are a zillion choices of flooring. In my home I've narrowed the choices down to three: Cork, Marmoleum and tile.

• Cork -- It's a renewable surface (made out of the bark of a tree). It is usually sold as floor tiles or interlocking pieces (similar to a wood floor).  Wicander's Cork Oak is on my floors. I really like this floor. Though Cork Oak is a residential product, Wicander's offers other cork floorings suitable for commercial application. I chose Cork because is has the sleek surface quality of a wood floor with sound dampening and insulating qualities.

• Marmoleum -- it's a renewable form of old style "linoleum". Made with linseed oil and jute. It comes in an amazing array of colors and is suitable for residential and commercial application. www.themarmoleumstore.com

• Tile -- There are a zillion choices of tile. (Here's that number again). Remember to use a high fire product such as a porcelain tile if you are installing it in a high traffic area.

Environmental Building Supply Sourcing: The global environment is an important cause for my family. In the 1980's (long before it was cool), Bruce Sullivan was pitching the planets health. He and his wife Beth Magee have developed a web site that is a good source of information regarding anything to do with environmentally sensitive building. www.Oikos.com    Included on the site is a book store.

Architects: These professionals live in the Northwest, yet work on projects everywhere. They each have developed styles which include a comprehensive understanding of the larger community.

• GGL Architecture LLC: Mike Gorman and Jim Landin. www.ggl-arch.com  Residential, Commercial and Industrial 541-330-6506 http://www.ggl-arch.com/
• APAZ Architect:  Artemio Paz, Residential, Commercial, Institutoinal Projects and Community Planning. www.apazarchitect.com

Things of interest to Visual Artists:  

Other Stuff: This is the section where I share some cool things with you and proudly promote my brilliant friends and family not listed in the other categories. 

Orthotics --  These are the inserts you can put in your everyday shoes or athletic shoes to increase your comfort and performance (athletic or otherwise). My husband, Randall Barna, has been making them for decades (he started out making them for ski boots back in the heyday of skiing). There is nothing like getting through the day and NOT thinking about  my feet.  I really can run faster and jump higher!  You may have tried the over-the-counter types of orthotics. If those don't work, plan a vacation to Bend, Oregon and set an appointment with Randall. He is a true artisan, making every pair of orthotics by hand. www.footform.com

Business Planning -- A good business plan can be more important than money. (Really!) That's because a  good plan will help you turn the money you have into a successful business that makes you more money by getting you started in the right direction. You may be starting a business or investigating a new direction in your business. If this is a sentence in your story, you need a business plan. My brilliant sister (and business adviser) talked me into my first plan years ago. I went along with her idea because I trusted her -- WOW (she was right)! She does plans and consults for a variety of sizes of business. www.AlisaAcostaConsulting.com

Stand up Paddle Surfing -- Landlocked or on the coast, if you ever wanted to surf or paddle, this is the perfect sport.  If you're on the coast you can surf these boards in the waves. If you live on a lake, you can paddle standing up, a great core work out. Sometimes I sit on the shore and watch the kids and a dog pile on til they tip. My husband, Randall Barna is a Oregon surfer from way back. He took me to the Oregon coast  and gave me my first surfing lesson. The boards are so big and floaty that I was up and riding baby waves  at least 2 dozen times. I was totally stoked! Read more about it on Randall's site www.standuppaddlebend.com

Writing -- Suzanne Schlosberg inspired me to write me to write for publication. I took Suzanne's  "How to write for Publication" class, and felt completely ready for the publishing world despite beginning my  career with way more enthusiasm than ability. My first Schlosberg inspired success was my book, Paint Happy! (©2002,2004, North Light Books). I am continually inspired by Suzanne's success.  Read her many titles and you'll be informed, amused and possibly the new owner of a six-pack of abdominal muscles. It's all good. She also writes for web publication and is a wonderful editor. www.SuzanneSchlosberg.com

Web Sites -- This is a crowded category, as there are so many good website designers that I know.  I'm recommending Alpine Internet because they are a full service website company with a national presence. They can work with your designer or find you a good designer. If you know (or suspect) that there's a lot about website building, marketing and more, that you don't know, contact Alpine Internet for an interview or site assessment. I loved the design of my prior site, so continued to work with my original designer, Casey Crisler. She gave the new design to Alpine and they made everything work.  I don't know how it all happens -- I do know that I love the results.  www.AlpineInternet.com

Learning -- I love to learn. I especially admire the generosity and vision behind the MIT free ware site. You can study hundreds of things from rocket science to arts and literature. I take advantage of their Spanish language courses to improve my skills. ocw.mit.edu

Oprah's web site -- I've never met the woman, so why is she in this category? Because her good works make her a friend to the world. In her most public of worlds a prosaic subject can become profound -- it's a lesson that spirit truly is in everything and everyone. www.oprah.com

Artists Making Art You Can Buy Online: Here's a list of artist friends and associates selling their work online.

Douglas Jewelry -- Steve and Elyse Douglass are wonderful artists,  wonderful people and they really know their stuff. They have a beautiful jewelry gallery in historic downtown Bend, Oregon and a website. Elyse is a certified gemologist and the lead designer for the store. They both design the jewelry, though Steve, a master jeweler is the store technician. Not many designers are so hands on. They also feature the work of other jewelry artists. www.douglasjewelry.com

Mug Revolution - Owen Dearing makes mugs the old fashioned way, one at a time in his studio in Bend, Oregon.  Send him your logo or name and he'll make you a set of stoneware mugs that feel wonderful in your hand and look great. www.mugrevolution.com

 

This is a "work-in-progress" list of some of my favorites. Though I have had a wonderful experience, you will have your own experience.

Here's some pertinent legalese: Cristina Acosta Art & Design LLC is not responsible in any manner whatsoever, for the availability or content of these external sites, nor does Cristina Acosta Art & Design LLC warrant or guarantee the  products, services or information described or offered at these other related links services.