A short presentation on YouTube, "A Brief History of Early American Decoration and the Evolution of a Career," by Polly Forcier is available.
QUECHEE, VT, June 22, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Mary Hill "Polly" Forcier has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A seasoned historical décor expert, Ms. Forcier's love for her profession began in the 1940s, when as a child she observed her mother painting tin-ware and remembered fondly the scent of turpentine in the air. After pursuing coursework in nursing at Simmons University in Boston, she married and had three children.
Four years later, a small life-changing gift from her mother… her books, paints and brushes, set her on her career path. Ms. Forcier found a teacher and studied with Lillian Lehto at the New Hampshire League of Arts and Crafts and under various other accredited teachers in different locations for a number of years; in 1984 becoming a member of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration, by submitting two trays, one painted and one gilt-stenciled.
Her love of wall stenciling began when she and her husband moved during the 1960s. Though she wanted to decorate with wallpaper, this was not an affordable option, so she improvised by stenciling designs on the wall instead. Her mentor for this work became Jessica Bond from Dorset, VT who provided the hallway stencils and then invited her to accompany her in recording old walls. Ms. Forcier's first business was Loveland Stencils, a cottage industry in her studio, where students came to cut their own stencils and were taught how to stencil their own walls.
Backed by her extensive expertise, Ms. Forcier embarked upon her artistic career as a teacher with the League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, the Fletcher Farm School of the Arts and Crafts, and other venues.
Ms. Forcier established MB Historic Décor in 1993, where she deals in historically accurate stencils for walls and floors. 700+ stencils that have been recorded from original walls and floors are at her clients' disposal, along with the paints and brushes needed to complete any project. She is particularly passionate about preserving undocumented hand-painted and stenciled walls and murals and floors dating from 1780-1845, and she requests that such "finds" be reported to the Center for Painted Wall Preservation, where she serves as an advisor. For her professional excellence, Ms. Forcier and her business have been featured in many magazines demonstrating interior historic décor using wall and floor stencils and antiques.
In light of her body of work, she received the Preservation Achievement Award for the "Outstanding Restoration and Rehabilitation of the United Congregational Church of Orford," through the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. In a career that has been filled with highlights, she is most proud of one client's comment, "Thank you for preserving this historic art for posterity," and to be able to offer her historic stencils to the public enabling individuals to decorate using stencils in their own homes or as a start-up business. Looking toward the future, Ms. Forcier intends to experience the continued focus of her career in documenting, restoring or accurately replicating historic walls. A short presentation on YouTube, "A Brief History of Early American Decoration and the Evolution of a Career," by Polly Forcier is available.
About Marquis Who's Who®
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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