Lori Blomstrom, Owner

As a lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley, Lori's story, and the story of her Venetian Plastering business, has a special place within the community.  It is a story of female entrepreneurship, artistry, and following one’s passion to celebrate a centuries old art form and share it with others.

She is one of only a few manufacturer-certified female applicators in Pennsylvania, and one of a handful of professional female applicators to have received advanced training and certification in Italy. Lori left a 18 year career at PPL Electrical Utilities to pursue her passion for reviving a lost art, and she hasn’t looked back since.

Veneshe is the fulfillment of a dream which began with a trip to Italy in 2002. "When I began applying Italian stuccos, a whole new world opened up for me personally and professionally, where artistry, client services and hands-on application brought a new level of inspiration and energy to my work," says Lori. "I am delighted to share this passion with my clients and students, and am especially excited to offer students the opportunity to advance their techniques while working on restoration projects in Italy."

Donnamarie Mazzola, Owner  

Donnamarie has over 20 years experience with product marketing, marketing management and project management of new product development -- multi-media educational and branding pieces, new service delivery models, brand management and website development and marketing. As an artist "on the side," she creates collages of all kinds of media, from mosaics, to fabric tapestries, to digital artistry.

Her pursuit of creative expression, love of travel, entrepreneurship and Italian artistry find expression in Veneshe, which she founded with Lori in 2006. "Veneshe embodies the spirit of Italy," she notes. "Our artistic palette is inspired by a passion for natural beauty; a warm and genuine familiarity; simple, fresh and organic colors, textures and flavors; and a certain rhythm and pace of life in the small towns of Tuscany and Umbria. Touch a cool, polished plaster wall, note the organic smell of the plaster as it is applied, feel the movement of the material as it spreads beneath a trowel -- and it will awaken your senses to ancient beauty, glowing with exquisite color and texture, for walls you have to touch to believe!"

Lori and Donnamarie live at Stone Cottage Woods, their home outside Riegelsville, PA which they share with their 5 dogs, 3 cats, koi, and countless wild birds.