We have an amazing group of retailers who sell and love FAT Paint, and we are so excited to introduce you to them all! Today, get to know Tracey from Red Wind Studio in Cornwall Ontario a little bit better.

Name: Tracey Doogan-Benoit

Business: Red Wind Studio

Location: 412 Cumberland St, Cornwall, On.

One word that best describes how you work: Methodical

What does a day in the life look like for you?
My day can start as soon as I turn my computer on at 6:30 am and end at 10pm when I go to bed. Most of my day though is spent at my Studio painting furniture whether it be a custom job or for a piece I am completing to sell. I also do all the sales and answer questions when customers come in. Sometimes my twin boys will be helping with the cleaning and inventory. If I don’t have a paint brush, rag or some other tool in my hand then you would probably find me at the computer editing photos or answering customer questions.

How did you get started?
My daughter was heading off to University and needed a desk. My husband and she found a 1970’s desk at a garage sale and I stripped it down, refinished it and put new hardware on it. I saw such a huge difference in the desk and little monetary investment that I thought this may be a good way to make some money.

What brought you to where you are today?
We had moved to a new city and I was having difficulty finding suitable work so I was on the hunt to find something I could do. When I refinished the desk and saw potential in the idea of “restyling” furniture I applied to a provincial program Self Employment Assistance Program, which I completed. I spent the next two years working out of my home and slowly getting my name and talent noticed. I finally decided in the end of 2013 I needed to get an actual store front and bringing in a line of paint. I found a shared location in February and started filling out an application for a well-known brand of paint when someone sent me a message on my Facebook Page asking if I had heard of FAT Paint. I hadn’t heard of it so I contacted the company and a few short weeks later in March my first shipment of FAT Paint arrived and it is now over a year later and I am a Regional Developer for The FAT Paint Company in Eastern Ontario.

Why do you chose to stock FAT Paint?
Other than the fact it is a high quality chalk style Canadian made paint? My favourite colour, which was just being launched when I became a retailer, is named after one of my favourite songs from one of the best bands in the world which is also Canadian: Rush’s song Red Barchetta! I have to say the stars aligned and someone or something was doing nothing less than screaming in my face “get the FAT PAINT”. From a random person sending me that question “have you heard of FAT Paint?” to Victoria asking if I would like a sample of their new colour Red Barchetta. I had to have been petty daft not to become a retailer of such an amazing paint and supporter of such a great company.

Tell us about your favourite FAT Paint Project to-date:
To try and pick a favourite FAT Paint Project is like asking me to choose which child of mine I love more. So on that note I have to say it is a three way tie. I bought a china cabinet and buffet from the same set and painted the china cabinet Pink Cashmere and details in Warm White with a natural wax finish. The sideboard I painted in Raven and details in Cast Iron with a natural wax finish. The other favourite is an old cupboard from my basement that I painted Red Barchetta with a chocolate stain and polyurethane finish. I also had a local blacksmith make new handles for it. It sits proudly in my front entrance.

What’s your best tip for FAT Paint success?
Lightly sand and clean well with vinegar-water solution or TSP. Also, be brave and experiment.

Outside of work, how do you choose to spend your time?
I love playing badminton in our backyard with my family

What’s the next big goal you are working towards?
My next goal is to get in a position to hire a part-time employee.

Interested in learning more about retailing FAT Paint? Learn what we look for in our FAT-tastic tribe!