Rebecca Slaton is creative by nature and an educator by nurture. Growing up on college campuses-Oklahoma State, Cornell, and the University of Georgia-has fueled her continuing interest in learning and teaching. At 7, she was featured in a book on children gifted in art. Although she won local art contests growing up, Rebecca pursued other professional degrees. "I was worried about being a starving artist, so what did I do instead? Went into the Non-Profit Sector!" She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1987 with a dual degree in Consumer Economics and Journalism. She worked on state and federal adolescent health projects including a million dollar Centers for Disease Control grant. Rebecca graduated with an MPA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and was offered an opportunity to head an adolescent health facility. "This was the fork in the road. I could continue my career or follow my real passion. People questioned the decision but my husband Bruce believed in me. So I quit and never looked back."

Rebecca attended a Faux Effects Designer Walls I class with Kathy Carroll. "I had a horrible accident a week before the class. I almost amputated my left thumb and had surgery 2 days before flying to Chicago. Kathy is a great teacher and I did all my samples one-handed. I left with a good portfolio and preferred seating on Southwest. My first big job was for a woman I meet in physical therapy" Her second job was a 10,000 square foot home and a new career officially started. Over a decade, Rebecca completed many award winning residential and commercial projects. Her work was featured in national publications, Decorate with Paint and Faux Effects World Magazine, and local publications The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Home & Garden, and Kansas City Design. Rebecca and her staff completed diverse projects such as a cooking school, hospital medical offices, a 1912 farmstead, and an architectural ornamentation firm.

In 2002, Rebecca combined her experience in education, business, and decorative arts by opening Surfaces in Kansas City. Typical for a natural student, she enrolled in the Kauffman Foundations Fast-Trac II Entrepreneurship to develop a solid business plan. Bruce left his successful meeting planning business to bring his considerable experience in the hospitality industry to the project.

While opening Surfaces, Rebecca decided to focus more on cabinetry. She studied with Mike Hoppe in California and Raymond Sandor, the founder of Faux Effects. In 2006, Rebecca was the decorative painting source and provided the samples for the Associated Press nationally published article "Born Again Cabinets." By 2007, Surfaces completed at least 1 cabinetry project a month from new construction custom staining to refinishing old oak in remodels. The same year, Surfaces'cabinetry work was recognized in two feature design articles and a Kansas City Home Builders Gold Medal winning home.

Her most unique commission was for Sonic Drive-Ins in early 2007. Based in Oklahoma City, Sonic celebrated Oklahoma's Centennial with a local Tater-Tot Parade. Surfaces completed 20 4' tall plastic sculptors matched to plush toys offered at Sonic Drive-Ins nation-wide. "We had no staff when we got the Tots. A dozen local finishers graciously volunteered and worked with me around the clock to finish the project. We used Lusterstone, Metallic Fresco, Palette Deco, and Designer Metallics for the project. The Tots sat outside restaurants for the wettest May on record and only one was ruined by vandals."

Rebecca is proud to be a Faux Effects certified instructor in Designer Walls I & II, Designer Walls III RS Series, Old World Lime Plasters, and Cabinetry. In addition to those previously mentioned, it has been her honor to train with the following finishing experts: Jodi Baldanza, Deb Drager, Gary Lord, Helen Morris, Jeff Raum, Andrea Tober, Donna Phelps, David Rairick, and Mike MacNeil. In 2005, Bruce and Rebecca founded Fauxy Painter and Ms.Blanca's. "That's a whole story on it's own," she says. "Just say we have no children-just dogs-so we have a lot of energy to devote to enterprises."

Rebecca was a demonstrator at the 2007 Meeting of the Masters and will be teaching in 2008 Residential and Commercial Cabinetry, and Advanced Furniture for Faux Effects International in Vero Beach, Dallas, and at the Sarasota School of Decorative & Architectural Finishes. What gives her the most satisfaction is seeing the success of artists that take classes at Surfaces. "Our home design magazines publish source information for award winning homes. 85% of the listed finishers have taken classes at Surfaces. The professional artist is my primary customer and my main responsibility now is to provide them the best in education and technical support. I get excited each time class starts." Spoken like a true life-long learner.