In the Limelight

Jesse Arter didn’t set out to build a career around natural materials. What began with a move to Seattle to play in a heavy metal band eventually led to more than two decades in green building—and a career centered on lime, wood, and clay. Today, Jesse sees natural plaster as more than a beautiful finish; it connects craftsmanship to a broader conversation about human health, the environment, and the materials we bring into our homes.

Emmett O’Carroll’s plaster career began in Ireland’s formal apprenticeship system and has carried him through work in Australia and historic homes across the Northeast US. Rooted in traditional trade knowledge, his work includes preservation, teaching, and an openness to modern resources that keep the trade growing today.

From her start in biology to ceramics, plaster, sculptural wall installations, and teaching, Julie Anderson’s career has been shaped by natural materials and a lifelong curiosity about the spaces they create.

From his roots working in his father’s plaster and stucco business in Pennsylvania to building his own business, Chuck Shenberger’s path reflects a foundation in traditional techniques blended with his own experimentation and recognition of plaster’s potential.

From decades in the trades to large-scale plaster work, Molly O’Mara’s practice is shaped by long-term vision, material intuition, and years spent building a business from the ground up.

From an 1895 home in Indiana to a growing place within the New Age Artisans community, Keith Owen’s journey into plaster began with necessity, deepened through curiosity, and ultimately became the foundation of Legend Plaster.

From the mountains of Idaho to the growing online world of plaster artisans, Shane King’s journey spans three generations of plaster, a lifetime of grit, and a craft reborn through community.