This small, bronze Saraswati statue was gilded with 24k gold leaf
Gold Leafing Talk with Sean Starr: Meadows Museum Dallas
This spring, Gallery Talks will explore artmaking processes and materials from the perspectives of local artists. Today’s presenter is Sean Starr, artist and founder of Starr Studios. Free with regular museum admission, advance registration required
Photos by Daniel Driensky of Exploredinary
Gold Leafing: Shiva Nataraj Statue
This bronze Shiva Nataraj statue received 24k gilding on the fleshy areas of the statue as well as facial features painted in enamel.
Jesse James Chopper Genuine Gold Leaf
Sean Starr was commissioned by the Andrews Family of Fort Worth to customize a one of a kind Jesse James Chopper at the Paul & Chris Andrews Car Museum in Fort Worth. The design was executed using 23k gold leaf and lettering enamels.
“Shortly after TTI launched—and well before he sold the company to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2007—Andrews began building an exotic car collection, acquiring four-wheeled beauties from far-flung corners of the world. He has spent 41 years growing that collection and has put the vehicles on display in a Fort Worth museum with his son, Chris."
D Magazine
1946 Indian Chief
“The bike was commissioned by motorcycle-industry insider Robert Pandya. “I found an engine and drivetrain that had been completely rebuilt in the summer of 2016. Joe got the bike soon after the holidays and did an amazing job building on my vague vision,” he said.
“The paintwork is by Sean Starr of Starr Custom Paint outside Fort Worth, Texas, who applied layers of clear coat to allow the tooling marks to remain visible, showing off the metal of “Stella’s Mettle.” Snap-Fab also manufactures hand-made shaping mallets, shot-bags and other products for metal shapers and fabricators.”
The build had its debut at the 2018 Austin Handbuilt Show
1949 Chevy Gasser
Hand lettering and pinstriping for the “Black Top Rebel” owned and raced by Kurt Kuehl of Dirty South Gassers.
Concours D' Elegance Winner: 1954 Ferrari 750 Monza
Sean Starr was brought in by Bob Smith Coachworks to recreate the livery on this 1954 Ferrari Monza.
Once fully restored, the 1954 Ferrari 750 Monza won the Enzo Ferrari Award at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and 2020 Best of Show at the Cavallino Classic, before being named winner of The Peninsula Classics 2020 Best of the Best Award.
1930s Sprint Car Gold Leaf
A private car collector in Marble Falls, Texas brought Sean Starr in to design and execute these engine turned genuine gold leaf racing numbers on his 1930s Sprint race car.
1929 Fleet Biplane
Sean Starr was commissioned by Hollywood stunt man Tom Harper to recreate the “fishook” stripe and lettering in genuine silver engine turned leaf on this 1929 Fleet that was originally owned by his grandfather, also a stunt man, who bought it in 1929. Tom tracked down the plane and was able to purchase it in 2018 and restore it to its original glory.
Rusty Balls Speed Shop
Sean Starr has been designing and painting all of the builds and storefront for Rusty Balls Speed Shop located in Ruidoso, New Mexico since its launch in Fort Worth Texas in 2016. Every project receives Starr’s proprietary aging process that creates an authentic aged look that matches the heavy patina of the Rusty Balls builds.
The Junk Gypsy Hippie Bug
Sean Starr was commissioned by HGTV stars Amie & Jolie Sikes from Junk Gypsy in the Spring of 2021 to come up with a one-of-a-kind custom paint scheme for this classic 1972 Volkswagen Beetle for their showroom in Round Top, Texas.
The car was built by Justin Praesel of Praesel’s Addiction in Rockdale, Texas.
Sean’s work on this project was inspired by the delivery trucks of India and Nepal as well as John Lennon’s Rolls Royce.
Photos courtesy of Exploredinary and The Gentleman Racer
Our Lady of Victory
Sculptor Larry Schueckler contacted us to execute the gilding on his large scale original sculpture of the Virgin Mary commissioned by Saint Mary’s Church in College Station, Texas. This statue was gilded with genuine 24k gold leaf over a 6 week period in the early Spring of 2023.
Concours d' Elegance Winner: 1948 Hafer Craft
The owner of this 1948 hand-built Hafer Craft requested period-correct gold leaf lettering on the stern and hull ID numbers as well as the wooden engine cover inside the boat. The boat won the Silver Cup at 2021 Keels & Wheels Concours d’ Elegance in Seabrook, Texas. This Hafer Craft is now permanently on display at the Great Lakes Maritime Museum in Iowa.
Indian Motorcycle’s Hillclimb Tribute Bike
Sean Starr was commissioned by Indian Motorcycles to design and execute the paintwork on a 2015 Indian Scout motorcycle to pay tribute to Indian's history in hillclimb motorcycle racing. The bike was built by Indianmotorcycles.net and made its debut at the 75th Anniversary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota on August 3, 2015 with an attendance that exceeded 1,000,000.
The bike traveled the world to dozens of motorcycle shows and events before being placed on permanent display at Indian Motorcycle’s Headquarters in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
Read more on Indian’s website here
Photos courtesy of Indian Motorcycle
eBay Motors ‘69 F100 Ranch Relic Build
This build by The Gentleman Racer was commissioned by eBay Motors for the 2022 Parts of America Tour. Sean Starr was brought in to concept and paint the lettering and pinstriping to create an authentic look that matched the age of the truck. The truck toured the United States with the rest of the builds with the finale in Los Angeles November 17, 2022
Hanuman Statue: Decorative Painting
This hand carved wooden statue of the Hindu God Hanuman was painted with gold metallics and matte finish Japan Colors. Here is a video short explaining the project:
Gold Leaf: Wooden Buddha
Photos by Exploredinary
This wooden carved Buddha from Sri Lanka received a specialty distressed finish gold leaf to provide an antiqued appearance. The leaf used was imitation gold leaf composed of copper and zinc then finished with a light antiquing glaze to seal in the leaf.
Gold Leaf Fort Worth: Le Margot
These Le Margot logos were executed in 23.75k genuine gold leaf with the white pearl executed in 12k white gold for their Fort Worth location. The graphics grace the front and rear entry doors and are accented by the address transom numbers executed in 23.75k gold leaf. All of the gold leaf was executed using the water gild method which provides a mirror like finish and done in reverse on the interior side of the glass.
Custom Mirror: Vagabond Hats Dallas
Photos by Cal Knapp and Sean Starr
This custom mirror was created in our studio for Vagabond Hat Company located in Dallas’ Cedars neighborhood. The piece was executed using verre eglomise techniques combining paints, mica powders, copper leaf and genuine gold leaf in 23.75k, 18k and 12k white gold with the mirror surface executed in genuine silver leaf.
The antique frame was stripped down and painted before receiving an antiqued copper leaf treatment followed with a subtle glaze finish.
The mirror hangs in Vagabond’s showroom where client’s can try on their hats during the sizing process.
Paul & Chris Andrews Car Collection Fort Worth
Sean Starr was commissioned by the Andrews Family of Fort Worth to create dozens of large scale art installations at the Paul & Chris Andrews Car Museum in Fort Worth.
"Paul Andrews knows what it’s like when the rubber hits the road. He also knows what it’s like to overcome a setback—and how to build something to show for it. Andrews founded the Fort Worth specialty electronics broker TTI (formerly Tex-tronics) in 1971 after General Dynamics laid him off, making him collateral damage from the grounding of an F-111 fighter jet project.
Shortly after TTI launched—and well before he sold the company to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway in 2007—Andrews began building an exotic car collection, acquiring four-wheeled beauties from far-flung corners of the world. He has spent 41 years growing that collection and has put the vehicles on display in a Fort Worth museum with his son, Chris." D Magazine
