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Gap Exec Lures Finger Paint Artist to SF for US Debut

By Kristen Philipkoski

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  • Trolio's work hanging at Coup d'Etat
  • Paolo Troilo
  • Paolo Troilor with Stephen Brady, Gap visual creative director
  • Darin Griese, owner of Coup d'Etat with the artist, Claudia Ross and Stephen Brady
  • Marc Scoppettone, fashion maven and philanthropist Joy Bianchi, and Stephen Brady
  • Trolio with Gary Friedman, chairman emeritus at Restoration Hardware

Photos by Drew Altizer


—by Sara Iravani
Paolo Troilo's work, created using only his fingers and paint, caught the interest of Gap visual creative director Steven Brady on a trip to Europe three years ago. Brady commissioned a painting to hang in the Gap flagship store in Rome, and hatched a plan to introduce Troilo to the United States. The plan came to fruition this month—Troilo brought his amazingly detailed (for using his fingers!) work to SF interior design store Coup d'Etat, owned and run by Brady's friend Darin Geise, who also became obsessed with the finger painter after Brady showed him the artist's work. "We were worried he would choose L.A. or New York for his debut," Geise says. "We're very lucky."

The self-taught painter began using his fingers one day when he had forgotten his painbrushes. "I started painting with my hands, and I realized I could create much more powerful art than if I had used painting tools," he told Racked. Since then Troilo has become a well-known and award-winning artist in Europe.

Brady and Geise celebrated the U.S. debut with a party at Coup d'Etat; check out some of the party photos in our gallery. Missed the party? Not to worry, you can check out Troilo's work through Jun 21 at Coup d'Etat, 111 Rhode Island Street.
· Coup d'Etat [Official Site]
· You Won't Believe These Sculptures Are Made Out of Paper [Racked SF]
· The 38 Best Home Goods Stores in San Francisco [Racked SF]