| A native
from Peru, Amilcar Ferrari graduate from the School of Bellas Arts,
Lima, Peru in 1972. He arrived in the U.S. in 1974 and soon after
began working with wood finishing shops in New York City. In 1978
he moved to Washington DC and started working with several antique
shops. Concurrently, he attended Montgomery College to study International
Business. In 1981
Amilcar and his father, Antonio Ferrari, opened "Ferrari &
Son's Furniture Restoration." They worked together for 12 years.
After Amilcar's father retired, Amilcar continued growing the business
and its success throughout the 1990s.
Amilcar
was an activ ecommunity member in DC. He belonged to several non-profit
organizations including the VSA Arts Organization and the United
Spanish of Maryland. After his graduation form Montgomery College,
he was a sponsor several years, serving as a member of the Board
of Education and teaching Art & Restoration.
Amilcar
was elected President of the Maryland chapter of the Washington
DC Metropolitan Business Association in 1999. He worked in conjunction
with the President of Small Businesses of the Washington Metropolitan
Area and the Washington DC Government.He enrolled in political campaigns,
including that of Connie Morella, Governor of Maryland.
His wood
working business flourished receiving commissions from the embassies
of Turkey, Mexico, Britain, Peru, Ecuador, Italy, Nigeria, Congo,
and more. He often worked directly with Ambassadors restoring historical
antiques and repairing furniture that was damaged during overseas
shipping.
His expertise
in furniture damage lead to several jobs taking care of insurance
claims. Andrew Air Force Base in Maryland, Arlington in Virginia,
and the Base in Washington DC, all employed his specialized skills
in this area. Mr. Ferrari worked for former President of HUR, Mr.
Gallo Correa and for John Wallach, founder and president of Seeds
of Peace - through whom Mr. Ferrari met and worked for Henry Kissinger.
Mr. Ferrari also worked with Jonathan Lewin, former lawyer of President
Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal and he worked for former
First Lady Barbara Bush, at the time when Jorge Bush was Director
of the CIA.
Hotels and
restaurants, like the Marriott and Coco Locos, also sought Mr. Ferrari's
specialized skills. He restored a ornate wooden bar and helped to
build La Garden Restaurant at the Radisson Hotel in Georgetown.
Leading his work crew, he was in charge of fine finishing, woodwork,
walls, and decoration for all three floors. Similar work was done
in Atlanta, Georgia on a center steak grill, and for a new restaurant
in Alpharetta City. For Jamie Gore, family member of former Vice-President
Al Gore, Mr. Ferrari restored the entire front facade of their Restaurant
Bar & Grill in Baltimore.
Piano restoration
and antiques are a unique specialty Amilcar honed for the Regency
Galleries in Baltimore, MD and Interior Decorator Jim Proctor.
He contracted
with the Henry Gifford Corporation, a mulit-corpation construction
company, restoring local Washington DC monuments and doing major
work on the second part of the DC airport. Extensive traditional
wood refinishing was done for the Howard University of DC, the Washington
Military Courthouse, and the Alexandria Courthouse.
In West
Palm Beach he restored the entry doors and all the wooden benches
of the New Jews Church on Pacifica St.
The SLOC
(Salt Lake Organizing Committee) employed Mr. Ferrari for the Team
2002 Winter Olympics as part of the Olympic Logistic Crew. He was
in charge of finishing work regarding the respective buildings of
the Olympic Delegation and Media Corporation Offices.
In 2003
Mr. Ferrari worked building the World Pentathlon at Stanford University
in Palo Alto, CA. Stanford has hopes to become the centerpiece of
a future plan for a San Francisco Summer Olympic Games in 2012.
Since relocating
to the Bay Area, Mr. Ferrari has allied himself with the Mill Valley
Cabinet Shop, Academy Piano in South San Francisco, Piano Tuner
Tom Solonger, Harvey Carl, an Antique Dealer in the East Bay, Interior
Decorator Brenda Mock and Ambiance Antiques in San Francisco.
His current
studio has several apprentices and he is encouraging new business.
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