Croft began ‘finishing’ in 1994 in Santa Fe through the Morelli Furniture Company, where he learned both Old World finishing techniques (shellac, pigments) and more modern ones (lacquers, oil glazes, urethanes). Most important, a long-time artisan taught him not to use anything off the shelf. Croft–a tinkerer by nature– researched, experimented and created his own mixtures of applicants for dozens of unique clients. For Croft, “That was the beginning of this process for me. Understanding the materials and the craft is just as important as knowing the ‘end look’ you are trying to accomplish.”
Moving to Phoenix, he became more interested in natural materials, after finding that the chemicals in the products he was using were deteriorating his health. Helping a friend plaster a house, he fell in love both with the plastering process and, as luck would have it, with the European, more natural, plaster being used. He enjoyed the idea of building with the ‘original’ finish material (i.e. clay) used by the ancient civilizations and he liked not worrying about exposure to so many chemicals.
But he wanted to make the product he was using better, more like a joint compound. He realizes now that he approached it (without thinking so at the time) in a way that afforded the product the qualities for a mass-produced Earth Plaster —high consistency, ease of workability, great surface qualities with minimum application training, ease of tinting, durability, and mold resistance. Typically, he mixed different components not normally combined.
This tinkering and development of a clay plaster, led him to a greater mission beyond a product just for his clients. It has developed into an opportunity to share the amazing qualities of clay as a modern wall covering that leads to a healthy interior environment rather than a deteriorating environment created through the use of acrylic coatings. He realized that the use of natural materials was not just for a committed exclusive few, but the greater population at large. This mission has led to a challenging push to educate people in the legitimate use of natural materials in modern construction.
He has appeared in multiple publications and on radio. He spearheaded the launch of American Clay in China in 2009 to add to select other countries they work with, and has been named a Top CEO by the New Mexico Business Weekly (July 2009), with American Clay being named one of the fastest growing companies in the state. In addition to winning awards from the National Assn. of Home Builders and Green Log Homes, he participated on a panel with–and at the behest of–the Mayor of Albuquerque in 2007, teaching the youth of today to be sustainable leaders tomorrow.
Croft adds, “Doing this allows me to present a material to the general marketplace that is clean, keeps the interior air quality high, and takes us back to the beginning of building, gives us a connection to our roots – no matter where you came from.”
