About Black Dog Floorcloths | American Floorcloth Tradition — Hand Painted Custom Floorcloths for Historic and Contemporary Interiors

Ginny and Joe Lascara

Black Dog Gallery was opened by brother and sister Ginny and Joe Lascara in Virginia Beach and Yorktown, Virginia. For over 30 years they established Black Dog Gallery as a preeminent fabricator of historical and contemporary floorcloths, and colonial period framing. Combining Ginnys experience as associate curator of prints and maps at Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and Joes engineering skills, they perfected ways to make floorcloths more durable for a modern environment. They worked to keep a rare craft from early America alive. Over the course of 30 years they gained respect from museums to private collectors. In 2024, they decided it was time to retire from day to day operations. They asked a long time artist and collaborator, Randy Hess, if he would be interested in continuing the floor cloth tradition as they remained on as consultants. And so, Black Dog Floorcloths continues to keep the tradition of floorcloth design and fabrication moving forward. And with great respect to its founders and the art, we are humbled to be a part of this tradition of American decorative arts.

Randy Hess

I am an artist and frame designer in Suffolk, VA. I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Communication Arts and Design with an emphasis on illustration.

I began as a freelance illustrator for ads and magazines but found it didn’t help my growth as an artist. Using woodworking skills learned from my grandfather, I worked at Suitable For Framing in Richmond, VA and Black Dog Gallery while developing my own personal artistic practices. My paintings are in private and corporate collections.

I eventually launched my custom frame line, Springfield Frames, named for my grandparents John and Estelle Springfield. I also restored and made frames for corporate and Museum collections. Notably, the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, VA. For 16 years I collaborated with Black Dog Gallery to make their floorcloths. I now have the privilege of continuing what they started over 30 years ago.