About
Keith Toney
Born
in Worcester, MA and raised in West Boylston, MA, Keith Toney
currently resides in Jefferson (Holden), MA with his partner
and spouse, Al Toney, and Al's teenage daughter, Kayla. Having
worked in various accounting, banking and financial analyst
positions in Corporate America for over 14 years, Keith decided
to follow his creative passion and embark on a new career in
Interior Design by beginning his own business, "Refine Designs" in
2002. Through
Refine Designs, Keith has worked with many homeowners, streamlining
their interiors to maximize the potential of each individual
space, as well as selecting proper color schemes that portray
the look and feel that clients were hoping to achieve in their
homes. Keith has also carried his skills and talents to the outdoors
by designing deck and patio layouts, as well as creating beautiful
landscapes and gardens.
Keith
expanded his interior design business in early 2005 by securing
his certification as an Accredited Staging Professional (ASP).
Staging provides the competitive edge in a competitive Real
Estate market and is proven to be effective with selling properties
faster and for more money. As an ASP Keith assists home sellers
and Realtors by thoroughly evaluating property interiors and
exteriors and advising his clients of exactly what actions
are necessary to help ensure sellers maximize the equity potential
of their home. Keith is very excited to have a network of Realtors
to work with to help expand his client base throughout the
Central, MA area and beyond.
Along
with Al Toney, his partner both in life and in AK Consulting
Services, Keith was also the understudy of a sculptor from
Uruguay for several years before turning their garage into
a home studio. "Studio
36" is located in Jefferson, MA and is the birth place of what
Keith and Al refer to as their very personal and sometimes explicit "interpretive
sculptures". Working with the clay medium has proven to
be an exercise of expression for Keith where he can break free
from the stress and oppression of society through his creations.
Each piece is a unique interpretation of what he encounters through
the various facets of his life, as well as an expression of his
love and admiration for the individuality of the body, mind,
and soul. Keith and Al's works are currently displayed
at the Hammersley Gallery, located at 366 Commercial St, Provincetown,
MA, and the Art Effects Gallery located at 2 South Main St, Uxbridge,
MA.
As a partner in AK Consulting Services, Keith has participated
in many diversity awareness speaking engagements at various colleges
and corporations in the Central Massachusetts area, specifically
focusing on the myths and stereotypes that affect the gay and
lesbian community.
Keith is also a published columnist. His work
has been seen in several local publications including InCity
Times, and Pulse Magazine. Keith and Al are currently
working on a writing project together which they hope to announce
in the coming year.
In
addition to his accounting work, interior designing, sculpting
and writing, Keith is very active in the fight for equal rights
and protections for the gay and lesbian community. They are
both politically and publicly active with the same-sex marriage
debate in Massachusetts. Keith and Al were one of six couples
who were featured in a documentary about the same-sex marriage
debate in America filmed for Showtime entitled "Same
Sex America". The documentary premiered in the Spring
of 2005 at the Full Frame Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina,
the Boston International Film Fest in Boston, MA, and the Tribeca
Film Fest in NYC. It will then be a featured film on the
Showtime movie channel. Keith and Al are very excited
to be part of this very important project of American history
in the making.
In addition to raising Al's daughter, Kayla, Keith and Al have
served as foster parents to many youth in need, and their home
has been listed as an emergency hotline house for the Department
of Social Services of Massachusetts.
