I’m a San Diego painting contractor who can’t break free from old world ways!
Way back when I was a budding house painter in the 1970s, I jumped at the chance to work while traveling the world. I dreamed of working with craftsmen who were brought up with the idea that painting houses was an art.
The Apprentice
I wanted to learn from masters who had an appreciation for the art of Michael Angelo and who applied their sense of artistry to every job they took. The house painters in Europe were famous for their old world skill and craftsmanship that most painters in the US haven’t been exposed to.
The Brits
My first exposure was when I arrived in England. I can recall the moment when I saw the 600-year old house, with the charming thatched roof, that I would have the chance to paint. My British “house painting teacher” trained me to have nothing but incomparably high standards—that every surface must be impeccably clean, much like a brand new canvas. It took us over 100 hours to scrape away what seemed like centuries of old paint and build up of “nature’s wrath” before we actually started applying the paint. Little did I know this would propel my standards to new heights as a San Diego painting contractor.
Cezanne Country and the Artists Within
The hometown of the famous French painter Cezanne was the next stop on my educational tour! The French contractors of Puyloubier, near Aix-enProvence, were the ones who impressed me the most—they took their time to prepare and artfully apply the paint with near-perfect brush strokes. And, they believed in using only the highest quality of paint products available in France.
The French house painters truly lived by their reputation. Their sense of beauty and old world perfection was over the top. I truly recommend working with them if you ever get the chance. I will never forget their culture and passionate love of life—especially our 2-hour lunches with fine French wine and the hours we spent laughing until our stomachs hurt!
California, Here I Come
California was one more part of the world that beckoned to me, after I came back to the states. Malibu, with its relaxed seaside vibe, seemed to be the most desirable place to practice my new “old world” skills.
I hung onto the hopes that I would be working with clients who would have an appreciation for my kind of painting. And sooner than I thought, my prayers were answered. I guess you could say my reputation for working with celebrities started to snowball—at times I had to “pinch myself”!
The advantages of being a premier San Diego painting contractor keep manifesting themselves. My clients, who were worldwide legends, turned out to be kind, appreciative, and down to earth regular people. Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker of Star Wars, George Burns, and the Eagles band members were just a tip of the iceberg of the famous people I was blessed to have as clients. They were gracious and friendly beyond belief! (I have some funny stories about Sylvester Stallone and Whoopi Goldberg that I’m sure you will get a kick out of!)
Forty-five years later, you will find me working at my craft— in my all-time favorite city of San Diego! As a San Deigo painting contractor, I love nothing more than working with my clients, who are as crazy about old world style painting as I am.
If you’re looking for an artful San Diego painter, who values old world style and craftsmanship, give American Painting a call. I would love the opportunity to work with you!