I view painting as a challenging and rewarding career opportunity. First of all, paint technology is in a constant state of innovation and improvement. A major impetus to innovation has been the stiffening of EPA regulations. Products that had been part of the painting landscape for generations have simply disappeared from shelves. A myriad of new waterborne products has emerged, each one requiring slightly different methods of application and even new tools. Also, boutique companies have emerged all over the country, which provide specialized products for a host of painting applications. These changes require painters to educate themselves and stay current with paint technology. The Internet has made gaining that knowledge easier than ever.

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Painting is also a field that requires focus and the active engagement of all human senses for optimal performance: mind, eyes, touch and ears. The ears, really? Yes. I have often said: “listen to what the wall is telling you”. For instance, did you know that the sound of a brush gliding on a surface gives you information on the amount of paint still remaining in the brush? I call this active engagement of the senses: vigilance. Vigilance is the ability to be focused mentally, so that, as a job unfolds, all issues can be handled effectively, in a cost efficient manner.

Painting also has an aesthetic and artistic dimension. Painters make things look better by adding to their aesthetic qualities in four different ways: symmetry, harmony, balance and order. As painters gain competency in applying aesthetic principles, they become trusted advisers in helping to beautify a client’s environment.

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Over time and through dedication, a painter learns to master the medium, the tolls and the techniques necessary to produce the desired result, every time, while making it look effortless.

That brings me to the last part of my vision for painters: the heart. Engaging the heart is the biggest opportunity of all. Painters can be problem-solvers and creators of beauty in people’s lives. When that becomes the true motivation, it inspires a passionate pursuit for being a true painting craftsman! The rewards are awesome: self-respect, pride, satisfaction, recognition, status, even fame and money!

Painters who share that vision for their work have a home in my painting and decorating company in the Chicago area.

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