Tricks of the Trade©

Painter's Zone  

First edition

Thursday February 10,2000
  Diana Schraner

When I got Dave's e-mail about writing this article, I thought, no big deal, kinda cool, sure, I'll do it... I thought about what to write, how I could sound smart and businesslike, impress the hell out of all my cyber colleagues out there... nah, won't happen. I have nothing interesting to say about accounts receivable.

I really enjoy being a painter. I think that is my trick of the trade. I’m sure all you painters out there are familiar with this situation; you’re on the job with some other painter, everything is prepped and ready to go. You decide who wants to cut, who's going to roll and once you begin, you slip into the "painter's zone". This zone is where we start talking about whatever is on our minds. We are getting our work done, don't have to think too much at the moment and there is no topic we don't cover. If we're working alone, this is the time to think about life, listen to music, whatever. Working with others, this is the time to have great conversations. I have heard the best stories, had the hottest political debates, and have made some of the best friends on jobs. We have laughed, cried, argued and figured out how the world works. By the time we finish a job, we know each other. We know all about our home lives, our past, our dreams, and we've analyzed it all. Think about it, rolling and cutting, no annoying power tools, no figuring out what to do. Same with wallpapering (a little more figuring out...) and trim, inside, outside. We get to pick colors and put together schemes, cut stencils, mix glazes. Okay, we do have sprayers and stinky paint... but many of my painting hours over the years have been spent in the painter's zone doing some pretty cool painting! There have been some great times. Being a woman in this trade is especially interesting because after the initial, "Oh my God, it's a girl!" reaction, I turn into just another painting colleague (a little better looking.) and the guys really open up, see me as an equal and I feel that I get a great glimpse into the mysteries of the male psyche! (Oh yeah, this is good!) This is a wonderful help to me at home with my husband and two sons. I am a Swiss-American; I have both passports, and have had the privilege of working in both countries. We moved to Switzerland when I was 14. I decided to become a painter while living in Switzerland where I completed the 3-year apprenticeship required to get a painting license. I worked in Europe for 8 years, from age 17 to 25, and then moved back to the US.

  One of the first things I noticed painting back in the US was the lack of pride in our trade. Back in Switzerland we always signed our work, (okay, usually in a closet somewhere...) we would throw big parties with homeowners, architects and the other trades people when a big job was done. We were it, the painters, the creative ones, the only ones who could do the job right. When I got back to the US and told people I was a painter, they were like, "oh...." I could tell they felt sorry for me and I had this urge to defend my trade. I remember one guy I used to work with; he would go to the gym to work out in the mornings before work. He was very concerned about the other people at the gym finding out that he was just a "loser-painter" (his own words) He would park his truck far away and after his work out he would put on regular clothes only to walk out to his truck and change into his whites. This guy was a hard worker and totally embarrassed to be a painter. Okay, so we're not doctors or lawyers, we get dirty. We sweat. We crawl and climb around to get to where we need to be, some of us can't spell, some of us cuss too much, some people think we're simple minds. Here’s the flip side: Some of us are brilliant!! Funny, creative, interesting, you name it. Painting can be a very honest and honorable straightforward way to make a living. We stay fit by climbing, crawling, reaching and stretching. We look really good once we're all cleaned up. It's never too late to learn how to spell and when it's appropriate to cuss. We're flexible. We can think about life, discuss things with our colleagues. We can sing out loud to our favorite songs, we are outside in the fresh air, climbing on scaffolds enjoying the views on a Spring morning...We see the direct results of our labors, we bring smiles to homeowners, we make things beautiful again. Isn't it wonderful to be alive?? (gush gush...) One of the greatest things I have found on the www these past 3 years is that there are lots of painters out there that do take pride in their trade. Right here in the United States, from Coast to Coast, believe it, baby! I have found a family of painters across the Nation and beyond. We are in the zone. We are free to be ourselves, we share our knowledge, we argue and debate, laugh and tease, we share little pieces of our lives, our craft, our tricks of the trade. Now, you all reading this right now, I haven't written an "article" in a long time. Don' t go dissecting the whole thing, telling me about all the stupid painters you've known, painters that won't shut up, and all the PIA customers, pricing... argghhhhh...Let's look at the bright side!! Enjoy it. It pays. In many ways.

 

Diana Schraner diana@earthcolors.com