To say that O’Brien Painting is the Picasso of house painting might lead readers to believe that my house now looks like its eyes and ears are on sideways and it’s strumming a blue guitar. None of the above—but what these fellows accomplished is quite simply museum quality. Now, I’m compelled to donate my house to the Smithsonian, thanks to the exquisite work of these skilled and talented gents. I’ll explain—my house is about to celebrate its sesquicentennial, which is to say it’s nearing 150 years old. A Civil War veteran literally died here (and I can sometimes hear his ghost groan about what “Ol’ Sawbones” did with his foot). Glass snake oil and tonic bottles frequently emerge from the depths of the backyard, pushed up from the bowels of Hell as if to remind me that I’m sleeping on top of stolen land and, to quote Poltergeist, they “only moved the headstones!” So, basically, my house is haunted, not just with spirits, but with all the requisite soffits and trim that come with a vintage abode. To wit, painting it is a royal pain in the ass. I, for one, see a red door and want to paint it black. Not Dustin O’Brien and his admirable crew—they’re consummate pros and don’t seem to mind the occasional cry of a Victorian phantasm.—DH
.Best Painters for Your Haunted House 2022
