“Beauty perishes in life, but is immortal in art.” – Leonardo da Vinci

My name is Todd Deetsch, and The Heart Of the Craft is a decorative painting company with 25 years of professional experience. I specialize in Venetian plaster, glazing, gilding, woodgraining, marbling, and various textured finishes for residential and commercial businesses. I also have a passion for historic preservation and conservation.

My training includes:

  • Graphic Design at Indiana University

  • The Finishing School in New York

  • The Finishing Source in Atlanta

  • The Day Studio Workshop in San Francisco

  • The Royal Design Studio in San Diego

  • IFEDEC (Instiut Superieur Des Metiers de la Finition et de la Decoration) in Paris, France

My great-uncle was the first to immigrate to the United States from Wales. He worked as a professional woodgrainer. I still have his tools, and the passion for painted finishes also runs through my veins. As my teacher once said, even though we are Americans, we have never forgotten our European roots. We are still fascinated with European culture.

Although I never had a chance to meet my great-uncle, I think that he would be proud that I am carrying on his crafts here in America. After all, he and my great-grandfather risked everything to bring our family here.

While my background is science and graphic design, I have always been fascinated by that point where art and science intersect.  After making a career change from science, I received extensive art training and opened my own decorative painting business… and I never looked back.

I have never worked harder or had more of a sense of satisfaction than working in this field. I consider it a true blessing to love my work and get paid well for doing it. As coach Vince Lombardi famously said, “I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious."

This website contains many wonderful projects that I was privileged to work on, and each project is a reflection of my passion and love for the craft. It is my hope that my portfolio reflects well on the masters who taught me.

If there is a project that I can help you with, please contact me.

I look forward to serving you and your clients.
T.D.