On that fateful day, the painting contractor didn’t show up. Rather than fall behind, the carpenter asked Mauro if he could paint. Mauro was never one to turn down a challenge, and he agreed to paint the room in two days. It took him four days, but he loved what he had done. He came home and told his wife he wanted to be a painter and began practicing painting on everything he could before starting his own painting business. There are a lot of things Mauro loves about being a painter. He loves the smell of a fresh can of paint and enjoys working with bolder colors that pop. He believes that 85 percent of a paint job lies in preparation, and he takes pride in his prep work. One day, Mauro was working on a painting project for a woman. She told him that if he did a good job, she would introduce him to her father. He did a good job and then was asked to handle the additional job. Little did Mauro know that her father was Russ Morash, the producer of This Old House and New Yankee Workshop. Mauro hung around the shop for a few hours after the workday. While he thought he was only hanging out, he was auditioning for This Old House. By the end of the day, Mauro had landed his first project for This Old House. He then landed a project for Ask This Old House, painting a bulkhead door with a homeowner. The rest is history, as Mauro would go on to become a member of the crew. While growing up in Brazil, Mauro would receive pictures and letters from his friends in the U.S. They would explain the way of life and tell him to come to Miami. So, Mauro got his visa and visited the U.S. for a few months. He liked the U.S. so much that he stayed well beyond the two months he originally planned. Mauro likes spending time with his wife and kids. He also loves to travel. Some of his favorite advice is to try to learn as much as possible and don’t ever forget to work hard.
