In the Steps of Michelangelo?
Like Michelangelo, Brad Franken used to paint ceilings, but with a paint roller. In fact he painted so many ceilings that one day he climbed up on his platform, filled his roller with paint, and discovered he couldn’t raise his arm above his shoulder. There was no warning about this happening, it just happened! Turns out his shoulder joint was hanging on by a few threads of previously strong ligaments.
Brad went to Melville SHS, before leaving for an apprenticeship as a Painter and Decorator with the Public Works Department. His Dad was also a Painter and Decorator. He and his older brother played soccer and cricket, and also enjoyed waterskiing. While his brother went on to become associated with the best of Australian Football though the Socceroos and the Matildas, Brad excelled in water skiing, appearing on the Swan River for Skyshow, and also at Crabfest in Mandurah. He also got the travel bug, backpacking around Europe and North America.
Brad started his own Painting and Decorating business over 30 years ago and his niche was helping fix up houses after severe damage like hail storms. As soon as others had fixed the damaged walls and ceilings, Brad would paint them. He painted so many that one day his right shoulder said enough is enough!
Surgery followed but eventually he had to face reality, he had painted his last ceiling! Fortunately he had Income Protection Insurance, but the insurance company’s default mode was Brad was trying to commit fraud. Every week Brad had to report to the insurer’s doctor and it took two years to convince the doctor he probably wasn’t faking his injuries. Must have been pretty skilled fraudster to fake all those definitive MRIs, eh Doc!
Brad married Astrid 28 years ago. Astrid has a Fashion business that does all its business at places like Perth Makers’ Market and they will be showing and selling their stuff at JacFest this year too. All of the fashions are made in Bali so they go there five times a year. And most weekends in Perth, Brad is engaged setting up and packing up Astrid’s displays.
This means he is unavailable to help at quite a few Applecross Rotary events, so he has decided to serve his new Club by learning and then slowly taking over the role of Treasurer next Rotary year.
In the Q&A that followed, Brad was asked about how house paints have evolved. He said that we know that lead based paints are no longer able to be sold in Australia, and shortly oil based paints will be totally phased out. This is also for health reasons and it is made easier by the newer water based paints that are every bit as good if not better than the oil based paints, and much better for a painter’s long term health.
Brad joined Applecross Rotary on 12 March this year.
