The original crew was made up entirely of family. They worked together while going to school, doing what they could to help pay the bills. Over time, each sibling went their own way, starting independent careers across Texas. My father, Gus Sr., moved to Arlington in the early 1980s and launched his own business, E.G. Paint Services, focusing on new custom homes.
As kids, my four brothers and I joined him on job sites from a young age. At 13 and 14 years old, we were already doing professional-level work under our dad’s guidance. Summers, holidays, and after school were all dedicated to learning the trade. He wanted us to have a skill we could carry with us—and we’ve always taken pride in that.
After graduating high school, I worked full-time with my dad for a decade. Then in 2007, my younger brother and I decided to branch off and start something of our own. That’s when Gutierrez Painting was born. Word-of-mouth kept us busy, and for a few years, we worked side-by-side growing the business.
Eventually, we decided to go our separate ways, and I’ve been running Gutierrez Painting on my own ever since. In 2013, we were a crew of four. Today, we’ve grown to a team of sixteen skilled professionals. While painting is still at the core of what we do, we’ve expanded to include texture repair, small wood repair, and light tile work.
The story of our company goes back even further. My father, Esmerejildo "Gus" Gutierrez, was one of the original brothers who helped start it all. After serving in the U.S. Air Force and being honorably discharged, he returned to Levelland and later moved to Arlington where he built a reputation as a skilled and reliable painter.
During the 1980s, his business took off. He began training us boys, starting with me during my summer breaks. What started as a way to earn money for toys turned into a deep appreciation for the craft. By the time I finished high school, I was ready to go all-in.
In 2009, my brother and I split off into separate crews, each of us growing our own business. Even during tough times like the recession, the work kept coming. In 2014, I began expanding, hiring more crew members I could trust to deliver the same level of workmanship. Now, we continue to serve our community with the same values we were raised with.
My father officially retired in 2015 after 50 years of painting across the country. His name still carries weight in paint stores across Fort Worth. Today, he’s enjoying his retirement back in Levelland—fishing and relaxing after a lifetime of hard work.
