Since the late 1980s, Greg Sutton has returned to Main Street Seal Beach as regularly as the swallows that appear in Capistrano.
It is during the late fall that Sutton can be found painting windows with bright season scenes as the town rolls out its holiday season.
Surfing Santas, jolly snowmen and happy elves are all a part of his wide repertoire of works he creates that usually have a seasonal shelf life.
Sutton said he enjoys the work that perhaps last only a while, but he enjoys knowing that at least they make a few people smile and help the local businesses put on a good face, help the city of Seal Beach celebrate and perhaps also drive the economy during the busy retail season.
Sutton seemed destined for the craft from an early age.
“I got started when I was seven years old, growing up in Long Beach,” he said. “My dad was looking for me around the house and he found me painting the front bay window of the house.”
Soon Sutton’s parents and his sister came to have a look at what he was doing. They marveled as they noticed that neighbors driving by would slow down to get a better look at the boy’s handiwork.
“My dad was so excited that he told me if I designed a business card he would have it printed,” Sutton said.
The next year, Sutton’s father drove him around to various businesses that the family was familiar with and he landed a few accounts to do holiday scenes.
“It led to me painting windows throughout my childhood and college.”
Art became Sutton’s main focus of education. He also got a degree to teach art and has done so in schools from kindergarten through high school.
These days Sutton keeps about 50 regular customers for his holiday painting.
During the rest of the year Sutton enhances his talent by studying under other artists such as Bill Anderson, a gallery owner in Sunset Beach and a professor, Michael Daniels. He was also a protégé of the late Milford Zornes, considered one o the top watercolorists of the California style.
Sutton is available for more holiday work and promotions as well as private art lessons.
For more information, contact Greg Sutton at (562) 715-4149.
