About
Michael (M), considers it a sacred service to create homes that fulfill each family’s unique approach to living well, individually, and within the overall community.
M’s hands-on passion to create artistic useful things began in the late 60's by making surfboards.
(1) His 1st real business in 1970 at 19, was 'Natural Motion Surfboards' sold thru his surf shop in Ventura Ca.
2) Fiber glassing led him to welding. 'Blue Pacific Welding' ('76 to '86 ). M’s certified welding, Class A Engineering business, working on steel buildings, oil field facilities, and pipe lines, - moving his family to SLO county in '80.
(3) In '86 The physical wear/tare, and danger of welding led him to add a Class B Building license to explore and expand his artistic abilities, designing, permitting, and building one off acreage, view homes, and a custom home sub-division in SLO County and surrounding cities
(4) In '94 his attention turned to the arts.
(4a) Building sets at SLO Little Theater, 'Walking the Boards' as they say, led to a SAG card.
(4b) Oil painting, begun as personal spiritual therapy, gave M’s extensive background in materials and tools, the opportunity to sell his paintings, sculptures, functional art furniture, and public art through 'dwellinart' art studio / galleries in SLO CA. M has also exhibited at SLOMA, Paso Robles Art Association, Esalen, Slo Arts Council - Open Studio Tours, Morro Bay Art Association, Patrick Gallery, Cambri-La Studio Gallery, La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, Indian Wells Art Walk.
(4c) M founded 'Art Always Reveals Truth' in 2020 , a 501-C 3 CA. Nonprofit, to continue to provide his self-actualization workshops to individuals, couples, classrooms, and the indigent as well as exhibition, performance opportunities and mentoring for all the art forms.
(5) Having let one persona after another have exclusive body time to live in his passion for the unknown, M continues to grow into new life experiences and diverse life appreciations, by having all skills and personas in play concurrently.
'Concept to Completion' / 'Dead Lines bring things to Life' / are two of M's favorite mantras.
Michael looks forward to co-creating with you!
See - dwellinart.com - Art Always Reveals Truth.org – Michael Ackerman Dwellinart on Facebook
Highlights
Reviews
Monique G.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I start with a free consultation.
A face-to-face meeting, typically two hours, to understand the client’s way of life, ideas, goals, and needs, to determine if we are a good fit. Whether we work together or not this conversation always moves the client’s ideas and project forward.
Once our connection is established, I want all the pictures/sketches they've gathered as my starting point along with a walk thorough of their new homes site, to determine how to best accomplish their desires by maximizing the sites natural attributes with the homes design.
I ask the client to build what I call a temple. ie. Gather samples of the interior wood type and finish, stone, tile, carpet, paint etc. as well as the exterior materials. The idea is for them to live with the materials to determine what works. Often the first touch stone so to speak by the ingathering goes by the wayside as the materials and the client all commune together.
We have meetings to work out design ideas, culminating in buildable, permittable drawings. It’s my experience that as designer and builder we also have ongoing conversations related to the whole process. While the plans go through the appropriate jurisdictions I get accurate pricing from the subs and suppliers so that when the permit is available, budget, loans, and schedule are in place.
As construction ensues things tend to change. What is seen on paper my not be perceived as well as the real thing. Windows, doors, walls, skylights etc. may be changed, added or moved. Life changes unexpectedly etc.
At completion we will have gone through some unforeseen issues that we will have resolved into your ‘dwelling in an artful way’. A home, your home, one that suits and enhances you and your family’s life.
A contract to design, obtain permits and build the project is put in place when the determination is made to proceed with design.
This fundamental procedure applies to all projects whether new construction, remodel, or art.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Self-employed using hands on tool, material, and business skills since 1969. Constant self-education in many disciplines.
AA degree Ventura College - Class A General Engineering License - Class B General Building License. Designed, permitted and built homes in multiple jurisdictions as well as theater sets. Adept at Auto-Cad / Photoshop / Illustrator.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
We do projects by contract price or time and material.
How did you get started in this business?
As I climbed to the top of the first hill, I could see new hills, then new mountains. At first I climbed them for pleasure, (surfboards), then to feed and house my family. Now it's all about using my multiple experiences to enjoy life, by tangibalizing ideas, so that others can dwell in art too.
What types of customers have you worked with?
My clientele runs the gamete of upper middle class to affluent people. Individuals and couples of most spiritual, ideological, political and sexual persuasions. Kitchen / bath / house remodel, acreage view homes 2,500 Sq’ to 8,500 Sq' 10-acre estate, and one tiny home I call Shackri-La
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Events in 2020 have been shut down. Concerts in The Plaza, a summer long free music event in SLO that supports diverse local musicians who in turn bring out the diverse individuals that make the central coast their home too.
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
You get what you pay for. The seemingly more expensive choice is not necessarily more expensive. In my Blue Pacific Welding days an electrical utility company had a crane with cracks in the frame. The certified welder they typically used was unavailable. I was contacted. My hourly rate was 25% higher than his. They had to get the crane back in service so they hired me.
I did the job in one day. When I presented my bill, they told me, "You did the job faster and cleaner than he would have. You, though more expensive are less expensive".
On top of that I’m fun to work with!
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
Ask yourself, why do I want to do this? Is it to keep up with so and so or does this really make my / our life better? Do I have the money to start the project now and to complete the project? Is it about adding value to me financially and or my quality of life? Can I and my partner handle the stress financially, the syncopated time it takes, the interruption of what normal is to you, and the myriads of small decisions to be made, like what are the hinges on the cabinets, the baseboard type, let alone the color of a room or the kind of front door. Can I trust a contractor to understand me and can I work with him/her.