Cleveland Artisans Painting
About Cleveland Artisans
Rick Mikesell founded Cleveland Artisans in 1999, building the company from a single-trade painting operation into a full-service home improvement contractor serving Northeast Ohio. Rick handles estimates and on-site project management while his son Luke has grown into a lead role overseeing residential and commercial jobs. Crew members James and Tom round out the core team on larger projects.
The company specializes in interior and exterior residential painting, with deep expertise in historic home restoration, plaster repair, drywall work, cabinet refinishing, and faux finishes. Cleveland Artisans also handles complete kitchen and bathroom remodels, basement finishing, deck building, flooring installation, and commercial painting for offices, churches, and residential complexes. Clients range from single-family homeowners in century-old Cleveland homes to property management groups across Northeast Ohio.
The fully insured team serves Cleveland, Lakewood, Shaker Heights, Strongsville, Westlake, Rocky River, Beachwood, Parma, and surrounding communities throughout the greater Cleveland metro area. Rick provides free in-home estimates and has been painting and remodeling the greater Cleveland area for over 25 years. The company offers a free no-obligation consultation for every new project.
Updated: 03-20-2026
Q&A Based On What Customers Are Saying About Cleveland Artisans
Q: Why do customers keep returning to Cleveland Artisans year after year?
Repeat business runs deep at Cleveland Artisans. Keven Blake describes "using this family business for almost 20 years and never had a single issue," while Dana Pavicic notes the team has "always been professional, timely, and done the job right" across multiple visits. Sarah Maher has brought Cleveland Artisans back for projects ranging from wallpaper to paint, and David Martin confirms they handle both residential and commercial work for him on a recurring basis.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: What happens when a Cleveland Artisans project goes beyond the original scope?
Customers describe a pattern of Rick and his crew doing more than what was agreed without being asked. One reviewer notes Rick "repainted because the color didn't work" and measured window sizes unrelated to the job. Gina Heald recalls the crew carrying heavy chairs to the third floor and disposing of boxes unprompted. Luke Secosky describes the team fixing door hinges and strike plates that were outside the painting scope because they were "likely to cause paint rubbing and chipping."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Cleveland Artisans handle painting and repair work in historic or century-old homes?
Cleveland Artisans has built a reputation specifically around older Cleveland-area homes. Diana Wetmore describes Rick as "an expert in his craft" who "works with the home owners to plan the right job" for heritage properties. Laurie Harrison notes Rick "appreciates the features of historic homes and works hard to keep the integrity of the original detail." Luke Secosky's review details how the team used wet sanding, an air scrubber, and plastic sheeting when encountering potential lead paint in an older home.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: What do customers say about Luke's work at Cleveland Artisans?
Luke draws consistent praise across multiple reviews. Ed Schanz describes him as "a fine young man who is good on his word — which is all too rare these days," noting his communication from beginning to end and close attention to detail through prep, paint, and cleanup. Kayla Vickrey highlights that Luke took photos of the scope, confirmed paint color and finish, and made suggestions before starting. Joanne Burkett adds that Luke "has an eye for detail" and is "very professional and trustworthy."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Do Cleveland Artisans crews clean up thoroughly when a job is finished?
Cleanup is a standout theme across Cleveland Artisans reviews. Sarah Maher states the team "leaves the house more beautiful than when they arrived" with thorough cleanup every visit. Danny Boy notes the area was "as clean or cleaner than when they came to work." Faith Mann praises the crew for leaving the site "clean and organized at the end of the day" on a multi-building exterior project. K C highlights that the team took great care to control dust, mess, and noise throughout a multi-floor plumbing stack repair.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How does Cleveland Artisans approach estimates and pricing compared to other contractors customers considered?
Several customers comment specifically on pricing transparency. Luke Secosky describes Rick spending 45 minutes walking through the home, providing a "detailed, itemized quote" with options for paint quality and number of coats, and being "very transparent on pricing." One reviewer notes Rick "charged below the estimate, because the project took less time than he had expected." Tia Vasquez adds that Rick accommodated an added project mid-job and kept pricing reasonable throughout.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: How responsive is Rick Mikesell when customers reach out to Cleveland Artisans?
Rick's personal accessibility is mentioned repeatedly. One reviewer states plainly: "any time I called, he answered the phone." Audrey Jajosky notes Rick fit her drywall repair in immediately, "before any other business returned my calls." CHRISTY BISHOP describes Rick swinging by after another job to fix a door issue the same day she called. Laura Ashton notes Rick "communicates well, is very friendly and respectful" throughout every project.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Q: Is Cleveland Artisans a licensed and registered business in Ohio?
Ohio does not require a state-level painting contractor license for painting-only work — the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses only electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration trades. The City of Cleveland's Department of Building and Housing explicitly states that a permit is not needed to paint and perform minor maintenance or repairs, and no contractor registration is required for painting work. Cleveland Artisans is registered as a trade name in Ohio with Entity No. 3922319, Active status, filed 7-14-2016 and valid through 7-14-2026, under registrant Rick Mikesell at 4870 West 12th Street, Cleveland, OH 44109.
-Verification Sources: Ohio Secretary of State Business Search, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, City of Cleveland Department of Building and Housing
Updated: 03-20-2026