Local Man Caretaker of Palm Desert's Public Art

Local resident Bret Fiore has an unusual job as caretaker of the public art installed for the El Paseo Invitational every two years.

"I feel like each sculpture is my child," he explains, a jovial man who has called the desert home his whole life. "There are certain considerations with each (piece) and we need to learn them inside and out because we will be the ones taking care of them through rain, shine and wind throughout the course of their lives here."

This year it meant using a crane to bring in a giant dragonfly during mid-day traffic on El Paseo.

"Knowing how to place a sculpture so that it will stay, knowing how to polish the patina without causing damage once our hands have led it into place, knowing how to care and maintain the piece in case it gets tagged with graffiti or fades in the sun; these are all considerations of my job," he explained.

He's built his business on being the behind the scenes man for the city's greatest public and private art collections with an encyclopedic knowledge of finishes, patinas, sealants, protective coats, and installation procedures. But over the past decade he has also acquired quite an education in some of the most important art work in our public sphere.

"I love the idea that art is everywhere," he smiles. "I have had quite an introduction to art through my work and I love the idea that others are having the same experience too."