Each week Erica Lay, owner of EL CREW CO International Yacht Crew Agency talks to people in the local yachting community. For more info on any of our stars featured here, you can contact Erica directly on erica@elcrewco.com. Today I’m speaking with Malgo Rutkowska, originally from Poland, she’s been based in Mallorca since April 2023. She is the Restoration Artist and Co-Owner of Renaud Rutkowska - Solutions Pour Interieurs de Yachts with Anne Renaud.
What attracted you to the island? What do you like about living here?
I’ve always been charmed by the landscapes (for artists that’s very important!). I also love the mixture of local and international culture here. My fiance comes from Minorca and that was another reason for us to move here from South of France; to be closer to his family. I also saw business potential in Mallorca to expand our South of France based operation.
What’s the hardest thing about living in Mallorca?
Waiting for supplies!
What does your business do?
Wood and stone repairs on yachts. Interior repairs using hyperrealistic painting to achieve the precise reproduction of the colour, grain, texture and sheen of precious woods and marble. Our repairs are virtually imperceptible, and are permanent restorations thanks to the proper use of traditional methods paired with modern materials. This allows shipyards and owners to avoid the costly and risky replacement of interior elements, and the problems associated with sourcing and procuring properly matching rare and expensive materials. We also perform faux stone paintings and other artistic project.
What’s your background before you worked ashore?
I graduated in History of Art. I did all sorts of jobs before working on yachts for 7 years as chief stew. I then started my career as a Restorer, completing courses and training under Anne Renaud.
What’s your USP (unique selling point) – as in, what makes you better than your competitors?
Our artistic skills and approach to work. In the touch-up industry we see a lot of wax repairs which are never perfect. With our hyper-realistic painting skills we can achieve much better results. We won't walk away from the job if we're not happy - we are perfectionists!
Any achievements or special things stick out?
Moving to Mallorca and establishing a local client base. Working independently from Anne made a big difference and was a step up for me. We’re still business related but she stayed in France.
We recently completed a very large, detailed stone reproduction on one of the salon floors on M/Y Here Comes The Sun. Anne and myself spent 4 days and nights (literally - we finished at 4am) on our knees painting and creating an illusion of real stone. In such a short time on such a big scale with only 2 of us was a huge achievement. The client was super happy! That fills my heart with joy.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I love the creative process. I also feel very fortunate that I can earn money with a paintbrush in my hand. I know how difficult that is for many artists. I love my job!
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Probably dealing with “flip” in wood! “Flip” is a property which makes its reproduction extremely difficult. Some chemical incompatibilities in between products which sometimes happen unexpectedly can also cause issues. Good news is, there’s always a solution.
What would you like to do next?
I’d like to continue growing my local client base. I’d like to grow the team, but training people in this profession takes time. So I’d like to find sponsorship.
If you could have any yacht in the world for a day, which one would you pick? Where? Why? And who would you take onboard?
There are so many amazing yachts out there! But if I could choose only one It would be the 25m Ferretti motoryacht where I met my fiancé 12 years ago. I’d take him, couple of my closest friends and go to Alaska. Oh, I’d also add Graham Hancock - I love his books and it would be fascinating to talk to a person like him in that scenery.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Since moving to Mallorca I’ve started rock climbing. I also enjoy painting, creating, and reading, and spending time with friends and family.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to establish a yacht related business in Mallorca?
Go and talk to people! Creating networks and spreading the word are the most effective ways of establishing and growing your business. As long as you prove that your service/product are good quality and you supply the best service, people will talk on your behalf.