There are several factors that impact the price of a mural, but a great place to start is to know the measurements of the wall you would like painted (a simple “X”ft wide by “Y” ft tall will do.) The surface texture of the wall, existing paint on the wall, whether it’s indoors or outdoors, travel expenses, and any hard deadlines you have make a difference too!

I typically ask potential clients for wall measurements and a square photo facing the wall, if possible. That’s a great way for me to assess the project quickly, and give as accurate an estimate as is possible :)

I use several different transfer processes depending on the level of detail in the design and context of the mural. I prefer to trace a projection of approved artwork for ultimate accuracy, but I can use pounce patterns and grid transfers when that is not possible.

This varies greatly depending on the mural’s size and location- I have had pieces take as few as three days and even as long as three months!

I would say that on average, it takes me a 1.5-2 months from start of the design process to finishing the installation. I typically book “start dates” around a month in advance as well.

I love to travel to install pieces in new places! This does incur travel fees which I estimate at the beginning of the project, but sometimes have to adjust based on external circumstances (i.e. travel around holidays increasing prices, or inclement weather extending an installation.)

I currently have pieces installed in several different cities throughout Florida- including West Palm Beach, Clermont, and several in Downtown Panama City and St. Andrews (my hometown area.) Map incoming shortly!

I use interior or exterior grade acrylic paint for all of my murals. This is a high-quality version of the same formula used to paint houses, and I do not personally seal my murals as it is rated for colorfastness against UV. However, when clients wish to seal my murals (often, in an antigraffiti coating) I try to recommend what will work best for that particular job.

So long as it’s clean and I can find paint to adhere to the substrate, I’d love to paint just about anything! On my bucket list is to paint a ceiling, on a houseboat, in a bathroom, kids rooms, and on a pool deck (maybe even in a pool???)

Fonts are computer files that allow you to type any arrangement of letters at will, whereas Hand lettering pieces are drawn letters, words, or phrases that cannot be rearranged all willy-nilly. This makes each piece of hand lettering it’s own unique work of art, which is primed by its very nature to stand out from plain ol’ recreateable type from a font.

No matter the project, whether I’m working on a personal, client, lettering, or illustrative piece my process stays pretty consistent. I start off by searching for reference and inspiration material, then develop thumbnail sketch options, refine my preferred thumbnail sketch, and finally create a fully fleshed-out piece.

I often bounce between digital and analog sketching in the first phase of a project, but all refinement and final details in my work are solidified digitally. This is how I prep the designs for my paintings, embroidery, and murals as well!

In my opinion (important disclaimer there!) style is something you develop as an artist over time- it isn’t discovered in some fanciful “Eureka!” moment. Though wouldn’t that be nice!!

I consider my style to be the result of decisions I make/self imposed rules I follow that are based on my taste and biggest influences. For me, this includes the work of craftsmen signpainters, midcentury riffs on folk art, American Traditional tattoo motifs, and limited-color analog processes such as screen- and risograph- printing.

You never want to directly copy one particular source of inspiration alone- but you absolutely can steal like an artist and cherry-pick things you find tasty from several different influences!

The goal of my work overall is to stop viewers in their tracks, slow them down to enjoy the process of visual discovery, and to add moments of compelling color to ordinary days.

Oddly enough- I was not a particularly visual-artsy kid growing up. I participated in mostly performing arts programs well into early adulthood, but on a wild hair started painting canvas shoes as a small side hustle while in high school. This little “business” came to mind when I was in the throes of my third year pursuing an Engineering degree. As soon as was possible (and mostly for the sake of my own sanity) I transferred to the graphic design program on a little more than a whim, and with a foundling interest in hand-lettering already in tow.

I then spent three years taking fine art and graphic design courses, all the while also working as the sole designer for a marketing department. This quickly rolled into a full-time position designing for an advertising agency, where I burnt out on too-tight deadlines that kept me from making the kind of detailed, custom work that I was so drawn to making. I realized the workflow and projects given to illustrators & handletterers were what I really wanted to be doing, and started chasing that career pivot wholeheartedly. It’s only in the last year or so that I’ve been making self-initiated work that I’ve warmed up to being labelled an Artist.

cue “The Long and Winding Road” by the Beatles playing softly in the background.

Considering I’m currently balancing client work, preparing a collection for a gallery show, and starting a YouTube channel, there’s not too much time that I’m not somehow working these days!

On the rare day off, you can most often find me reading nonfiction, playing games on my PC, trying out a new creative medium, snuggling with my former stray kitties Goose & Salem, or watching my sweet partner Matt play his fiddle all around the panhandle. Ooh- and he cooks me really good food too! Did I mention he’s a keeper?

The habits I keep that best help my career are to 1. foster relationships with my local art community’s players & peers, 2. continue education early and often, and 3. develop passion projects to show off skills in the exact way that I want to be hired for them. No longer are the days of needing gatekeepers’ approval to get going as an artist. Give yourself permission to self-start and self-publish, and you’ll be off to the races in no time!

UHBEAUTIFULMES is based in the panhandle of Florida- though I do so love to travel for work from time to time :)