Bigger is sometimes better

I painted a long-time family friend’s poolside bathroom. Just a blank wall and a casual, “you should totally paint something in here. Maybe ocean themed.”

So I did.

There’s something really fun about making art in spaces that aren’t meant to be serious, like a bathroom. Zero pressure. Maximum creativity.

A blank wall is a little daunting. Not only because of its size, but its possibilities. You can do anything, which somehow makes starting the hardest part.

I didn’t overthink it. I sketched directly on the wall in sharpie and adjusted as I went. Murals are immersive and way more physical than studio work. I was climbing on counters, stepping back a couple feet every minute, and crawling into small spaces to finish edges. This was especially difficult as I was recovering from knee reconstruction surgery and was unable to bend my left knee yet.

I had painted my own walls of my room before, that was done on a whim. No audience. No expectations.

Exhibit A:

There’s something about scale that changes the energy of a work. When it’s bigger than you, you have to move with it. Painting someone else’s wall, on commission, felt like a huge step up. There’s a little more responsibility and permanence. And definitely the largest scale I had worked on so far. I look forward to doing more large scale works in the future.

And honestly, there’s something about walking into a bathroom and being met with a fully realized mural that just works. You better believe I’m painting my walls when I’m a homeowner.

Bigger is sometimes better.