Sometimes I feel like muralists, myself included, end up sharing the visually interesting process shots and therefore the messy reality of being a muralist isn’t always shared. Well I just thought it might be time to share how it really goes down. *Full disclaimer, this is from my personal and humble opinion as an emerging muralist in Toronto.
For the purpose of this less glamourous side, I will be referring to exterior public murals, where you are exposed to the elements, strangers on the street, strange smells, unknown washroom situations, etc. With interior murals, you are very much protected from most of these things, giving you a sheltered, more glamourous and potentially more enjoyable experience (depending on how you look at it).
a few not so glamourous things about being a muralist
EXHAUSTION - The exhaustion is real. I'm pretty much wiped after every project. This is partially my fault because I have a lot of bad habits while painting. Once I get in the flow, I don’t want to stop. I end up working too long, I don’t take enough breaks, I forget about food, water, washroom visits etc. All examples of what NOT to do.
BODY SORENESS - As a non-athletic person, I feel soreness in muscles I didn’t know existed. Ground murals especially make you extra sore because it’s like doing 1000 squats in a day. Sometimes it takes me a few days to get back to normal again after this kind of a job, hence the importance of self-care, read below.
WASHROOM TIME - As a female muralist, washrooms are a huge issue. And don’t even get me started on painting a public mural during the pandemic. I don’t think I need to expand much here, besides saying that I always have hand sanitizer and toilet paper on a mural job just in case, and an acceptance that my washroom “facilities” will be far from glamourous.
MOTHER NATURE - You are at the mercy of mother nature while painting outside. The summer sun is relentless. Hot, sweaty, draining. And sun stroke is a real and scary thing. As a pale person, I need to be extra careful about my skin getting burned and this is a challenging task during mural season. I’m still figuring it out, but I’m excited to try out my new UV protected long sleeve shirt this summer. (Although a rainy day means you can’t paint, sometimes that’s a real blessing for many reasons.)
So why do we do it?
FOR THE LOVE OF PAINTING - And the hope that we are brightening up the otherwise concrete walls or plain, boring structures of a neighbourhood.
CONNECTION - This may sound cheesy, but it’s true. Being in the public world you meet people you would never usually come across and there is something magical and wonderful about that. Listening to people’s stories and connecting with other humans is a really refreshing and humbling experience, something people don’t get in other fields. The power of art does in fact remind us all about our humanity.
3. ARTIST FASHION - I was very happy about not having a dress code with very little worries about what I looked like while painting. Most days, I look like a mess out in the wild, sometimes even dorky if I need to wear a safety vest, pictured above. I’m also a messy painter, to clarify messy on my own body, not on the canvas itself, but I have embraced this reality and feel like it’s part of the mural painting experience that I love. I mean if you come home after a mural job and you don’t have paint anywhere, did you even paint? (Side note: Since I discovered Pandr Design Co. and their super cute jumpsuits, I have invested in some more professional painterly attire)
painting murals is not a leisure activity
It’s serious, hard physical labour, draining and exhausting. Of course, it’s rewarding otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it, however it really makes you appreciate the people that are doing physical labour outside every single day, construction workers, roofers, waste collectors, etc. Now those people are real life superheroes that don’t get enough credit for their demanding jobs, that’s for sure.
the importance of SELF-CARE
My favourite post mural activity is treating myself to a Swedish massage. Because I’m painting more murals these days, I generally only book one after a big project, so once a month has become my sweet spot. Whatever that self-care activity is, do it, and please make sure you schedule in a decent amount of rest for your own recovery. I can’t stress how important this, as without proper rest and recovery you will burn out. So be proactive and go book that massage now. You’re welcome.