Buddhist Temple Mural — Tacoma, Wa
Software: Adobe Illustrator, Procreate
Tools/Equipment: Boom Lift, Paint Sprayer, Brush, Spray Paint
Client: City of Tacoma / Tacoma Buddhist Temple
Muralist: Chelsea O’Sullivan
This mural was created when I was working for the Tacoma Murals Project. The project started in an effort to combat blithe and destruction. I worked with community groups to get input for what they would like to see on the wall.
When I proposed my initial design I was expecting a green light… well, that was not the case, I had to listen to their needs to better represent what made that community so special. I learned that cherry blossom trees were planted on the street their building was on. Spring is a celebration, the giant octopus that is rumored to live nearby under the Narrows Bridge. The lotus characteristics are a perfect analogy for the human condition: even when its roots are in the dirtiest waters it produces beautiful flowers and is a symbol of enlightenment and rebirth.
By listening to the community I was able to create a piece that they were proud of and brought happiness and hope to the area.
For every inch of my design I translated that into dot markers spaced 1 foot apart on the wall. That made it possible to have perspective when I was super close to the wall and work from my grid.
Process
Keep it Movin’
After base coating the wall I started translating my design to the wall. The equipment company I was working with dropped off a scissor lift, the ground was uneven and I soon realized I needed to get something a little… bigger!
Figuring out how to operate a boom lift—super fun– worked closely with YouTube University.
Make it Work
Climbing up and down a ladder is no fun. When you are working up close to a wall you need to step back and take a look at what you are doing. Having proper equipment makes it easier but sometimes you have to adapt and make it work. Every project brings new obstacles and I am always ready to work through them.
It was a blessing to be able to work on this piece. I painted it in the middle of winter when the business had decided to move to a new location and completely renovate. I was able to work at night, by myself in a locked dry building. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make things truly magical. I painted 56 feet of fish and it was my first piece painted in a limited color palette.
Go Ahead, Push Play!
If only I could paint this quickly! This was before I had a grasp on how to document work but I did my best to remember to set up my GoPro and it took going to school for Graphic Design to figure out how to make a timelapse of it. My new checklist includes:
Multiple batteries
Power Source
Power Strip
Lights
Duct Tape
Latex Gloves
Allllllll of the cords
Plenty of water
Figure out where the bathrooms are…. or at least have a plan
Patience/Determination
This piece was commissioned by Tacoma Longshore ILWU. It was painted on giant panels off-site and then installed in the UWT YMCA that was being built in Tacoma, Washington. One thing I’ve learned about murals is that there are always surprises and obstacles—it’s how you handle it that determines if it happens or not.
Find a way.
Built a giant easel to prop the panels
Dream it.
This piece was to be painted on panels first and then installed on-site… the only thing was—the site was still being built.
Piecing it together
Build it.
Murals take time, I had to get started before the walls were constructed in the building and come up with a plan to be able to finish the rest when the building was constructed.
Hoping it would connect
Work it.
I am incredibly lucky to have friends that support other artists. I’m not afraid to ask for help or resources when it comes to completing a project and I was lucky enough to have a friend with a warehouse space they let me set up in during the winter.
“Blossom Dancers,” turned into traffic box wraps
Traffic Box Wraps
The City of Tacoma put a call out to artists requesting design submissions to be made into traffic box wraps. Traffic boxes are an eyesore and also a target for vandalism. I always try to work whimsy and vivid color into my work. You can see these traffic boxes all over Tacoma, Washington. This was done in partnership with Crimson Graphics in Tacoma, Washington.