I was pregnant with my daughter, Poppy, when the City of Fife unveiled my first mural. It was a 20x8’ mural and was by far the largest painting I had ever done. In creating that large piece, I fell in love with murals and wanted to do more. That piece boasts vibrant colors, farm land and represents the rich growth and culture of the Fife area. Initially, the piece was going to hang outside of City Hall for just a few months before moving it to an inside location. Well, nine years later it is still hanging outside of City Hall so I think it is safe to say that it has become a symbol of Fife. As an artist, this is an absolute honor.
My second mural was completed for the City of Bonney Lake in 2015. This was the first big job I had post pregnancy with my daughter. I remember being so excited to paint again and, again, only wanted to paint more murals. When I was done working my 9-5 job, Poppy and I would drive to Bonney Lake to work on the piece. She was six months old and would hang out in her car seat while I painted.
Poppy has been there since I started this journey of murals so when she asked if she could help me with my newest mural, I of course said, "yes." My newest piece was created on a painted brick wall locating in Sunset Preschool at University Place Presbyterian Church in University Place, Washington. My twins, Lochlan and Lex, attended this preschool last year and to say that the culture, people and experiences changed us would be a massive understatement. It was a beautiful and enriching gift to have our kids at Sunset Preschool so when the director asked if I would want to paint a mural for them, I did not skip a beat.
Once we worked out the details of what Sunset Preschool wanted for a mural, I got to work. With Poppy’s request in mind, I saved a lady bug for her to paint. One afternoon, she came with me and got to work on her first mural. It was a perfect full circle moment for the soul that has been with me the entire journey as a muralist.
