I got a mural!
Hello and happy Sunday!
This week was a lot. I knew it would be, and it definitely was—but I made it through! Most of the week was spent prepping for and completing a mural project, while also working at the gym and the hockey games. The mural was successfully completed, and I managed to keep my energy up throughout the week, despite working late every night and getting up early every morning.
Things that went well
I completed my first paid mural project in quite some time, which feels really good! This project was challenging for me because the client wanted a portrait of her and her late husband painted on her garage door. Painting a portrait was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I was a bit concerned about the surface of the garage door. The shapes in the door could have distorted the faces, so I decided to use polytab, allowing me to use my projector for the portrait and minimize my time on site, which was a couple hours away.
I’ve used polytab before, but never for my own project, so I was excited but also a bit nervous. After several late nights painting the portraits, I woke up at 4:30 AM on Thursday and drove to Chicago. I primed the garage and added a beige base coat to give the door a textured look. Then I applied gel matte to the back of the polytab and positioned the first portrait on the flattest surface to minimize distortion. I used a scraper to smooth out the gel medium and fit the polytab to the curves of the garage door. I repeated the process for the second portrait. Although the reference photo had the couple positioned a little differently, I adjusted the spacing to fit the surface. Finally, I painted directly onto the polytab and the surrounding area to blend in the clothing and create a cohesive look.
Overall, I’m really happy with how the project went. I had all the materials I needed, stuck to my time frame, and for my first time using polytab, it went well! The client was happy with the result, and I’m proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and doing my best. It wasn’t a project I would typically seek out, but I gave it my all, and in the end, the client was satisfied, and I got paid—what more can I ask for?
Things that could be better
This was a long week with very little rest. Weeks like this, where I’m teaching classes, working with people in the water, doing physical labor, and working a service job, require a lot of energy—both mentally and physically. It’s hard to keep up with my personal checklist when things get this busy. I didn’t have time to go grocery shopping, so my meals were pretty random. My apartment is in desperate need of vacuuming, and the dishes are still in the dishwasher waiting to be unloaded.
When you work for yourself, it can be hard to find the motivation to keep up with personal tasks like cleaning, exercising, and working—it all comes down to internal motivation, and sometimes, that’s a lot to ask of yourself.
Personal life
This week didn’t leave much time for a personal life, but I made time to go to the farmers' market with a friend on Saturday and hang out with some friends after work. I also had a positive dating experience, I am optimistic and looking forward to seeing where it might go.
Things I learned
I learned a lot about prepping and installing polytab to prepare for this week’s mural. I’m also continuing to learn that between cold calling, building connections, and practicing patience, things do eventually come to fruition. I’ve been sending out a lot of cold emails, and while I haven’t landed a job from that yet, people are responding. They’re checking out my site, complimenting my work, and sometimes even passing along contacts. It’s all helping to get my name out there. I’ve also had jobs that I thought I’d lost come back to me, which is encouraging. I’m hopeful that my slow period is coming to an end and things are ramping up!
Thanks for following along on my journey. Here’s to more murals, more lessons, and finding balance along the way!