Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura M. Johnson.
Hi Laura, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Drawing and painting have been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember, so launching my own mural painting business in 2018 was a dream come true!
I started creating large-scale paintings in my teen and college years, and my passion for mural painting accelerated while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho, Africa, where I taught English, health, and art at a primary school in the remote Maluti (Drakensberg) mountains. With the collaboration and support of local leaders, I designed and painted several murals for schools.
Since then, I have continued to create large-scale works that invite insight and participation from community members. I’ve done some super fun collaborations — from the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota to the City of Rosemount, Minnesota painting a children’s splashpad, not to mention murals for private individuals, businesses, churches, to name a few. Again and again, murals have demonstrated to me the power of visual arts to help unite communities and transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary places to learn, grow, and be joyful.
In all of my paintings, I strive to play the role of an instrument – a bridge – helping to bring my client’s vision into reality. Whenever possible, I interview and assemble feedback from the individuals who will use the space. Whether it’s a preschool, a private residential home office, or a building’s exterior, each artwork is distinctly unique to place, time, and a specific community, business, or family.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any entrepreneur will tell you, there are always bumps along the road to growing a business. There are significant investments in time, money, and energy, and needing to keep my business top of mind even while I balance other commitments to my health, my family and friends, and my partner. Fortunately, the people in my life are very supportive of my work and encourage me to keep making it a priority. For that, I am very thankful.
And of course, the past few years have introduced many other challenges: a global pandemic, wider awareness of systemic racism, economic instability, and war, to name a few. There have been times when I have struggled with how to possibly work in the face of such horrors, sadness, and causes in need of attention. To process these feelings, I began working with a professional coach who focuses on supporting creative professionals and artists, and I have also found inspiration and comfort through my own personal art practice.
During social distancing, I also faced the challenge of not being able to go into other peoples’ homes to paint; however, with more people working remotely and continuing to spend time at home, more people are considering ways to add personal flair (new art, decor, etc) to their homes, and that’s an opportunity for me. As workplaces and public spaces have reopened, there’s also a desire to make these spaces brighter and more welcoming — people are ready to be out enjoying one another’s company and craving a new sense of atmosphere after so long at home. That’s also an opportunity and a need I love serving!
What I remind myself of is that art brings people together. Art is empowering, uniting, and healing. We all need a little bit of that right now, don’t we?
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a mural artist with a master’s in business (MBA) and the proud owner of Twin Cities Murals; www.twincitiesmurals.com! Clients come to me when they are looking to add more color, personality, and a sense of community to their spaces. I specialize in large, commissioned works for businesses, non-profit organizations, private individuals, schools, etc. These can be interior or exterior, painted directly onto a wall or onto a canvas or panel, depending on the needs of the client. I’ve led collaborative, team-building murals where we create a design and many hands help to finish the work — these projects are a blast. I also do mural touchups and restoration when a client has a past mural in need of some TLC. So you see, every project is different.
I love bright, bold colors, flowers, patterns, and my work is evidence of that.
What sets me apart is my emphasis on the power of art for community-building. I make sure that the design and final product is less about me and more about the client — who will see the mural everyday. This is because I am completely enchanted by the power of murals to change an atmosphere in such a positive way so quickly. I remember during the school murals I did in Lesotho, Africa, as I’d add color and shapes to the walls and the work would emerge, I’d get lots of smiles, questions, and encouragement. It was like I could sense a creative shift in energy and a boost of goodwill. That’s what murals have the power to do — delight and uplift.
For my process, many clients have a rough idea of what they’re imagining, and then we work together to finalize a design, colors, and location. For example, I was recently hired by a preschool to transform a blank white wall in the hallway into a pond oasis for dragonflies, ladybugs, and butterflies to represent their various preschool classrooms. We worked together to make sure the colors, feel, and style would fit with their existing space, and then I got painting!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Whether you’re an artist, identify as creative, or just looking to unlock more of your creative impulses, I would highly recommend reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I discovered it randomly at a book store in Los Angeles and it’s a game-changer. This book has made me more confident, compassionate, and courageous not just in my artistic practice but in all aspects of my life, which is really our greatest work of art.
Another book I reference frequently is Art as Therapy by Alain de Botton (of The School of Life) and John Armstrong. This book describes beautifully how many ways art serves our collective and individual humanity and how we can live healthier, happier lives by surrounding ourselves with art.
If you’re hoping to start painting murals, I have learned that putting large gallons of paint into smaller containers as you work makes your life so much easier — less potential mess and much easier to store. I personally like empty shampoo bottles that you can buy in bulk.
Pricing:
- Pricing depends on size, complexity, and timeline
- From playful touches to full rooms; starting at $10/sq ft
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.twincitiesmurals.com
- Instagram:@twin.cities.murals
- Facebook: @twin.cities.murals
Image Credits
Business As A Force for Good
Carlson School of Business
University of Minnesota 2017
