5 Reasons Why Murals Are Perfect for Small Businesses
is a love letter documenting my murals, and community partnerships. Please enjoy!
Transforming small businesses into a work of art - how murals can enhance your business in more ways than one with case study examples. 🎨✨
I’ve had the pleasure of bringing my art to Seattle walls for the last 10+ years. As I developed my art style, Seattle has prospered and grew her cityscape. As I learned new and innovative ways to put paint where it ain’t, I started observing all the ways my murals influenced people, communities, and preserved our collective histories. I then developed my core mission on how I wanted my murals to interact with viewers and what impact they would have in the years to come.
I want to share a few observations I’ve made from some of my most favorite clients and have broken them down into 5 pillars that make murals successful; Beautification, Storytelling, Community Building, Education, and Economic Development. I elaborate on each project with the clients need and what we accomplished to make each mural successful. If you want to learn more about each project, a button below leads you to more resources on our collaboration.
I hope these will inspire you to add a mural to your space. Ready to learn more?
Timberlane Partners, Orca Vibes, 2022 (Photo by Brian Kuranishi)
Beautification: Mural art can transform an overlooked public space into vibrant area. A mural can add color, texture, and visual interest to the environment, making it more appealing to residents and visitors alike.
Timberlane Partners remodeled an older, beautiful home quintessential for Capitol Hill, one of Seattle’s most beautiful neighborhoods . For their offices they retained the charm of the building which also included a 3-car garage. Rather than have it stay just a garage, they chose to enhance the space with a mural and let people know they occupy this space. The mural even pops up when you do a Google search of their Seattle office! This is also a great example of how they took this an addition step further by engaging the community with a scannable plaque by PixelStix. You may view the mural in person, scan the plaque, and then view the space accompanied by a meditation composed specifically for the mural. Give her a listen; Orca Vibes Mural Meditation.
WestSide Baby, Community Mural, 2020 (Photo by +Russ)
Storytelling: Murals can be used to tell stories and convey important messages. They can be used to document local history or to communicate important social, cultural, or political issues. Murals can also be a way to celebrate the unique identity of a neighborhood and give personal messages from the business to their community. Consider it a love letter from you to them.
WestSide Baby wanted to show the community of White Center that they were present and listening to the needs of the neighborhood. Their mission is to provide resources to new families. I was commissioned to install this mural during COVID as they feared people would think they were closed, not open for donations, and particularly not available to be a resource for families during this unsure time. This wall was also victim of graffiti and they wanted to deter this as best they could. They chose to share their message literally with words they collectively brainstormed. Community. Inspiration. Humanity. Love. Thrive. Justice etc. There is no question what their intentions are and and who are welcomed in this space. It is a most beloved mural in this community.
Tukwila Parks and Recreation, Riverton Park Ground Mural, 2022
Community Building: Murals can be created collaboratively, bringing together artists, community members, and other stakeholders to work together towards a common goal. This can foster a sense of community and shared ownership of public spaces. This is perfect for crowd participation or if you have a loyal group of people involved in your business.
For example, The Riverton Ground mural was such an exquisite example of how community can come together to paint a public art piece. This project was made possible by The Tukwila Parks and Recreation and Urban Artworks. I designed a series of native flowers to Gully Gardens, their community garden and chalked the designs in for community members to paint a-la paint by numbers. It spanned over the course of 2 years and was truly a community delight.
The Museum of Flight, What Do Dreams Know of Boundaries Vinyl Window Installation, 2023
Education: Murals can educate and inspire viewers. They can be used to teach people about important historical events or cultural traditions, or to raise awareness about current social and environmental issues.
For The Museum of Flight, they launched their museum wide art show highlighting the importance of art exploration in today’s sciences. They commissioned me to design a vinyl window installation to tell the story of how art influences the sciences. I chose to tell a story through colors, movement, and inspiration which I pulled from my tours through the museum. As you enter the museum you’re greeted with the first set of windows which highlight a stature in their collection of a small girl and an airplane representing the youth programming they offer. Later when you walk to enter the main entrance, you see her journey through color to being an astronaut in space, paying tribute to adults who believed in their dream. The whole piece was inspired by the Amelia Earhart quote “Everyone has oceans to fly, if they have the heart to do it. Is it reckless? Maybe. But what do dreams know of boundaries?”.
Pim Coffee, Coffee Mug Mural, 2021
Economic Development: Murals can be a driver of economic development in areas that may have been previously overlooked. They can attract visitors and help to build a sense of place, which can lead to increased business activity and tourism. Murals can be a cost-effective way to enhance the physical appearance of a business. Let’s be honest, renovations are costly and they can put business on hold which we sometimes simply can’t afford.
Pim Coffee/ Cycle & Coffee is situated right on Burke Gillman, perfect for an oasis for bikers, runners, and trail walkers, but it is hidden behind another building from the busy Fremont Avenue that runs in front. They wanted something bold and striking to catch the attention of people needing to take the turn onto their street for their drive-thru coffee stand. And from what I understood, had a run in with thieves and needed to board up this section of the wall to deter them. This is all a perfect recipe for a mural. The boards for the mural fortified the wall from break-in and the mural had the potential to capture the attention of passerby’s. Pim reached out to a neighborhood artist who then contacted me for the opportunity. And although this business is under new ownership and now named Cycle & Coffee, the mural has retained its home and continues to inspire future coffee goers on their morning commute.
In conclusion my friends, murals can be incredibly beneficial for small businesses for several reasons. They serve as a form of advertising by not being to “commercial” and by helping you stand out uniquely in your neighborhood. This can be particularly fun in areas with a lot of foot traffic to landmark yourselves. For example, friends may say to each other “meet me for coffee at the The Hummingbird mural” and mean you.
Murals can create a sense of community and identity for businesses. By commissioning a mural that reflects the values and personality of your business, you will develop a stronger connection with the local community and build a loyal customer base. It shows investment and care of your presence in community. In my experience, people love watching the art-making process happen and they’re curious watching me install murals in their favorite places. So for you to share the story of your murals going up, you help your patrons feel closer to the space with the investment of watching something come to life.
Overall, a well-designed mural can be a powerful tool for small businesses like you to attract customers, build community, and enhance your physical space.
Pro Tip:
If you’re a small business looking to add art to your building, but don’t know where to start, send me an email! I would love to help you go through details. Whether it’s with me or another one of my favorite artists in my network, I would love to see more murals flourish!
I believe that by rooting ourselves in community we can all build the networks needed to all be successful creative business owners through our art. Happy painting!
In joyful creation,
Angelina V.
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Introducing "Reel Vibes #2" – Your Soundtrack to Creativity
Hey there, here’s a little extra love for reading this blog entry. Ever wondered about the tunes behind my epic IG moments? "Reel Vibes" is here to spill the musical beans. It's a Spotify playlist packed with the last 17 tracks from my Instagram adventures, perfect for painting, dancing, drawing, or simply grooving. Ready to explore new sounds? Hit the button below and dive into the melody pool!
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