I officially met Claire at our neighbors dinner party. We live in a small community in the mountains and she and her husband had recently moved in.
When she told us she was a muralist, I said, “Oh wow, that’s so cool”.
Because 1. It IS cool and 2. I was being polite because I didn’t understand just HOW FREAKING COOL it really is. Otherwise I would have made a much bigger deal about it, most likely embarrassing us both.
You know how nowadays when someone has a mild appreciation for their Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Shaken Espresso or just bought NYX’s tea rose matte lipstick they’re like, Oh Em Gee, I’m literally OBSESSED.
I’ve thought about it, hard, for like a good minute or so and I don’t recall ever saying I’ve been obsessed over anything. Nonetheless, if ever that day were to happen, it would be because of Claire.
What she does is straight up sorcery. But not the kind she’d be burned at the stake for. She doesn’t even have red hair, she’s fine people!
She looks at a wall and somehow conjures up (again, to be clear, she’s not a witch) the most magical, beautiful art. What she does with a blank space is mesmerizing and inspiring. She has a few time-lapse videos showing her process with the end result and I can’t stop watching them. Also, the music she puts to her videos is Mmmmwhah! *chef’s kiss*
But, not only is she an insanely talented artist, she’s also an animal loving, sweet, kind soul.
Awhile back, I took Milo out for his daily walk. It got cut short because it was DUMPING snow and I was over it. We finally make it home and as we’re both sitting comfortably in front of the fire defrosting, I’m scrolling one of my favorite distractions, (here’s lookin at you stoopid Facebook) and saw Claire had posted in our neighborhood group asking if anyone was missing their…well, I’ll actually let her tell how it all went down.
Hey there I’m Claire!
I always introduce myself that way because it rhymes and I feel like that’s a solid way to start a conversation. I’m a California girl, raised in Fresno and relocated to the mountains of Utah. Little known fact- I’m a trained vocalist! I spent most of my teen years participating in musicals and being asked to sing in church.
Art in general has always been a hobby and a passion of mine. Christmas mornings and birthdays were the most predictable part of my childhood- I would most certainly be gifted a new slew of art and craft supplies. You name it, I’ve dabbled in it! I love creating, especially when it means getting messy or trying something new.
I stumbled into murals in April of 2020. At that time in my life I was dreaming of a career in freelance art but could not find a field or medium that I felt suited me. I had pursued a degree in graphic design and digital marketing, but had always felt more drawn to hand drawn, lifestyle art. When Covid began and school moved online, I went home to my parents house and found myself very bored and very anxious. So, I deconstructed the photo wall in my old bedroom and (with absolutely no planning or vision) began to paint what would become the mural that started it all!
It wasn’t my first mural though! While studying abroad in Thailand in 2018, I had the opportunity to paint two outdoor murals for an orphanage in my community. At the time, painting murals didn’t strike me as a career move, especially since the only paint they could find for me to use was oil based. The project took me weeks and was extremely messy, but so rewarding.
It wasn’t until I painted my own bedroom that a lightbulb came on. As it turned out, I absolutely loved painting murals! Of all the art I had ever created, nothing had ever brought me so much joy. My passion for large scale pieces grew quickly from there; I built my portfolio, dropped out of college, and by the end of 2020 I had quit my day job to pursue my own business.
Every mural is a new opportunity to push myself to create something unique to my client. I get stoked about every mural I paint! What’s so wonderful about large scale art is, I spend a lot of time on each wall. I get to know my clients and their families while spending time in their home, and I get to enjoy using my hands to create something that will transform their home or workspace. I come into happy homes and I leave them happier- it is such a blessing!
I am inspired when I’m in a good headspace. I make sure I am taking time to be alone with my thoughts, I control my art consumption, and I spend time doing other things I love such as journaling and being outdoors. Inspiration comes to me when I remember not to force it.
Alright let’s talk about what everyone really wants to hear about- the story of the lost puppy!
I’ll set the scene- I live in a cabin in a small mountain community. On this particular day it was snowing heavily and had been for hours. We had over 5 feet of snow on the ground. I was sitting on my couch, facing our full glass doors, when I happened to see a quick movement far off in the snow. I thought, what is a rabbit doing out in this weather!? But as I stood to get a better view of the little critter I realized
Oh my heavens! That’s a puppy!
The poor thing was startled by my advances, but I can only assume she realized I might be her last chance of survival, and she eventually made her way over to me. She weighed about 5 lbs and had at least 2 or 3 lbs of ice balls caked into her matted fur. She was soaking wet and shaking of course. I spent an hour drying her, comforting her, and gently picking the ice from her body.
I named her Billy and spent about 6 hours cuddling her before I was able to locate her owner, who was so grateful to find her alive. Her owner and I have become friends and she allows me to spend time with little Billy anytime I like! It’s quite a wonderful setup for me- I absolutely love dogs but am not in a position to own one right now. I found Billy in the snow, but she found me at a low point, and having Billy to cuddle with occasionally while I work from home is a sweet little blessing for me!
You can find me on Instagram and Facebook @clairepaintsmurals, on my website clairepaintsmurals.com, or contact me directly- clairepaintsmurals@gmail.com!
Thanks for having me! Claire
