This week for a special May Mural Month episode I decided to bring back an interview I did 5 years ago with a muralist I started out working under. Melvin Lovejoy and I met on the job site of Bass Pro Shops.

The very first memory that pops into my head when I think of Melvin is when we were working together at a store near Vancouver, British Columbia. A really big wall needed to be painted with an underwater scene, and he suggested I do it. I quickly shot the opportunity back at him, assuring him that I in fact did not need to paint that large of a wall and that he could tackle it easily. He tossed it right back at me, assuring me that I could in fact paint this wall myself. 

I remember the feeling of panic setting in as I prepped to start painting the largest wall I had yet to tackle. It took a couple of days to get going, and a couple of weeks to complete, but I more than surprised myself with being able to complete the large underwater scene on my own. My confidence grew exponentially with a big thanks to Melvin for the push. 

Melvin later mentored me on a variety of painting techniques. He shared with me what he was earning per hour while painting and suggested I ask for a raise in my contract. I learned so much just being on the job site around artists like Melvin who had been painting for years longer than I had. It was both extremely intimidating and a great learning experience that I feel so fortunate to have experienced. 

When I started this podcast series over 5 years ago, I started out with the intent to just tell artist’s stories. It turned into more of a business podcast with tips on pricing and hustling to get those first jobs, but back then it was more just a chat about art life and how artists made their way into this creative industry. I hope you’ll enjoy this journey back in time with Melvin and hear all about how he got his start as a muralist. 

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