Shannon Peel joins as Creative Director; Jeff Jan named Fractional Chief Brand & Impact Officer Brooklyn, N.Y. — December 2, 2025 — Overall Murals, the largest independently owned and operated hand painted outdoor advertising company in the U.S., today announced the appointments of Shannon Peel as Creative Director and Jeff Jan as Fractional Chief Brand & Impact Officer. These new leadership roles mark a strategic step forward as the company expands its vision for creativity, growth, and community impact.  Recognized for its award-winning campaigns for innovation and creative craftsmanship, Overall Murals continues to advance paint technology, artistry, and storytelling within the out-of-home (OOH) medium. With a proven formula for turning bold ideas into real-world impact, the company brings art and advertising together through work defined by intention and craft.  Shannon Peel is an accomplished artist and creative leader whose career bridges fine art, street culture, fashion, and brand design. A Sydney native now based in New York City, he has exhibited his fine art internationally and was a longtime Artist Network Program artist with RVCA, where he also served as Art Director. Known for his expressive use of color and dynamic compositions, Peel brings more than three decades of creative experience that fuse artistry and design. At Overall Murals, he will lead creative design, artist collaborations, brand content, post-production, and the evolution of Overall Creative and Special FX teams—advancing storytelling grounded in craftsmanship and the artistry of the hand painted medium. “Overall Murals has always brought art and advertising together in ways that challenge and inspire,” said Shannon Peel. “I’m excited to help deepen that creative tradition—elevating our design, content, collaborations, and design process, while building work that resonates both on and beyond the wall.”  As Overall Murals’ first-ever Fractional Chief Brand & Impact Officer, Jeff Jan brings extensive leadership experience across brand strategy, communications, media, and OOH advertising. In addition to leading his consulting practice, Janko, Jeff has held executive roles with Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) and billups, as well as senior positions at Wieden+Kennedy and Venables Bell & Partners. At Overall Murals, he will oversee brand strategy, marketing, and growth initiatives to strengthen positioning, expand partnerships, and amplify the company’s creative influence.  “There’s a real thirst for creativity that feels more intentional and tangible than ever,” said Jeff Jan. “Overall Murals connects brand purpose with artistry in its purest form—paint, people, and stories that make lasting impact. And no other platform delivers such a dose of dimension as the beauty of something hand painted.”  From groundbreaking rain-activated murals to large-scale brand collaborations that merge art, innovation, and storytelling, Overall Murals continues to expand what is possible for hand painted work in public spaces. The company has brought high-profile campaigns to life for brands such as Apple, Nike, Ray-Ban, Netflix, Spotify, adidas, Google, Amazon, and Coca-Cola.  “This moment is about momentum and meaning,” said Angel Saemai and Dmitry Pankov, Co-Founders of Overall Murals. “We’re thrilled to have Shannon and Jeff join our talented team. They bring the vision and drive to move us forward while staying true to the craftsmanship, painters, and purpose that built this company. What we shape together moving forward will honor where we began.”  About Overall Murals  Overall Murals is the largest independently owned and operated hand painted outdoor advertising company in the U.S. Founded in Brooklyn, it brings award-winning craftsmanship and creative precision to every wall it paints. Blending artistry, design, and full-scale production, Overall Murals creates high-impact murals that connect brands, artists, and communities. With more than 80 premium wall locations in 11 key markets, the company oversees every stage of the process—from concept and creative development to production, installation, and special effects—preserving the tradition of hand painted artistry through work defined by quality, collaboration, and enduring craft.  www.overallmurals.com   Media Contact:  Jeff Jan  Overall Murals  press@overallmurals.com

I recently came across a comment on one of our mural posts for the   James Jean x Johnnie Walker  collab that really stuck with me. It's a sentiment we hear often, surprise, nostalgia, and ultimately, appreciation for the craft of hand painting. "Oh wow!! People still paint signs?! I used to have that job until I was replaced by a printer! Lol! This is gorgeous, though. Nothing beats the real thing!" - jberthelotart In a visual landscape where digital and vinyl advertising are prevalent, hand painted murals stand out as a unique form of advertising . The artistry and authenticity of these murals offer a distinctive charm that resonates with audiences in a way that feels deeply personal and engaging. I should know; I work in the hand painted outdoor advertising industry. We must step back to its roots to understand why hand painting matters. The craft of sign painting stretches back to ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt, signs and hieroglyphics were painted on the walls of tombs and temples to communicate messages and tell stories. Fast forward to the 19th century, and sign painting became vital to commerce and culture. Sign painters are the unsung heroes of advertising.They are responsible for creating billboards, storefront signs, and painted signs that adorned city buildings. You may have even noticed a ghost sign  or two while walking around New York City.  Artists and craftsmen painted those ghost murals you still see fading on brick walls today. They weren't just painters, they were highly skilled and resourceful tradespeople who worked at scale and often in dangerous, high-up conditions. Today, we carry on that legacy. Our paint crew at Overall Murals are modern-day walldogs —a term used to describe advertising painters who work like dogs, hanging off walls, hand painting massive designs with precision and grit. But today's walldogs bring something new to the table. Many of our artists have formal training . They've studied anatomy, typography, color theory, and design fundamentals in art school. Others come from graffiti and street art, where they've honed their skills on the streets and developed a deep understanding of the power of visibility . What unites them is not just fearlessness in the face of sketchy heights or tricky surfaces; it's a passion for the analog process. Despite being deeply plugged into technology and influenced by social media, our painters are drawn to the tactile, physical nature of painting by hand outdoors. In fact, that digital saturation makes them appreciate this slower, more intentional medium even more. They know they're not just making something beautiful—they're crafting moments that stop people in their tracks . That sparks conversations. That creates memories. There's just something undeniably human about this process. Passersby ask about our techniques, watch as blank walls come to life, and share stories of when hand painted signs were the norm. We're often referred to as human printers , and for a time, we were. Then, machines replaced many of us. But the walldog spirit never left. It just evolved. And in the digital age, where attention is the most valuable currency, that kind of impact is everything. Unlike a banner ad that disappears with a scroll, a hand painted mural holds physical and emotional space .  It's tangible, immersive, and personal. It carries a level of prestige that digital and print simply cannot match. There's a reason luxury brands and high-end campaigns turn to hand painted advertising. It's about more than just visibility; it's about making a statement . A hand painted ad isn't mass-produced. It's crafted. It stands apart from the noise of digital screens and glossy posters by offering something rare: an original, brushstroke-by-brushstroke creation that commands attention in a way that flat print or fleeting pixels never could. The richness of color, the texture of the wall, and the way natural light interacts with the paint make for a visual experience that's both vibrant and unforgettable.  Up close, you can see the detail in every stroke —the layering of color, the subtle hand movements, the marks that prove a human was here. You can feel the energy that went into it, the time, the care, the physicality of it all. Even the surface itself becomes part of the piece. The cracks, the contours, the imperfections of the wall all contribute to the final image. It's why people stop to take it in, photograph it, and talk about it. A mural doesn't just blend into the urban landscape. It enhances it, making a city feel alive with art rather than just another backdrop for digital noise. We love that our work   sparks these conversations . It's a reminder that what we do isn't just about advertising—it's about keeping the age-old craft of hand painted signs and murals alive, honoring the past while making a bold statement in the present. The nostalgia people feel when they see a hand painted mural isn't just about the past; it's abou t recognizing the artistry t hat still has a place in the modern world. So yeah, people still paint signs. And from what we see, the world still loves them.

Meet Hayden Todd, our Senior Video Producer and the creative force behind capturing and crafting the stories that bring our hand painted advertising murals and the painting process to life. Whether managing videographers or actively working in the field, Hayden always thinks two steps ahead.  If you haven't met Hayden in person, you are missing out on his frequent use of sports analogies to explain his thought processes. Like a coach breaking down plays, he often asks, "How can we improve, and how can we elevate?" Hayden's approach goes beyond simply capturing beautiful footage; he delves into the "why" behind every mural to ensure our clients’ murals tell a story with purpose .  Read more about Hayden's journey and the philosophy that fuels his work: ANNA: How did you get into videography, and what drew you to filming murals specifically? HAYDEN:   I attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga for graphic design, which naturally included photography and videography. As I sourced photos and videos for my projects, I realized that if I couldn’t find what I was looking for online, I had to create them myself . I have always been interested in the actual production of content, and this led me to want to learn how cameras operate and understand how to present visuals effectively.  After college, I was able to pursue video when I worked for a friend who painted a lot of commercial signage for local restaurants and businesses in Nashville . We documented our work with my phone. This eventually led to me moving to New York , where I could roll my experience into a career at Overall Murals . ANNA: What’s unique about filming murals compared to other types of videography? HAYDEN:   Mural painting is a process that spans five to seven days, and there’s no immediate "boom, we got it" moment. It’s more about documenting the entire journey and capturing the project as a whole. It’s all about planning, being in the right place at the right time , and finding the perfect angle. Then, in editing, I condense everything into something that tells the full story in a short clip . That’s why there are so many cameras on set to capture the moment’s full impact. ANNA: How does documenting the mural process change the way people experience the artwork? HAYDEN:   It's like capturing posterity, documenting something that will live on forever, especially through video. There's a record of the mural's creation that extends beyond just the people who witness it in person. While some people may have seen the mural being painted in person, the video needs to appeal to people who have no idea what’s going on or aren’t even in the same city as the mural. The goal is to make it engaging for everyone , no matter where they’re watching from. It's about capturing both the documentary side; the raw footage of the mural being made and the production side, where the video is crafted specifically to tell the campaign story, all to create an experience that connects with people beyond just those who are in the right place at the right time . Then, with campaigns like the rain-activated mural we did for Ore-Ida , the experience shifts even more. Someone walking by might only see it change when it rains, but the video tells the full story to those at home, making it clear right away how it works and why it’s special. The campaign is extended through videography, showing the audience the bigger picture. ANNA: Walk us through your camera bag. what’s your go-to setup for capturing a mural in the best possible way? HAYDEN:   The full setup includes: Sony FX3 with 3 lenses - wide (16-35mm), medium (24-70mm), and zoom (70-200mm) Canon 5DSR with 2-3 lenses for timelapse and a sturdy tripod to eliminate shake 2 video tripods with a ball head for stable shots and smooth camera movement Ronin RS2 gimbal for smooth close shots at street-level walls Rhino R2 slider for dynamic movement to time-lapse shots ND filters on all cameras to manage lighting, ensuring optimal exposure, F-Stop, and shutter speed  Drone - Mavic Cine Camera wipes SD & Sony Tough Cards Backup batteries for the two camera systems Ultimately, it’s about knowing how to use these tools with purpose , not just about having them. The right gear doesn’t guarantee great results, it’s the educated shooter who understands lighting, timing, and technique that makes the difference.  The key is knowing when and how to use the tools to tell the best story . ANNA: What’s it like seeing a mural you filmed go viral or get a huge audience reaction? HAYDEN:   It’s cool to see when a project gets posted and gains traction, especially from artists or brands with big followings. After creating around 75 videos last year , most of them circulate internally within the agency or brand, so when one gets published and receives attention, it feels validating. It’s not just about the publicity; it’s about knowing that the creative risks taken as a videographer resonate with the audience. ANNA: What’s your favorite part of filming a mural from start to finish? HAYDEN:   The creative process during mural painting is unpredictable, much like my own editing choices. Each painter approaches their section of the mural with unique micro-decisions, often solving small puzzles with every stroke. Capturing this micro-level creativity is something I’m working to expand beyond the typical 30-second client video. While the process is familiar to those in the industry, I want to highlight these intricate, behind-the-scenes decisions that painters make , which might not make it into the final edit but are essential to the final piece. It’s not just about the finished product, it’s about recognizing and documenting the unique problem-solving that goes into every part of the mural . ANNA: How do you see mural videography evolving in the future, and what new techniques or technologies are you excited to explore? HAYDEN:   I see the future of our content moving towards longer-form, behind-the-scenes pieces. Content has evolved from quick, bite-sized videos to more in-depth, immersive stories. Think of how movies used to be just a two-hour experience. Now, with social media, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content, there's an entire narrative that goes beyond the final product . People become invested in the process, like learning about the director’s methods or the actors’ stories. For us, we're not just producing content for brands but telling our own creative story . I envision the painters becoming personalities in their own right, similar to how movie stars or creators are followed for their behind-the-scenes journeys. This shift is happening now with short content, and I think the next step is expanding it. Just like how people get curious about a film's production after watching it, viewers could dig deeper into how we make our murals and learn more about the painters themselves. It’s about creating a "lore" around our work , something people can follow beyond just the final ad. Hayden has a passion for storytelling and is committed to highlighting the artistry of every mural we hand paint. As video technology and techniques advance, his approach continues to develop how we experience and connect with murals. With his keen eye for detail and a dedication to revealing the ‘why’ behind the art, Hayden ensures that the stories behind our murals resonate long after they’ve been painted.

The Ironic Intersection of Tradition and Technology Like a digital tsunami, artificial intelligence has swept across our world, transforming everything in its wake. While debates rage about AI's promise and peril, we've discovered an unexpected paradox in our corner of the advertising world: our artists, wielding traditional paintbrushes to create murals promoting the very technology that's disrupting human creativity.  There’s a delicious irony in all of this: AI, the technology that’s designed to automate, optimize, and streamline human tasks, is now putting its faith in the one thing it can't replicate: human touch . After all, there’s nothing quite like a hand painted mural, no algorithm can replicate the tactile beauty of brushstrokes on a brick wall. Yet, in the midst of a digital revolution, Overall Murals was chosen to paint massive murals for AI companies. The future of technology is splashed across walls in a very analog way and it's nothing short of genius.  Picture this: AI companies like Claude and AssemblyAI , known for their sleek algorithms, self-improving systems, and ultra-fast data processing, are now being represented by the one thing AI can never fully replicate… human artistry. It’s like watching a robot walk into a jazz club and asking for a piano lesson. A little confusing? Absolutely. But also wonderfully poetic. While AI can help with everything from generating marketing copy to designing websites, when it comes to true artistic expression, those raw unfiltered moments of creative magic, humans still have the upper hand. Our murals, painted by real artists with real brushes, are a testament to this. The very technology that aims to predict the future is now being immortalized on brick walls in different markets across the country. If there’s one thing AI hasn’t figured out yet, it’s how to stand back and admire the sheer beauty of imperfection. In the age of algorithms and social media campaigns that target our every click, there’s something almost revolutionary about the idea of using paint  to advertise tech. Murals, unlike digital ads, can’t be scrolled past or skipped. They don’t pop up between cat videos or Twitter rants. They’re tangible, massive, and impossible to ignore. For AI companies like Inflection AI , this approach is a brilliant way to showcase the mortal side of their technology. Because, let’s face it: AI companies, despite their robotic persona, are made up of people, creative minds pushing the boundaries of what's possible. What better way to showcase that humanity than by commissioning human artists to create something more memorable?  The partnership between AI companies and traditional mural artists reveals a profound truth: as technology races forward, it still relies on humanity's oldest forms of expression to connect with its audience. In the end, even our most advanced innovations need the human touch to tell their story.

You might be asking yourself, “Who is Dr. Revolt?” The short answer is… a legend.  When I was 14 years old I discovered the movie “Style Wars” and fell in love with Hip-Hop culture. For those of you that haven’t seen it, “Style Wars” , is a documentary film from the 1980s that follows a group of teenagers from New York City responsible for the birth of Hip-Hop and the graffiti movement. Featured in the film is a young Dr. Revolt, one of the more talented and stand out artists during that time. Revolt is known for his original letter formations and creative use of color along with steadfast work ethic and determination to make a name for himself.   Like many other team members at O verall Murals, I moved to NYC to pursue my dream of becoming an artist and to try to capture some of the magic and mystique from the movie that was so influential to me. After many years of living, working, and participating in the arts here, I have been fortunate to meet many of my artistic idols, including Dr. Revolt .  Getting to know the OM team over the past year, I learned that I was not alone and that many of the people who are a part of this family were also influenced by the same culture. So, when thinking about who the next artist we should collaborate with should be, the idea to ask Revolt was a no brainer. At first glance, it might seem like a contradiction—a graffiti artist working alongside a hand-painted mural company. But for us, it’s a natural connection.  Asking Dr. Revolt to design a t-shirt for us is a tribute to where so many of us at Overall Murals got our start. For a lot of us,   graffiti was the entry point to art itself,   the spark that ignited our creative careers. We grew up tagging walls, absorbing the city's underground energy, and learning to break rules through spray cans before we ever picked up a brush or pencil. Having Revolt—one of the pioneers who defined that culture—bring his unique vision to our brand felt like a full-circle moment, a tribute to the roots of our craft and the rebellious spirit that’s still very much alive in everything we create. That unconventional learning carries over into our work at Overall Murals, where we still bring some of that same grit, energy, and creative freedom to every project, merging street art’s audacity with the precision of traditional hand-painted advertising. After seeing Dr. Revolt’s t-shirt design come to life, it was everything we’d hoped for, a perfect fusion of street energy and creativity. But as much as we loved the design, something felt incomplete. It needed to live beyond fabric. That’s when it hit us: why not have Revolt himself paint it on the outside of our new headquarters?  The idea felt like a natural evolution. His work that had once transformed the subway cars of New York into moving art galleries, would now bring that same raw, unapologetic energy to our shop, the Overall Powerhouse in East Williamsburg. This isn’t just a mural; it’s a symbol of everything that got us here, a physical manifestation of our roots in graffiti culture and the undeniable spirit of the city.

STFU's Airbrush is All Over OM’s Summer 2024 Collection Summer's sizzling, and we're not just talking about the weather. We're turning up the heat with another annual artist collaboration that's all about vintage 80's vibes, bold statements, and a healthy dose of attitude. We're stoked to unveil our exclusive collection of tees and tanks created with the one-and-only STFU (You Talk Too Much) , a NYC-based artist known for killer airbrush skills and tongue-in-cheek humor. STFU, the enigmatic airbrush ninja who lets their work do the shouting, is known for his vibrant, 80s-inspired designs that often feature pop culture throwbacks and mischievous twists. With a client list that reads like a who's who of cool, such as Nike and Converse to Ksubi and Timberland, STFU's work has adorned everything from threads and trinkets to album covers and mural walls. The artwork typically references animals or cartoons from our childhood, such as Winnie the Pooh or Carebears, often using monochromatic blues and reds.  When we started brainstorming our summer swag drop, we knew we wanted something that screamed summer nostalgia and called upon our handcrafted requirements. STFU’s unique blend of retro cool and a "don't mess with me" attitude perfectly matches our brand's rebellious spirit and passion for artistry. The artist’s main medium is Airbrush art. It’s a technique that uses air to make paint go whoosh  and hit peak fame in the 80s, becoming the go-to for custom car flair, concert tees, and murals. These days, it's made a comeback with a vengeance, thanks to radical artists like STFU, who not only push the medium's boundaries but combine it with twisted but stylish imagery. Our collab with STFU resulted in a limited-edition Overall Murals collection of tees, tanks, and a sticker pack. Using a Doberman to represent the OM “wall dogs” is more than fitting. Sign and billboard painters are known as wall dogs in our industry because when they are painting up high on a building, they feel like they are chained to the wall. A doberman is a dog breed known for being muscular, strong, powerful, and fearless, just like our painters need to be. This tough-as-nails pup by STFU is surrounded by paint cans arranged in a vibrant floral explosion. Palm trees are grooving in the background, and our "Overall Murals" has been stylized with the artist’s airbrush. It's a tribute to sunny days, street art swagger, and the freedom to be yourself. Keep your eyes peeled for our summer merch box , packed with these exclusive STFU pieces and other goodies designed to help you rule the season.

"How are you, really?" This question was posed by one of my favorite ad campaigns , created by the artist We’re Not Really Strangers and painted by Overall Murals. It's a question that now arises whenever I visit the Bay Area to see my parents in Marin County, where I grew up.  How are you, really, San Francisco? Although I wasn’t born in America, I arrived at SFO from Thailand at just six months old and was raised in San Rafael , a suburb 18 miles north of San Francisco. Despite its reputation as one of the most beautiful places to grow up, it was also boring to a teenager. And in the mid-90s, San Francisco was the epicenter of cool. My friends and I would skip school to ride the bus or hitchhike into the city to get piercings, buy vintage clothes and collect rave flyers. Once we got our own cars, we would either drive to the beach or head to the city to party and find diverse groups of people. When it was time for college, I moved to the University of San Francisco dormitories, where more days were spent getting to know the city. After graduation, I stayed for a couple more years, exploring every neighborhood—even Bayview-Hunters Point —before moving east for grad school. There, I became an annoying Californian in Boston, touting my roots and how much “better” things were in San Francisco. Today, as a New Yorker, I make a point to always land at SFO when visiting my original "home." When I near the airport exit, a deep-seated anxiety overcomes me, hoping the city I hold so dear is doing well. I had never worried about San Francisco until the pandemic hit. It seemed that overnight, the well-known, affluent, techy, sports fan-heavy, historically and naturally beautiful city with a “golden” bridge is now practically considered a third-world country by many, near and far.  The news of San Francisco's downfall spread like a California wildfire. It signaled to the world that San Francisco had been forsaken by those who once enriched and elevated it. Now, it is seen as a city plagued by crime, earning the nickname " Bip City " rife with drug issues (but not in the iconic Haight Street way of the 60s and mid-90s) and overwhelmed by a relentless, belligerent homeless population. Once one of the most posh and expensive places to live, San Francisco has now seen its real estate prices plummet to the lowest levels in years, experiencing the greatest drops in the nation. No one wanted to be here, live here, nor invest here. Since moving to the East Coast in 2005, I have visited San Francisco at least three to five times a year. This includes having my wedding in the city and visits during the pandemic in 2020 and post. Pre-pandemic, the streets were dense with crowds of both Bay locals and tourists. The city was thriving. My business, Overall Murals, was booked solid on every one of our mural walls, from the Marina to SOMA. San Francisco was a lucrative playland, and things could only go up from there.  From 2020 to 2021, the city was hit hard. While it was bleak everywhere, San Francisco was knocked out, landing in the ICU with an unknown discharge date. Downtown San Francisco became a wasteland, with tech and finance professionals opting to work remotely from exotic locales or moving back to their hometowns or somewhere cheaper but still trendy like Austin.  Once somewhat tolerable, the Tenderloin (the TL) became the life source of any travel YouTuber’s “ San Francisco is F’d ” content, scaring potential future tourists for years to come. Those who stayed watched as the world simply lost hope on them.  From my perspective, the dark smoke of the bad news is beginning to clear. I first noticed the blue sky peeking out in 2022, when mega promoter Golden Voice put on the first annual The Portola Music Festival at Pier 80, showcasing worldwide electronic music talent. My husband, a bunch of local friends and I checked it out. That weekend, we found the hotels were fully booked, there was hardly any breathable standing room on BART, downtown restaurants were full of diners past midnight, and the festival was a ton of fun. The two-day concert is returning for its third round this year and sold-out within its first week of ticket sales.  Last summer, after attending a wedding in North Beach, I surprisingly found nearby bars packed and people lining up at the surrounding restaurants. Earlier this year, while touring wallscapes in the Marina District and Cow Hollow there was a noticeable vibrancy; tourists filled the area, making it difficult to find a seat for lunch, even on a late Wednesday afternoon. In February this year, we painted a mural in Union Square for the Lunar New Year, attracting thousands of people celebrating at the parade beneath it.  The sky is definitely becoming clearer in Northern California. In fact, ABC News reported in April 2024 that downtown San Francisco is showing signs of a rebound. Tenancy demands are creeping back up, and companies are expanding their downtown footprints. Earlier this month, on June 2, Skrillex and Fred Again, two huge electronic music producers, played a last-minute sold-out outdoor show at the picturesque Civic Center, drawing 25,000 people to the city’s center. Shortly after that, I noticed a LinkedIn post by Rick Robinson, CEO of PJX, who, after a market ride there, proclaimed, “San Francisco is bouncing back!”.  These events are particularly eye-opening as they demonstrate that the city has not been forgotten as a cultural mecca, which is the foundation for economic development and attracting new residents. Historically, San Francisco has been the financial center of California since the Gold Rush and is associated with Silicon Valley, the Summer of Love and being a trailblazer for social change. Whenever I’m back in "The City", my favorite part is driving across the Golden Gate Bridge. It never fails to awe with its grandeur alongside the oceanside’s natural beauty. The bridge, standing at the entrance to San Francisco Bay, was built during the Great Depression and symbolizes American ingenuity and resolve. A die-hard San Franciscan once described the city to me as akin to the City of Atlantis, a utopia on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea known for its abundance.  But unlike Atlantis, San Francisco has found its way back. It may not be the same as it once was, but what city is? Some of my fondest memories are from here, and I’m excited for my next visit and am optimistic about the city’s future. So, finally, to answer the question: San Francisco is doing well, really.

A long-lasting friendship between two companies has flourished into a spicy collaboration. Cosmic Sass Chili Sauce and Overall Murals have teamed up to create a robust, fresh, magical, and vivid flavor. Our simple ingredients bring out the multi- dimensional flavors that highlight the peppers' fruitiness and depth. This unique taste is best enjoyed when friends gather. That's when the magic happens. Meet the Spicy Duo Meet the spicy duo Angel Saemai and Helen Li, who crossed paths in Boston shortly after college. These two entrepreneurs eventually moved to opposite coasts—Angel to New York and Helen to Los Angeles—where they started their families and businesses.   In 2016, Helen, an architect, and her husband, Leo Lamprides, a trained culinary chef, launched Chinese Laundry Kitchen, a hand-pulled noodle food truck in Highland Park. Their venture was inspired by a curiosity to explore the intersection of diverse cultural backgrounds and culinary influences. Since then, they have launched a successful Dan Dan sauce , now sold nationwide.   Angel and her husband, Dmitry Pankov, founded Overall Murals in 2010. They combined their backgrounds in art and advertising to create a nationwide outdoor advertising and mural painting company.   They decided to merge their talents to celebrate their lifelong friendship—which now includes their spouses and children—and their shared appreciation for creativity and hard work (along with Angel's love for hot sauce). They didn't want to keep all the hot sauce to themselves, so they partnered to release an exciting collaborative sauce called Cosmic Sass.   Released in the summer of 2024, Overall Murals proudly shares this sauce with their friends and partners, ensuring everyone can enjoy it. 1:1 with Angel and Helen How did the two companies/friends meet?   HELEN: Angel and Helen met in Boston shortly after college, and have remained besties ever since.   ANGEL: After Boston, Helen moved to LA and Angel to NY where we met our husbands and business partners. Our hubbies and kids are now also buddies and we never miss any opportunity to take a beach trip as well as an annual camping trip together!   Roots of your company / How and why did you start? ​ HELEN: Chinese Laundry Kitchen was started in 2016 as a food truck fueled by our curiosity to explore the overlay of our different cultural backgrounds and culinary influences.   ANGEL: Overall Murals began in 2010 to fuse the two owner’s backgrounds as well: art and advertising, but on a much larger and public scale.   Why the collaboration?   HELEN: Because we appreciate each other’s creativity. Plus creating with friends is FUN!   ANGEL: We love CLK’s hot sauce and crave it whenever we don’t have any in the fridge. It has quality ingredients, just like the top notch quality we strive for in our own mural work. We didn’t want to hog it all and wanted to share it with our friends and OM’s partners.

There has been a surge of experimental campaigns in the out-of-home advertising world, but do hand painted murals have the upper hand when it comes to pushing the envelope? From hidden messages and rain-activated mural art to large 3D installations of crumbs from a classic American breakfast treat, 2024 has become a year of out-of-home (OOH) innovation that has put our Paint Lab team at Overall Murals to work. One of my favorite things about mural advertising is the ability to paint anamorphic (distorted perspective) art on the side of buildings. This unique technique stops passersby in their tracks as they try to interpret whether what they’re seeing is actually popping off the wall. We did just that and more with Netflix’s campaign for Unfrosted (written and directed by Jerry Seinfeld)  where we hand painted a giant anamorphic Pop-Tart with 3D build-outs on two of our wallscapes in New York and Los Angeles. Our paint team rendered the Pop-Tart art directly on the “skirt” of the wall, so it looked 3D, and added physical pieces of crumbs and jam to hang from the hand painted Pop-Tart to create a sensory overload! The physical pieces were created by our friends at Midnight Oil. While other outdoor advertising mediums, such as vinyl billboards or bus-stop ads, can incorporate build-outs to boost their visibility, painted murals offer an added dimension. The handcrafted process of mural creation, visible to many as they pass by, coupled with the artistry of rendering the mural in anamorphic form on the wallscape, creates a unique and authentic impact. Our artists employ traditional brush and paint techniques to precisely execute this illusion. Good luck attempting such intricacy with vinyl sticker advertisements. Another exciting venture we had this year was experimenting with rain-activated paint. Wet weather is usually our greatest adversary to the process when it comes to our oil-based mural ads, but for Ore-Ida’s campaign on our wallscape in Seattle, a rainstorm was just what we needed! Ore-Ida’s team approached us with the high-stakes task of a never-before-done “rain-activated” mural, that displayed one message when it was dry and a different color and message when it was wet from rain (let’s see you try to pull that off with wild postings). Utilizing multiple days of testing different techniques and products on the market, our production team came up with the solution to make this unlikely mission achievable. From the small test wall in our Brooklyn-based shop to our 40-foot vertical wallscape in Pike Place, Seattle, we did our best rain ritual before the magic happened as buckets of rain (shout out to you Bob Dylan fans) trickled down our inevitably award-winning (fingers crossed) mural! How many vinyl billboards have you seen pull off something like this? We can answer for you… zero. Now let’s move on to our highly requested Paint Lab service, glow-in-the-dark murals. When it comes to illuminated wall units, our hand painted mural spaces have the advantage of all things “glow.” Whether for fluorescent or translucent illuminated paint, our black-light illumination can’t be replicated with such success in any other format. In fact, fluorescent and other black light artworks for advertising are only possible with our expertise. Psst, even those traditional billboards you may have seen glowing with blacklight used paint to achieve the effect! Recently, we had the pleasure of working on a chilling street-level mural in Melrose, Los Angeles for a Lionsgate horror film called Imaginary. The goal of the mural was to have one artwork appear during the day, and an eerie hidden message would appear only at night. Using translucent paint and black lights installed above the mural, our paint crew made eerie wizardry a reality. On par with the frightening film, our mural effectively spooked people out as the sun fell and the creepy painted messages unseen during the day were revealed. As we reflect on our innovative ventures, it's clear that hand painted murals continue to redefine the boundaries of out-of-home advertising, offering a canvas for creativity that transcends the limitations of more common mediums. So, when you're mulling over your next groundbreaking out-of-home campaign, entrust us with those visionary ideas that seem to defy possibility.

In the bustling streets of New York City, amidst the towering skyscrapers and the never-ending rush, a pair of artists whose craft harks back to a bygone era are keeping tradition alive. Meet the Cevallos Brothers, two Ecuadorian-born sign painters who have been gracing the city's storefronts and buildings with their hand painted signs for over four decades. Their story is not just a tale of tradition and perseverance but a unique hero’s journey that stands out in the bustling streets of New York City. Born in Ecuador but raised in Colombia, the Cevallos brothers, Victor, Miguel, and Carlos, discovered their passion for painting at an early age. Surrounded by the vibrant colors of their homeland, they honed their skills through years of practice and dedication, and in 1966, Victor, the oldest brother, opened a sign shop in Bogota. Little did they know that their journey would one day lead them to the streets of New York City, where they would leave an indelible mark on the urban landscape. Just three short years later, in 1969, seeking new opportunities, Victor boldly decided to leave their hometown and immigrate to the United States. Carlos would later join him in 1977. With little more than their talent and a determination to succeed, they arrived in the heart of Manhattan, where they found plenty of work as talented sign painters. It was here, amidst the chaos, that they would begin to forge their legacy. In an age dominated by digital technology and mass production, the Cevallos brothers remain steadfast in their commitment to the traditional art of sign painting. Armed with brushes and paint cans, they meticulously handcraft each sign, infusing it with character and personality that can't be machine-replicated. With Sharpies, paint, and their whimsical illustrations, their work reflects a timeless aesthetic that harkens back to a bygone era. Over the years, the Cevallos brothers have left an indelible mark on countless businesses across New York City, from small mom-and-pop shops to iconic landmarks. We recently became one of those businesses, reaching out to them via Instagram about painting a poster for us, which now hangs in our office. Their signs adorn storefronts, restaurants, and theaters, serving as beacons of artistry in a sea of neon and LED. Despite the ever-changing nature of this city, their work endures the test of time, a true testament to the power of craftsmanship. What sets the Cevallos brothers apart from other sign painters is their unwavering dedication to their craft and the community. As the years pass and the city continues to evolve, the Cevallos brother's presence remains. Their continued success is a touching display of hard work, resilience, and passion. Prime examples of “The American Dream” are a testament to the enduring power of art in an ever-changing world. In an age of digital ephemera, they stand as guardians of a timeless craft, reminding us of the beauty found in the simple act of putting brush to canvas.

There’s far more than “slinging paint”. Overall Paint Lab services collaborate with clients by contributing innovative ideas and a palpable “let’s try it!” enthusiasm to help them create incredible content in conjunction with our already eye-catching murals. A glow-in-the-dark wallscape? A lenticular wall? Trompe l'oeil? Whatever you can imagine, the Overall Paint Lab takes your ideas even further to create a singular, stunning, hand painted campaign. It becomes a work of art that evolves into a local event – both during installation and once completed – and increases agency and client ROI. Our Paint Lab team has put together a list of their five “most creative” projects, what they consider the “coolest” projects, and the best examples of how the Paint Lab works with our clients to create astonishing works of art for client brands – work that often wins awards. Here’s the Paint Lab’s fab five, each one highlighting just some Paint Lab capabilities: Glow-in-the-Dark Our wall for EA Games Star Wars Jedi Survivor in LA and NYC features fluorescent and translucent paints that glow under UV and black light, transforming from day to night. These colors draw people to the wall to watch the painting change and glow. What’s the point of having a light saber it it’s not lighted? Exactly. Lenticular Wall Ben & Jerry’s, America’s favorite ice cream purveyor, wanted to serve up unique content for Ben & Jerry’s Pint Slices, its newest product. OM Paint Lab helped Ben & Jerry’s agency, Mekanism, conceive and create a lenticular mural, the first ever in outdoor advertising. It’s like great ice cream, sweet and impossibly cool. Anamorphic Trompe l’oeil (“deceive the eye”) is the painting of an object or subject with such verisimilitude the viewer stops and questions the reality of the image. Can it be done on a scale as grand as a hand painted wall? The OM Paint Lab created an anamorphic wall with International Watch Company (IWC), and there was a 25-foot, 3D watch – the IWC Big Pilot - in Williamsburg. The Big Pilot mural is just one example of how OM Paint Lab helps agencies discover and complete the last mile for their brands, one they might not have imagined. 3D Build-Outs OM Paint Lab loves 3D build-outs. When Klarna wanted to charm dog lovers for the 2019 holidays, the Paint Lab envisioned and painted three interactive walls in Williamsburg with more than 900 dog toys. All Overall Paint Lab pieces are interactive, but the company’s 3D murals feature three-dimensional, tactile elements (“chewable,” in this case). The Paint Lab Team designs these murals for specific settings and surroundings, and every 3D build-out is an immersive experience for visitors. Scent Machine The Fanta orange soda wallscape in Atlanta features a scent machine beside an exquisite hand-painted mural. Alongside the mural’s bold blues, sunny oranges and bright whites (and a bottle of orange soda that looks like the real thing), the OM Paint Lab installed a scent machine for passers-by – by simply pushing a button people can experience the sweet, citrusy aroma of Fanta orange soda. It’s an unforgettable brand experience and an outdoor media landmark. In a world overstuffed with ephemeral digital campaigns, why not give your clients outdoor media with a big analog heart? OM painted more than 350 walls in 2022, many of them designed with enthusiastic, inspired input from the OM Paint Lab. Think you’ve got a great idea? Contact the Overall Paint Lab and see how far you can take it.

A Day In the life It's 6:00 AM. You roll out of bed, rub the gunk out of your eyes and quickly look for yesterday's pants. Smell your t-shirt, hope it doesn't smell too much like yesterday's paint, get ready for the long day outside, and walk out the door. You look for a place to sit on the train. You get lucky. You put your headphones in and escape the 45-minute commute before you find yourself in the heart of SoHo. Then, up the stairs into New York streets, there you are. A mural painter, more specifically, a walldog. And there they are. Your paint crew, in front of a large wallscape in matching paint-covered clothes. You all have one mission, to recreate the 20 x 10 artwork in your hands into a 1,000 sq foot hand painted mural. You have 4-5 days. This is what it takes to be a walldog at Overall Murals. Remember when your teachers would drill into our heads, "Practice makes perfect." Well, we hate to admit it, but those teachers were right. We can only grow as a company if we improve our skill set. We need to pause and reflect on where we are to set intentions on where we want to go. The same applies to our painters. As the New Year rolled in, we (and as many of us do) set goals for ourselves. What are your goals for this year? We'll go first! One of our primary goals is to take our entry-level mural artists and sign painters to the next level through our 2-year Apprenticeship program. We want to leverage the knowledge and wisdom of our most experienced painters and veteran walldogs and implement a process that improves our apprentice's techniques to become successful muralists. When we break down the initial fundamentals of a successful walldog, the most common ones are lettering, graphic application, and managing different blends. Our senior staff worked alongside our production team, where they created a weeklong crash course on teaching and reviewing those fundamentals, starting with our lettering course. LETTERING We formalized a lettering workshop to help our apprentices better understand how to best paint straight lines, smooth circles, and lettering forms in general. They learned the paints consistency and how to apply it with the right paint brush to different wall textures to achieve the desired effect of clean brush strokes. There are a variety of typefaces that can determine what kind of brush our painters will use and their technique. For example, the tiny text at the bottom of advertisements we tend to ignore is mandatories. The text is so small that it requires a single-stroke approach with the tiniest brush. In our workshop, we outlined the little things like this to prepare each painter for different typeface scenarios on the wall. There are many, many, many levels to our lettering workshop. People can spend years just mastering lettering, and we want to invest in our newer painters so in time, they can be masters of their craft. Blending Our painters took a one-day crash course in blending, where they learned about textured blends, vertical blends, and radial blends. You're probably thinking, why all the different options? Well, the product's shape in the artwork can determine which blend achieves the most realistic effect. For example, the blends in a cell phone ad use a linear blend, while a Coca-Cola can use a cylindrical or sphere blend. There are levels to how complex blends can achieve the desired effect. We worked with our painters to orient themselves with a target outcome and provided fundamental techniques to blend so that they knew how to accomplish their goals when we took them to practice in the field. RIGGING Our painters endured a full-day workshop where they learned how to rig a wall. They understood how to create a good plan for rigging, taking into account a variety of variables. They started with a zoomed-out point of view of the whole process and broke down each step before we took each painter through each step a few times. Each painter learned how to pull up gear safely, tie a knot, and assemble a rig. At the end of the class, all the painters attempted the block and tackle rig system, a considerable feat when there are no motors involved, just weights rope and the strength of each individual pulling themselves and the platform they are standing on to reach the murals facade. "It's not just painting a wall." One of our senior painters explained, "There's a whole pre-production before we can even get to the wall and begin painting. So it's essential to get everyone on our team involved in the WHOLE process to Truly appreciate our work. And this is true! The week-long course load developed a level of comfort and camaraderie among our painters. They learned every stage of the process and became comfortable with it before they got to the wall. Through this process, we learned that everyone has a different level of painting experience, teaching methods, and leadership styles. This brings us to our next goal... Sourcing feedback from everyone involved so we can evolve the curriculum and our teachers, leaders, and painters can perform at their highest level. As we keep the tradition of hand painted outdoor advertising alive, we hope you have a better understanding of the work that goes into hand painting each mural. That way, when you see us hanging from a building ten stories up, you can say, "Wow, Overall Murals, you tackled that rig!"