Overall Murals made, from scratch, something we really love and are proud of. Spoiler alert, it’s not an ad. We painted three big art pieces dedicated to the adventures and misadventures of 2020, thus far, in a package we titled “Do the Right Thing 2020”. The murals can be found on our largest and most unique set of walls in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at the foot of Domino Park. This is a passion project spearheaded by my partner and I, with immense support from our talented team and the undeniable skills of our favorite artists. If it appeals to you and you’d like to donate to a great cause, head over to our online store. Here you can buy some cool DTRT2020 mural related stuff, like a bandana or print. 100% of the bandana proceeds benefit an important organization, Art Start. I detail in the article below how we got here and what it means to us. Check out more photos here. In the middle of the Great Recession, in 2008, my husband, Dmitry Pankov, and I started a little painted sign shop called okMitch Studio. For two years we designed and painted most of our own murals and logos for small and big businesses around New York. When the recession was supposedly over, in 2010, we felt the pull to go bigger and beyond just the two of us. In April that year, we birthed Overall Murals, a hand painted outdoor advertising company. Fast forward 10 years, to 2020, which as many of you know, has been less than ideal. Living in a global pandemic feels like a bad acid trip, making our initial company struggles seem like a birthday party at Disneyland. I can’t imagine there’s one person out there who has not been affected, big or small, inwardly or outwardly, by the unfolding events these last several months. As an operator of out-of-home locations, the usual space filler on a piece of unsold inventory, might be a company logo, a phone number to “ADVERTISE HERE”, or in some cases, a piece of art. We’ve definitely done one of those before, but given the circumstances, felt it’s the time to contribute more. As an organization that is run by people with art backgrounds and deep artistic passions, there’s an inherent need to make something iconic and that could be a piece of art history. We consciously seek to challenge people’s minds and eyes with what we can create for the world. At the very least we could say we put our blood, sweat and tears into it. When we first entered New York’s “Pause” this past March, we were naively optimistic. “This will blow over by April… Okay, maybe May. Um, who the hell knows?” The virus continued to permeate our lives but luckily we didn’t lay anyone off and we’re still working. Subsequently, we felt compelled to make work that could respond to this new uncertain world. If you’ve received any swag from us you would know that OM enjoys making all kinds of merch. Part of our collection includes custom designed bandanas, which we’ve been making for years. This piece of cloth is needed more than ever now, and the next one required a Covid-19 inspired design. My husband concepted and gave direction to illustrator, Pedro Oyarbide, based out of Spain and an artist we have relied on over and over again for quick, yet inventive work. The art we arrived at is of a painter, wearing a shirt with “F___ the Virus” scrawled across it, whilst surfing in the barrel of a wave of viruses bobbing about. Upon its completion, we decided we’d make a coronavirus themed mural with the same artwork.' As June neared, re-openings across the country were impending. Is this big wave finally crashing down? Will business bounce back in a promising V formation? We’re all wondering where the twists and turns will lead us and hoping for the best. Black Lives Matter. As a result of built up tensions, horrible events, unsettled historical BS, plus to be honest… cabin fever, boredom, economic downturn, and the need to feel alive and that life has purpose… peaceful protests as well as unrest unfurled across our nation. Yes, although this did suck and setback business further, it was a necessary awakening for society. It became clear to us that developing relevant and informed work was a race against the everchanging newscycle. Internally, we decide to change our bandana up and make the other side dedicated to a guy surfing a wave with BLM stuff floating around him. After some debate, his shirt says, “FTP”. As we reflected on BLM and the rest of the year, the mural’s concept grew. In only the middle of June, we all felt that although the year is not yet over; it has felt like two years have passed these last three months. “How are you?” is a question we now feel uncomfortable answering. We are still riding the first uncertain wave of this already monumental, chaotic and unforgettable 2020. The news and discussion of it all is inescapable. Cell phones are glued to our hands and just about everyone is constantly reading, sharing and reposting. At this point, a recap includes the Australian fires, Kobe Bryant’s sad departure, to of course, coronavirus and its massive ripple effects, and then there were swarms of locusts and murder hornets, onto the vital flourishing and uproar of the BLM movement (including supporters and foes) to monumental events like Space X, inexplicably nonstop fireworks, and historical mass nationwide protests… As a world, country, city and people we can’t help discussing and contemplating these experiences. It is in some respect, our responsibility and the most American thing we can do to exercise our right to engage in these conversations. We’ve all been provoked. Art, too, is meant to provoke. Whether it be beautiful, thoughtful, disgusting, political, funny… what art does is question our reality and defy popular thought. The best work should make us talk, reflect and question. We must not be afraid of it. “My belief is that art should not be comforting; for comfort, we have mass entertainment and one another. Art should provoke, disturb, arouse our emotions, expand our sympathies in directions we may not anticipate and may not even wish.” ― Joyce Carol Oates At OM, a bandana design gives rise to asking… What about murals? As a mural painting company, we wanted to use our voice and platform to visually and artistically represent all of this. We made a list and sent it to our artist to create the designs. We strived to cover as much as we could and wanted to put it on our favorite advertising location. A call was made to prepare our landlord partner. Then there was a lot of internal back and forth, adding, editing and removing items, testing our designer’s patience. The final design by Pedro, who prefers to work with limited colors, was sent to us in black and white with red blood highlights. It was striking on the screen and as a print. Blowing it up in real life, however, still felt unfinished. At the last minute, after our team had already prepared the patterns for production, we enlisted a friend, Anya Karbashyan, an illustrator who works with watercolor to quickly color in the illustration’s bones. Usually color is finalized before prep, so it was a rash but essential decision. A couple of team members questioned the aesthetic need and timeline, but we were adamant that the visuals be more challenging and remarkable. The end product allowed the digital image to come alive, helping differentiate the various scenes with pretty and somewhat hallucinogenic colors and watercolor effects. The addition also helped balance some otherwise aggressive images. Still, the original deep red was purposely stained throughout. Finally the team could start painting. It took roughly seven days with seven painters. While the 100-foot street level wall documenting an out of sequence timeline of things that occurred, the second upper wall looming above it, beckons viewers, “Do the Right Thing”. The statement harkens one of Dmitry and my favorite Spike Lee films, and like our office, it’s based in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, and oh, so fitting for today’s narrative. Surrounding the text are roses, stars and hopeful symbols of better things to come. Smack dab between a pair of bird wings is a large QR code to bring folks to our store, where you can donate and receive the black and white bandana. We added a third mural to this unit, which is normally sold as a duo. We’ve never painted this wall because it’s too close to the park for advertising. This time we could use it and placed big letters stating, “2020, Now but Not Forever,” in black and white. Underneath is an artists statement or synopsis of what the mural is about, pretty much a shorter version of this whole article. We added another QR code here to bring users of it to vote.org. The public response has been largely positive. During production, those who loved it walked up to the painters with sincere compliments. Like most of our work, and especially this time, many snapped photos or simply stood there and digested it all. Of course, as expected, there were those who were not so fanatical about it; and they only let it be known from their quick passing bikes, cars or patrol vehicles. In some countries we would be censored for such a piece. We feel lucky that we are able to express ourselves and bring what’s shining daily on our screens to a big outdoor canvas. The circumstances we all experienced must be accepted as they are but as humans we innately feel the need to solve problems and implement change. And in today’s postmodern world, what can we do? DO THE RIGHT THING. We can empower one another and offer suggestions on how, by using whatever tools and means possible.

As younger generations are pedaled to a virtual life, older forms of technology are coming back. This begs the question, will humans fully stray from their analog roots? These days, it's common to witness high school and college-aged individuals rummaging through vintage shops or eBay, where they gravitate towards grainy digital point-and-shoots and even Nokia flip phones over relevant iPhones. Likewise, the New York Times highlights The Hottest Gen Z Gadget is a 20 year Old Digital Camera suggesting we may be in with the old and out with the new. At Overall Murals, my role as the Visuals Manager involves multiple hours on the busy city streets of New York. During the week, you can find me photographing our murals in Brooklyn and Manhattan, where I can't help but notice Gen Z and Millennial-aged New Yorkers taking out old-school cameras to snap a shot of their friends' outfits or capture lo-fi photos of classic SoHo side streets and even our murals. I’m guilty of packing my old cameras to take with me to photograph our paint team hand painting large-scale ads for our clients. There's more of a connection when I start shooting with my little Pentax camera instead of the latest Canon DSLR. The analog approach slows my photographing process and demands that I pay attention to every detail of the hand painting process that would otherwise get lost when I have unlimited frames to fire off with a 1TB SD card. The return of older photography methods is a similar life cycle in how hand painted advertising has risen in the last five years. Many people believe hand painted outdoor advertising is a new concept. But it's an age-old tradition that has reemerged in the last ten years. In fact, my late grandfather made his living as a billboard painter from the late 60s to the early 90s. I don't think he could have ever predicted his grandson would be working in a thriving industry of hand painted mural advertising 30 years after he hung up his brushes in 1993. It was the rise of vinyl advertising that eventually made his job obsolete. Today, as Overall Murals goes into its 13th year, we are happy to be part of a movement where a practice we thought was once dead is now alive and thriving. Due to the rise in social media, people see the value in our unique product and process that connects with the audience on a human level over the new-age vinyl and digital billboard. Passerby's witness the ad painted by talented artists and can appreciate and admire the final product with this extra context. To be clear, this isn't a stand against advanced technologies; both can and should coexist. I couldn't imagine living without our iPhones, the "swiss army knife" of our time. But it is no secret that most society craves a break from our hyper-digitized lives. I believe this same sense of "slowing down" is connected to the trends of old gadgets iGen prefers, a generation who may not remember a time when their lives weren't completely pixelated. Maybe our future will look more familiar than we think.

Meet Ariana. She's an apprentice painter at Overall Murals, known for her infectious smile and positive attitude, and has quickly become a valuable team member. Her dedication to the job, passion for the arts, creativity, and energetic personality bring life to every project she works on, making her the ideal walldog. Seven years ago, she came to the United States from Caracas, Venezuela. Since then, Ariana has been using her talent to create incredible hand painted murals nationwide. Ariana Villar joined the OM team a little over a year ago as an apprentice. Since then, she's been a part of producing some of our most memorable murals to date. You may have seen some of her meticulous line work for Hendrick's Gin, soft blends in Google's Shopping holiday campaign, and handiwork from one of our many murals for the award-winning Amazon Music's Breakthrough Artists campaign. Ariana has grown into a vital team member because she has no problem tackling any obstacle and is always eager to take on new challenges to push herself creatively. Hear #herstory: How did you become a muralist? I grew up in a very artistic environment. My mother is a painter, and my father is a photographer. So I was constantly surrounded by their creativity and passion for the arts, which encouraged me to develop my creativity at a young age. I studied graphic design and visual arts in Venezuela. I have two careers as a graphic designer and a muralist, allowing me to express my creativity differently. But nothing compares to the feeling of holding a brush and creating art with paint—that's my passion. It’s ironic because muralists aren't part of the culture in Venezuela. You typically see more graffiti artists. When I arrived in the United States, I started to see massive murals, and I was fascinated by the idea of creating art on such a grand scale. I’m an individual who likes “el reto,” which means the challenge. Jumping on my first large mural, sure, I was intimidated by the size, but I felt a rush of excitement stepping out of my comfort zone. It’s rewarding to figure out how to translate a paper-sized sketch onto a massive wall. How does Venezuela affect your work? Being from Caracas, Venezuela, I had to learn to be flexible, resourceful, and creative with my art. It was important to me to find ways to express myself despite not having the supplies—it pushed me to think outside the box. I learned to repurpose materials and experiment with different techniques, which translates into my approach to tackling challenges. I grew up around a lot of nature; in my case, I grew up with many birds—different colors, different sizes, and different sounds. So the symbol of freedom resonates with me a lot, and it just became integral to my work. It reminds me of Venezuela. It reminds me of home. Why do you think art is important to society? I don’t want to say art is everything, but art really is everything. It gives meaning to everything, especially in a world where people are often disconnected from their emotions and the world around them. Growing up, my dad told me, “If the art made you feel something, it served its purpose," and I always carry that with me. How has working at Overall Murals influenced your creative experience? Has it improved your art skills? I'm always looking for ways to improve my art. Working for Overall Murals has helped me develop and advance my skills because I get to work with other muralists and learn new styles and approaches to mural painting. This company allowed me to expand my knowledge and hone my craft so I could grow as an artist. Watching my coworkers' dedication to their art has been a constant source of motivation for me, and it holds me accountable. It reminds me that I need to keep pushing myself to grow and pursue my passions with the same dedication. I’m happy to surround myself with artistic and passionate people at OM. What advice do you have for women looking to get into the hand painted advertising industry? I advise women to be confident in their skills and not be afraid to assert themselves in a male-dominated industry. We bring a unique perspective and approach to the industry, which is really important to showcase. It's a lot of work, physically and mentally, but it's incredibly rewarding because we're always going to get the job done at the end of the day. Why do you think it's crucial to have more women, and specifically women of color, working in this field? Inclusivity. It brings diverse perspectives and experiences that can lead to more innovative solutions and ideas. Women bring unique skills and strengths that often get overlooked, but we add that special touch that can make all the difference. I'm very proud to be Latina and work for Overall Murals. They prioritize inclusivity and diversity and value the contributions of individuals from different countries and cultures, which is really important to me. I’m passionate about what I do, and I want other women to know that their voices and ideas are valuable in any industry they pursue.

With Out-of-Home advertising spending projected at more than $8 billion for 2023, Digital Out-of-Home Advertising is the leading form of engaging consumers for the new year. That’s why it’s no surprise that brands have integrated mobile technology through hand painted murals to provide an enhanced user experience that allows for a multi-prong approach to advertising campaigns. Digital integration offers an innovative opportunity for immersive advertising, where brands can incorporate creative and engaging ways to interact with current and potential consumers. We’ve seen this firsthand! Over the past two years, we’ve partnered with clients to paint advertising where mobile integration was incorporated directly into the mural design. We’ve found that our hand-paint method is perfect for capturing the attention of people passing by. Still, by adding the digital integration, we expanded the campaign’s breadth by giving people direct ways to interact using the mural as a springboard. One of our most impactful collaborations last year was with Google for their tech brand’s latest campaign, “Find That Thing,” Google sought our craft by having us paint six wallscapes in neighborhoods targeting a younger generation of hip and artistic audiences. The murals allowed passersby to “search what you see” by utilizing Google’s visual-based feature, Google Lens, which enables the audience to scan objects from the murals in real time. This compelling concept grabbed the lenses and phones of four million people who were intrigued enough by our hand painted mural to scan what they saw. During the summer of 2022, we teamed up with Doritos on their #SolidBlack activation, an ongoing initiative to provide resources and a platform for Black Changemakers to drive culture and give back to their communities. Doritos wanted a mural to increase awareness and allow people in those communities to engage with the brand in an artistic and meaningful new way through mobile integration. So we painted a Snapcode on the mural so passersby could scan the QR code and use the Snapchat app to bring the artwork to life with additional AR components. This dual advertising campaign allowed Doritos to interact directly with prospective and current consumers and increase awareness around the brand and their work outside their for-profit business. Brands have also found success by utilizing QR codes as a simple and effective way to promote themselves and produce quantifiable results. For example, we painted a scannable QR code on GoPuff’s mural, targeting young professionals on the go. During their mural campaign, the QR code directed over 575,000 city dwellers directly to the app store to add GoPuff’s grocery store app to their phones. While we pride ourselves on captivating the community while we paint and stopping them in their tracks, QR codes are a way to seal the deal for brands looking to turn audiences into active fans. Overall, our mission is to evolve our craft along with the advertising world and create relevance to hand paint's artistry by bridging it with the power of technology. We can cater to audiences IRL and online without giving up what makes Overall unique and rooted in a vibrant skillset that continues to capture audiences and advertisers. So let us help you bridge the gap between traditional out-of-home and online by engaging consumers with a combined effort that yields tangible results without sacrificing the creativity and design people love to see.

What does it mean to receive artwork made to fit the wall? Let us paint that picture for you. When a client approaches us for an outdoor mural advertising campaign, we take them through our inventory of walls where together we settle on the perfect option(s) to meet their objectives. We then provide them a spec sheet that gives them all the details about each wall’s size so that they can then begin brainstorming artwork for their future hand painted advertising campaign. Then the creative process begins! If we had to imagine what a client’s creative team’s brainstorm session looked like… we envision it’s something like this; A group of like-minded good looking individuals, huddled around a fish tank table, topped with a big hookah. The team sits in swings in the smoke-filled room and scribbles ideas onto Post-it notes, which they crumble and dunk into a basketball hoop. The first note that makes the basket, wins. Or is that not what creative agencies’ brainstorm sessions look like….? Probably not. But whether there is a fish tank table or not, there’s always an opportunity for something magical to come out of those brainstorm meetings. Whether the agency is ideating artwork for a liquor brand or a designer watch, what we’ve found most successful is when the design is meaningfully created with our specific walls (the size, orientation, neighborhood, height, etc.) in mind so that the final product becomes an eye-grabbing, mouth-gaping, picture-taking mural that screams “ROI!” What does a mural hollering ROI look like? On the west coast, located on the cusp of Silverlake and Echo Park in Los Angeles on Sunset Blvd., we have a uniquely shaped wall that features a curve in the architecture. This has become THE choice amongst a lot of liquor clients from Tecate to Cazadores. These clients took advantage of the building’s natural 3-D contour to make their product look as if it was jumping off the wall and ready to be served. (Can you say, “Great service?”) Passersby headed home after a long day at work or looking for a reason to celebrate, will pass this intoxicating mural art and eagerly check into the liquor store located right down the block. And bam, ROI! On the East Coast in New York City, we have every hipster-loving Brooklyn lover sporting or at least drooling after the latest IWC watch in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. How did we do that? The IWC artwork was specially designed to create an anamorphic perspective. On our double wall corner unit, we created a 3-dimensional shipping container showcasing their newest watch design, The Big Pilot. The artwork looks as though the watch was hand-carved out of the Swiss Alps and shipped over to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, waiting to be worn by anyone willing to sport a 20-foot tall watch (and yes, that’s a challenge). When artwork is created with the wall(s) in mind, it shows a creative’s attention to detail and thoughtfulness in considering the passerby’s (prospect’s) overall experience of the brand promoted. The care ensures the client’s brand gets a one-up in the impressions department. It also brings life to the work we do at Overall Murals, from the wall to a person’s eyes, their mind, and yeah, their soul! When our team of highly skilled and influential painters prepares to paint a client’s artwork, they too find enjoyment in translating a design from the computer screen and a small printed proof in hand to blowing it up into a large-scale mural. Better yet, when they are fans of the design, they will have a deeper desire to enhance and produce something that’s even more spectacular than what was initially digitally created. This drive for greatness is validated when people pass by and shout: “Who is this mural for?” “When will the mural be done, would love to come back for the final” “You’ve made my day with this mural!” “Wow, that’s incredible! Can I take a photo?” (Side note: actual responses captured by our murals) The artist is inspired by such responses; it’s an acknowledgment of the long hours they spend replicating the artwork, which includes days on their feet, strategizing, mixing paint, and hand painting the creative’s vision – all on a tight deadline. In the end, there’s the gratification they feel when they have accomplished the mission and delivered the final product, especially when it’s something as impressive as the murals below: That’s what’s incredible about paint. The public enjoys the process, the big reveal, and a piece that really stands out. So, next time you find yourself huddled around a fish tank table, swinging back and forth, in the hanging chairs, shooting ideas into a basketball hoop, think about what kind of artwork will have your brand or your client’s brand represented with the best return. Think, what will get an influencer snapping their Maltipoo who just happens to have more followers than you, posing in front of your mural and tagging your brand? Think you have an idea for one of our walls? Shoot us a message (or Post-it). We’re ready for your next great artwork to come through our doors and onto our walls. Check out photos of our work with clients Rigoni, Chase Sapphire and Milagro.

Meet Jaclyn. She is the Real Estate Acquisition Manager at Overall Murals. A typical day for her is non-stop phone calls, negotiating deals, and signing up new OOH walls that our team of painters can transform into beautiful murals. From Tribeca, New York to Lincoln Park, Chicago advertisers like American Express, Burberry, and TikTok have taken a liking to the walls Jaclyn is bringing to our landscapes. Jaclyn joined the OM crew two years ago after leaving a male-dominated Real Estate firm where she felt second and unappreciated. Now, at Overall Murals, Jaclyn feels at home and supported by her team after facing adversity in her previous roles. We sat with Jaclyn and asked her a few questions about her journey and her advice to other females coming up in the Real Estate industry. Hear #herstory: What does women’s history month mean to you? Women’s history month means having confidence in being vulnerable and willing to share your experiences with others. In doing so, we are inevitably creating a space for the future generation to be free of fear. How do I know this? Because it was me who exercised vulnerability just a year ago. I wrote an article for WHM where I shared a personal experience where I faced adversity in the real estate space. By allowing myself to be vulnerable in sharing my story with my fellow coworkers at Overall Murals, I was able to create a space where I feel supported and creative as I pursue a career that fulfills me. Now, 12 months later, I have achieved so much personally and in my career working alongside a fully female-led real estate team. Growing up, was there someone in your life that inspired who you are today? What was it and why? When I made my career transition back in March 2018, from teaching to real estate, friends and family often questioned my decision. They asked, “Why, when you have a stable career, take such a drastic leap by leaving it to pursue Real Estate – an industry that has a ‘no guarantees’ mentality” reputation?” rust me I was asking myself the same question. But as I step back from my fears and reflect on what drove my decision to leave teaching for Real Estate, I think about my mother who raised me and my 3 sisters as a single parent. When times were tough on our family, my mother took a leap of faith leaving all that she knew to move all her children to a new place where she felt we could have more opportunities. As the sole decision-maker for our family, my mother constantly overcame adversity by staying determined even when it could have been risky. So when I think about why I took a leap of faith to change industries and pursue a career that was deemed difficult, I think back to my mother’s leap of faith to create a space that supported her and her children’s needs. That’s why I confidently dove into something new, where I too hoped to create the space for a better future for myself and for those around me. Why did you choose to become a Real Estate Acquisition Manager? In many ways, I feel like this role chose me. I have always been a go-getter, once I set my eye on the prize I work relentlessly to make it happen. My ability to connect with people and celebrate shared experiences, be vulnerable, and be honest has yielded great results and I am excited to have continued growth here at Overall Murals. What do you like most about your role? As the manager of East Coast acquisitions, staying connected is a huge part of my role. As I discover and identify potential sign spaces, it is imperative that I build relationships with our current and prospective partners to build rapport and secure great sign space. Every time I secure a new wall, I get excited to be part of its transition. For example, our newest acquisition is located in Lincoln Park, Chicago. The facade of the wall had two tones of paint, the bricks were deteriorating and the wall became a bit of an eyesore. Our team revived the wall by repainting it and securing the brick exterior to look brand new and clean for future advertisers. Now, what was once a forgotten vinyl display is now a beautiful photo-realistic hand painted Burberry campaign seen by people driving by in their cars as they pass through to play and shop. In the end, I work hard to find beauty in the walls that may otherwise be overlooked. I secure said space for Overall Murals so we can do the work to transform it into a beautiful hand painted mural. Why is it important that more women are represented in the real estate field? ​​This question cannot be explored without first discussing the representation of BIPOC identified women in the real estate field. I hope that the value of women, all women, in the real estate space, residential, commercial, and out-of-home advertisement, isn’t just remembered every time March comes around. It is important that every month, we continue working to forge a gender-equal mindset and challenge the status quo. As a female-identified professional in the field, calling out and challenging racial stereotypes, bias, and gender assumptions are imperative in creating positive visibility for women in this field. What piece of advice would you give to women in Real Estate? I would like to let women in Real Estate know that they are enough. Their feelings and experiences are valid, and compromising oneself in order to further your career is not worth it. In my previous role at a brokerage in Williamsburg, I came close to forgetting who I was in order to appease a male-dominated office. That experience reminded me that I did not have to accept the status quo. Being successful is very important to me, but listening to my gut and drawing a line, even if it’s the path of most resistance, was the best decision I have ever made for my personal and professional growth.

It’s hard to imagine my life not being consumed by murals. Through my nearly five-year career in the outdoor advertising industry, I have gained an immeasurable amount of appreciation for the old-school niche of hand painted advertising and now, I know the industry like the back of my hand. Before working at Overall Murals, I would gawk in awe at the large painted wall outside of my old office in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I vividly recall spending my lunch breaks observing the artists as they pulled up in their paint-stained jeans, brushes in hand. It was at that moment, I was hooked, curious as to what would be painted next. I spent the summer watching as panels were decorated with expertly painted photorealistic athletes accompanied by an adorable French Bulldog from the Vans ad that first caught my eye. After that was a 100-foot long painting for Ray Ban, followed by Gatorade showcasing all of Serena Williams’ grand slams. By then I knew I needed to learn more about the company that produced these incredible pieces of art. In 2016, I was offered a role at Overall Murals. In my first few months, I found myself excitedly pointing out our mural locations to anyone who would listen. My friends and family were so supportive and excited that they started to join me in spotting murals – texting photos and Instagram stories of themselves in front of our wallscapes. To this day, not much has changed. Over the last five years, I have had the pleasure of witnessing Overall Murals grow immensely. In the beginning, the office was just a small family-like crew. At that time, I wore many hats to accomplish the various jobs that needed to be done, anything from graphic design and sales decks, to hassling our painters to make their flights and stocking up the office kitchen. In 2021 we have vastly expanded to meet the interest of clients as they jump at the opportunity to incorporate hand painted murals into their advertising. Our paint shop is always buzzing with all the energy it takes to bring our murals to life. The gifted artists who work day-in and day-out, through the snow, rain, blistering heat, and even a global pandemic, are the real stars of the show. Their talent and commitment to the craft is what makes the hard work worth it. Today, I am working within the Sales department wearing only one hat (sometimes two). Providing projects, like Lexus and Varo, for artists in a field that they love is what makes me truly passionate about mural advertising. Our continued success is due to our unwavering dedication to upholding an age-old tradition of advertising that humanizes the industry. In a society glued to its screens and consumed by digital overload, we are proud to bring our passion for hand painted murals all over the country, coast to coast. Let’s highlight the common variation of cadmium green, which is often used in advertising artwork for clients, who are environmentally friendly, or outdoorsy, and earth-friendly. It’s a bright light tint that stands out against more muted colors, while still providing a fresh look and leaving viewers with a feeling of calmness and liveliness. Tell us, are you feeling more peaceful yet?

Meet Marcine. She’s what in our business is called a walldog and she’s been doing it for the last 8 years! She is also one of the only highly experienced female wall dogs still working today. On top of that, she’s a strong rigger and paints for us, here, at Overall Murals. You may recognize some of the work she’s done for us like Carnival and Carmax, where she can be seen on her feet for as long as 10-12 hours at a time, through rain or shine, and always producing high-quality artwork for our advertising clients. Marcine shares, “As a woman, Overall Murals has been awesome to work at. They are all-inclusive and I feel like I am part of the Overall team.” And we couldn’t agree more. Marcine is a huge contributor to the OM team and we are happy to take the final day of Women’s History Month to acknowledge her contribution and success in a male-dominated industry. Hear #herstory: How did you become a wall dog and how has your experience been? I was running a bar on the Lower East Side in Manhattan on Allen and Delancey. I was part owner and bartending for 22 years. I walked outside and saw a bunch of guys painting on the side of a wall and thought, “This is what I want to do!” I moved to Philadelphia, where I worked at the Philadelphia Mural Arts Organization for about a year, and then moved back to NYC where I tried to force my way into the industry. It took me 4 years to even get an interview before I could get my foot in the door to become a wall dog. Why painting? Why not? Every day you are making something pretty awesome and the whole experience is amazing. Every wall I am working on, even if it’s terrifying I am having a blast. Last week, I worked on a wall in Venice that had the most difficult block and tackle rig I’ve ever been on. Every day I went to work, knowing this rig was frightening, yet, I still felt excited to show up. What would be your dream project? To be honest, any pictorial or completely insane works like a movie poster. The last mural I did with Dan Cohen and Dylan Dingle in San Francisco, for HBO’s new show Generation, was completely enjoyable. It just doesn’t feel like work. For other females breaking into the hand paint mural industry what type of advice would you give them? How I got where I am today, is by putting myself into situations that were pretty terrifying. But, looking back, I see that those experiences were important because I learned something about myself. However, you can’t expect everyone to feel the same way. So I recommend doing what you love, don’t let anyone pressure you to do something you don’t feel comfortable with, get yourself to a place where you are comfortable, and always try to learn. Through this process, always stay humble and leave your ego at the door because we are all in this as a team. Who would you say is your biggest influence? Marylin Minter. When I was studying for my undergrad at San Francisco Art Institute, I went to the MOMA and saw what I thought were sea prints but were actually enamel on a panel. I was losing my mind looking at her painting, I ended up staying for hours. I thought, ”I have to do this!” I am also inspired by artists like Dan Cohen and Eddie Lopez who I’ve worked with at Overall Murals. These guys have been in the industry for so long and have been great teachers, who I have learned so much from. They What is something that is memorable that sticks out to you that influenced your choice to make this a passion and career? Honestly, every job I get to do at Overall Murals is a ton of fun, the artwork is always awesome and everyone I work with is amazing. The time I was working with Elio Martinez, who I’ve been working with for 7 years, at a Jack Daniel’s mural on Melrose. I was like I get to work with my homie, I get to rig a block and tackle wall, all to get the job done. It’s always a good time and all of my experiences have been memorable. are amazing people, helpful, humble, and just awesome. What is your goal professionally? Where do you see yourself moving towards? Professionally I am inspired by the guys I work with who are in their sixties still doing this. That’s the goal – to keep hanging off that wall. What kind of art do you most identify with? Anything photorealistic or hyperrealistic. I have to say that something that goes along with my art is a piece I did with Chris Slaymaker for Carmax, painting a Mini Cooper with a psychedelic background. That’s the closest to my own art – bright colors with photorealistic vibes to it. What role does your work impact society and/or what do you hope it does for society? The work that we do at Overall murals is amazing because to the outside world, they think we are just painting ads. But it’s not just that. In fact, you are creating something that brings attention to the process. We take a 2-dimensional space and make it 3-dimensional by having us working on the wall. We also care about what we are creating. Our work goes beyond the wall, and it’s rad that people get to see just that. I always make sure to take time to interact with people walking by because they too are part of the process. Thank you Marcine for sharing your story with us and here’s to hanging off the wall for many more years to come!

I’ve been working at Overall Murals for just over 3 years now and it’s been nothing short of awesome. I love the people, I love the process, & I love the product. When I explain what we do – create hand painted advertising murals on the sides of buildings, the reaction is almost always: “WOW – that’s dope!” (from friends) or “WOW – that’s amazing – love it” (from industry professionals), to which I nod my head and agree, yep it is. Even when prospective clients aren’t buying hand paints as a format in their OOH mix, they always seem to express how much they love hand paints and hope to have a campaign that we can work together on soon. I recently started thinking about the WHY. Why does everyone love and appreciate hand painted murals so much? It’s got to be more than just the beauty, vibrancy, and spectacle of the process and finished product, right? More than the fact that anything artisanal, organic and artsy gets a lot of love on ‘the gram’, right? Perhaps it’s also the artistry, talent, craftsmanship and creativity behind it all… Out-of-Home industry leader, artist, & philosopher Rick Robinson writes, in his 2013 publication of The People’s Space, that hand paints are “the magic of OOH” and “an organic medium that speaks to our soul.” Whoa, that’s powerful stuff right there, sounds like the secret sauce that advertisers would love to get their hands on. But back to the WHY…could it be something in our collective DNA? Science now tells us that humans have been hand crafting signs for the past 75,000 years now, so there must be something instinctive that beckons our attention and compels our minds to absorb the messaging being delivered through hand painted signs. I think everyone can agree that a handwritten thank you note carries a little more endearment than a text message or an email. In that same regard, hand painted signs cut through digital clutter of our increasingly pixelated lives. After reflecting on this further, I think it really comes down to LOVE – love is the x-factor here. When human hands are involved the love is amplified – pure and wholesome LOVE. Our talented painters love painting, they put their heart and soul into every job. Their lives are literally on the line as they often dangle hundreds of feet in the air, with acute attention and focused presence, completely absorbed in the present moment! There’s a lot of LOVE when you’re living in the moment, so it’s only natural that the same energy being put into the mural is radiating back out to the people seeing the murals. Good advertising is all about connection and when that connection is made with LOVE, then that’s a solid connection. After all, love is the most powerful thing in the world and that my friends, is the POWER OF HAND PAINTS. For all you advertising gurus out there putting together your OOH marketing budgets for 2021, be sure to earmark some significant dollars for some good ole fashioned HAND PAINTED LOVE and let’s make your brand shine, while also making this world a better place.

How OOH has Become a Major Platform for Cannabis Advertising Look who’s legal now? Cannabis, that once taboo, demon weed, left-handed cigarette, reefer madness, devil’s lettuce (well you get the picture), is making a huge splash in OOH advertising. Legal in 17 states (most recently New York), the farming, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of cannabis is big business. Sales are skyrocketing, especially during the pandemic as people find that in addition to toilet paper and hand sanitizer, cannabis is an essential business. And at the heart of this business, like any other, is brand building. Building these new brands has kept Overall Murals busy (painting, that is!) for established cannabis labels like Dosist, Cresco, Kiva, Eaze, and Monogram, and for the expected surge of new brands as markets expand. OOH Advertising + Cannabis = Big Business As cannabis legalization rolls out across the US and demand for products increases, so grows the need for cannabis branded advertising as manufacturers and distributors seek to gain market share. The issue is, how and where to advertise? Overall Murals team of highly skilled Real Estate pros understand how to operate within the many and complicated state regulations and take every precaution when scouting out the right locations for legal cannabis advertising. Why is OOH Right for Your Cannabis Brand? A 2020 MarketingSherpa study discovered, “69% of the 1,200 Americans surveyed saw OOH as a trusted advertising channel, as compared to social media (43%), online banner ads (39%) and mobile phone ads (39%).” (Cannabis Business Time). The research indicates that consumers respond more positively to OOH advertising than digital outlets which some find annoying and intrusive. They report that OOH advertising gives them a welcome break, especially for those of us who spent most of 2020 too glued to our screens (guilty!). Add to that, businesses are reopening, the weather is improving and on every corner, there are restaurants filled with happy diners in outdoor seating. And we can assure you, it’s best to avoid vinyl that is likely to fall into someone’s eggs benedict and to choose the craft and entertainment that comes with watching painters hand paint a mural – how about them impressions? OOH is Interactive Check out the photos we have captured for our clients. Better yet, see for yourself, the foot/bike/car traffic and how often passersby engage with our painters to talk about the process and most importantly, the brands! It’s OOH marketing at every stage of the Overall Murals production process. Consumers regularly stop our painters to ask, “What is this ad for?” “Is that really hand-paint?” “When can I see the final product?” OOH delivers for Cannabis The beauty of OOH is that it’s impossible to miss. It’s part of the scenery – not an annoying pop-up on a screen or phone. Crafted by hand, painted by real people, in plain sight, Overall’s OOH murals communicate authenticity, art, and hipness, creating a strong connection between the brand, brand message, and consumers. What Creative Trends are Emerging in Cannabis OOH Advertising? It sounds self-serving but it’s true. Demand is up for hand paint cannabis advertising because the message delivered is human-centered and personal. Check out the most recent mural we did for Jay-Z’s brand, Monogram. Monogram’s marketing is a clear example of the direction new cannabis lines are taking to promote their products. The message is a human-centered art direction to help normalize cannabis. As Shana Hayne of Hearst Bay Area explains, “Two things we’ll see more of this year [in cannabis advertising] are hyper-local tactics and humanizing storytelling”. This is evident in Monogram’s advertising. Jay Z uses his platform and cannabis brand to amplify the voices of those who have been penalized by a national drug policy that negatively targets the lives of black Americans through storytelling. Our client Pax took a humorous and relatable approach to advertise their Vape pens with a one-liner that combines a homey, family, Thanksgiving tradition and a hip-in-the-know smirk. OOH Works Hard for Cannabis How do we know? We see it ourselves in the growing number of clients who rely on our murals to build brands and deliver business through an unfolding mural. They rely on our murals’ ability to provide their brands with a people-accessible platform to get their names and stories out there. So… what are ya waiting for? Pass the brushie to the left-hand side. Let’s paint!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! For a holiday like today, we thought we’d celebrate the best way that we know how, by chatting about the color green. So, how does one emphasize the power of green? It’s a color that symbolizes Ireland, money, beer, and leprechauns. We’d like to start by exploring its history and how we, at Overall Murals, use it in its purest form… PAINT. The history of green and why it ain’t easy being it is long and much like some of our old Irish uncles, not always easy to follow. Now, there are a few legendary tales that can be attributed to why we wear green on Saint Patty’s Day. One is that Saint Patrick was thought to have used green shamrocks to teach people about the holy trinity. Another from Sean O’ Malley, a kid from my 3rd-grade science class who said it was because leprechauns would find me and pinch me if I didn’t wear the lucky color. The most poetic theory is referenced by William Drennen, the co-founder of the Society of United Irishmen in 1795. He referred to Ireland as “the Emerald Isle” in one of his poems describing the country’s vast leafy landscape. The verdant land was considered wealthy because it represented a fertile land ripe with gold. Fast forward to today — you may not typically see our work inside fine art galleries but our use of the color green out on the exterior canvases of buildings is quite prolific. As artists, we can’t overlook the beauty of green (from lime to olive) without acknowledging how important it is. It is a color that symbolizes hope, and it literally means money in our line of work, within the world of hand painted advertising. We’ve gone ahead and done all the research and sourced our wonderful in-house painters for their knowledge on all things green, so you don’t have to (you’re welcome). In ancient Egypt, the Egyptians believed that the color symbolized regeneration and rebirth, so they used copper mineral malachite to create the green color and adorn tomb walls. By the same token, ancient Romans utilized the color on mosaics and stained glass, while monks also painted their manuscripts green. Some of the latest ad campaigns have taken a cue from the Middle Ages, where green clothing stood for wealth and status. Balenciaga and Buchanan Whiskey stand out from the crowd to a large green degree. On a more practical level, during the Renaissance era, artists found that when painting a portrait and adding an undercoat of green to the pink would give the depth needed to make a face look more like, well, a face. In fact, we still use this method of green for our photorealistic murals to add balance and create a vivid pale flesh tone for murals like AG Jeans and Ray Ban. Let’s highlight the common variation of cadmium green, which is often used in advertising artwork for clients, who are environmentally friendly, or outdoorsy, and earth-friendly. It’s a bright light tint that stands out against more muted colors, while still providing a fresh look and leaving viewers with a feeling of calmness and liveliness. Tell us, are you feeling more peaceful yet? What’s so special about cadmium green? Well, it’s a color widely used in the hand painted industry for a reason. Cadmium green was discovered in 1817 and has long been a fixture on painters and graphic artists’ color pallets, typically under the name ‘cadmium yellow’. In fact, today cadmium green is usually a mixture of cadmium yellow and viridian to give it its bright pale green pallor. It’s best known for its outstanding high power, light fastness, and stability – withstanding fading from temperatures up to 5,432 degrees Fahrenheit. This is perfect for our outdoor murals that are exposed to UV rays 24/7. We use a variety of different faceted cadmium colors to help reduce the faded look so we can provide our clients with long-lasting high-quality colors for their murals all year round. Right about now, I bet you’re wondering, how do we make and mix cadmium green (or any color for that matter)? Well, it involves a client, a painter or two, and gallons of paint. Once, we have received hard copy art proofs from our client (or print them in-house) Overall Murals’ (OM) painters mount the proofs and protect them with acetate. They then utilize them as a reference for the paint we are about to mix. Next, the painters set up a station, dedicated to mixing all the colors up, something like the below. Also, for ideal results, it’s best if mixing is done under natural light, like outside or under a skylight. This process involves a combination of concocting varying paint colors to achieve the final one that matches against the client’s artwork, as exact as possible. So, for every green, pink, purple or every shadow and gradient presented in a given artwork, they must go through the paint mixing operation. Each color created will be dabbed onto the proofs for double-checking and where fingers crossed (or with a bit of luck of the Irish), it’s a match! Now for many, this affair could take hours even days to engineer. But for our uber-experienced painters, they have built an impressive ability to understand what colors and chemicals work well together, and can stir up dozens of custom colors in a matter of hours. Now, for what you’d read in the fine print: mixing oil paints like this is not something one should do lightly. The procedure can be toxic, and the government insists that they only be used by artists and professionals (that’s us!), so internally we take the necessary safety precautions. When OM’s muralists mix paint and brush it onto our walls, they are always wearing gloves and masks. Our studio ensures there is proper ventilation indoors and we ask that our team avoids eating near the chemicals… or eating the paint at all, cause it definitely doesn’t taste like chicken. So there you have it! Green, a color tied to history and was once used by Ancient Egyptians, is now swirled in a paint bucket in our Brooklyn-based studio. The power of green still holds true to Saint Patrick’s Day just like we hold true to our own hand paint tradition. When you see one of our murals painted with green, just know we are high up on the wall, painting and cheering for Saint Paddy’s day! Slainte!

In honor of Women’s History Month, we wanted to spotlight our Co-Founder, Angel Saemai. We took it upon ourselves to dive deep with Angel by asking 6 questions to get to know how Overall Murals started and her journey as a successful business owner. Hear #herstory… When did the entrepreneur bug bite you? It was in 2006 when I was working at an advertising agency and found myself feeling disconnected in my role as a Media Planner. I repeatedly asked myself, “Why am I here, and who am I here for?”. As a large company, there was no interaction with the owners, stakeholders, or board members. I found my experience impersonal and shortly after starting my role, I yearned to create something of my own – something transparent in its purpose. And that’s when I was bit by the entrepreneur bug. Tell us about your first entrepreneurial venture: How did you come up with the idea and how did you start your business? I met Dmitry, my soon to be husband and business partner in 2007. He was a rebellious and strong-willed artist, the kind that marched to his own beat (in fact, nothing has changed). He had just opened a small sign and mural painting business, okMitch Studio, while I was working at a large social network in sales. I spent my spare time helping Dmitry track down new clients for his business. During the recession of 2008, I found myself laid off without a job. This became the perfect moment to take our two backgrounds and combine them into a business we both were passionate about. Who were the mentors that encouraged you? The most encouraging mentor has always been my mother. My parents immigrated with me to the US from Thailand when I was about seven months old. Since then, my parents worked multiple low-paying jobs, day and night, to put my younger brother and me through Bay Area private schools and colleges. As hard as they worked my mother was strong and took pride in all that she did and I admire her for that. She always pushed me to excel in whatever I pursued and supported me to the fullest. Today, she continues to urge me to make decisions that are both honest and productive and for that, I am thankful for her. How do you balance your entrepreneur life with friends that don’t understand the challenges of running a business? Work-life-balance has always been difficult. For a long time, I felt that working as much and putting in as much effort as possible meant that success was imminent. In the beginning, in order to build and learn the industry, I sacrificed what was a busy social life. As I’ve gotten older and my company grows, I am more cognizant of the need to set aside time for myself, my family and loved ones. What is the biggest challenge for you as an entrepreneur? There are challenges in every stage of a business’s lifespan. The beginning comes with issues that may affect your self-esteem and self-belief. And there is a lot of picking yourself up and dusting yourself off. This never completely goes away, but eventually as one learns from past mistakes and failures it is more infrequent. At the stage I’m in now, I’m navigating how leadership requires making crucial decisions that impact a team of people, their livelihood, and safety. What tips do you have for other women who would like to start their own businesses? Starting something on your own can be daunting. It requires one to be unafraid of failure and oftentimes, you are not an expert with every aspect of what it takes. This has only gotten harder with the influence of social media. We are so aware of what our friends, colleagues, competitors, and consumers are doing. In embarking on your own, it’s important to stay true to yourself and not cater to anyone else’s expectations.