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If someone had told me 5 years ago that I painting flower murals would be the highest paid job I ever had, I would have never believed them. But what I learned over this journey of becoming a full-time mural artist is that we can always make our own rules. Today, I only need to work four months in the year, and I can share and develop my talents in a way that positively impacts people. But what I had to learn along the way were some painful and soul-searching lessons about self-worth and faith. It was a difficult road, filled with late nights, early mornings, emotional breakdowns, and carrying ladders and paint through the subways of NYC. Here, I share what I learned so hopefully you don’t have to suffer as much as I did along the way to whatever you are building for yourself.
Let it come and let it go
As a freelancer or a business-owner of any kind, there will be miraculous opportunities that pop up out of nowhere, and then disappear just as quickly. You might blame yourself for not turning some random email or exploratory meeting into “your big break,” but the reality is that only ten percent of inquiries/opportunities/proposals actually become something. It’s great that you are receiving pings of interest, so try to just feel validated that someone is interested enough to email you, even if you never hear from them again. It’s always a numbers game—just keep going and know that if one out ten (or even one out of twenty) manifests, you are perfectly on track.
I live by a line from the ancient Indian philosophical text the Ashtavakra Gita, which goes something like this: “Whatever comes let it come, whatever goes let it go.” To me, this means that I will always respond graciously and generously to every single mural art inquiry that comes my way. Whatever comes into my inbox, I let it come with my full heart. But when mural projects cancel unexpectedly, or clients ghost, I simply wish them well on their journey.
Treat every client equally and give your best always
You never know which projects bear the most fruit. Sometimes a mural for a very small client is the link for a massive project, if the right person happens to see it. Once I did a mural for a very tiny restaurant in Chinatown, but it led to the biggest project of my career because a lead curator happened to have lunch in that restaurant. Another time, I did a floral mural for a small café with no budget, but they ended up getting investment and expanding to five locations (which all needed murals by me). If you are going to commit to doing a project, make sure it represents your absolute best work. Your work is the best business card, and good work will always, always bring you more opportunities.
Quality of life is always the goal
Don’t ever lose sight of why you left your job and set out on your own in the first place. Was it because you wanted to travel more, to sleep late every day, or to not answer to anyone? You took a tremendous and brave step to work for yourself, but sometimes in the swirl of success, you can end up trapped in exactly the same situation you were in before. If your highest value is free time, say no to some projects. If your highest value is being your own boss, don’t work with clients who are overly controlling. Money doesn’t bring happiness, but it can support you to prioritize what does. Keep checking in with yourself to make sure you are still living the daily lifestyle that brings you peace, inspiration, and contentment.
Other people can paint just as well as you can
So many artists hold themselves back because they believe that no one else can possibly paint in their style. They believe what makes them valuable and even worthy is their particular talent, and they hold so tightly to doing every single thing themselves that they are not able to grow. This is actually a form of ego, and ego always wants to control and to limit. Give up just a little control and watch your work and your career expand! With so many talented people in the world, you can certainly train assistants to create different aspects of your work, and they will also bring fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and good company. You still get to create the original idea and have the final say, so there is nothing to lose by including others in the process.
You are the boss and the employee
Never forget to treat your employees well—and when you work for yourself, you are the main employee! While your boss mind is busy planning your next world takeover, don’t forget that your number one employee needs to eat well, sleep deeply, and work only a legal number of hours per week. Working for yourself is a intimate daily balance between the needs of the boss and the needs of the worker, and so it offers an amazing opportunity to see a business from all perspectives. One day when you expand enough to have actual employees, you will be a considerate, well-balanced, and thoughtful boss who can lead by example and inspiration.
AUTHOR BIO
Natasha May Platt is a mural artist working under the name Surface of Beauty. Her vivid floral murals bring femininity and a connection to nature back into urban environments. She has been hired by Amazon Music, Netflix, Apple TV, Freeform Media, Bustle, NYC Health + Hospitals, The Governor’s Ball Music Festival, as well as numerous malls, restaurants, and fashion brands to create her signature murals. Her work can be found across the US and the world, in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, LA, Bali, Mexico, India, and the British Virgin Islands.
