We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alison Hamil a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

One of my favorite mural projects was completed at Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Sandy Springs, Georgia. I was honored to paint a series of murals throughout the employee parking decks there as a tribute to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the midst of the pandemic, a former hospital chaplain approached me about the project. She noticed that the stairwells in the employee parking decks became littered with masks, gloves, and temp check stickers during the pandemic, so she had the idea to commission an artist to paint murals there. The artwork would serve as a more uplifting transition to and from work for hospital staff members.

I worked closely with hospital leadership throughout the entire project. We began with the concept of gratitude in mind since it is a feeling that benefits well-being. We also wanted to involve the hospital employees in the mural process, so we decided to survey the staff and hold a meeting about the murals.

For the survey, I wrote up a series of questions for the staff members to answer. I intended to provoke reflection, introspection, and gratitude with the questions. My goal was to help elevate the employees’ perspectives and experience of themselves and their work.

Overall feedback from the survey was great, but the thing that really caught my attention was the strong sense of family and community there. So I decided to combine the theme of “gratitude” with “family” for the mural designs.

To demonstrate the concepts of gratitude and family, the design for the largest of the three walls features a sacred heart with two roses and the phrase “Grateful for Each Other.” This wall is located at the entrance to the parking deck, and can be seen from the Emory Winship Cancer Institute lobby.

The two smaller walls are located inside the parking deck stairwell. Each mural features a bluebird carrying ribbon with text on it. The first one says “We Are One” and the second one says “Family.” I designed them so that the text can be read as one statement while descending the staircase. They can also stand alone and still make sense.

Once completed, the murals were very well-received by the hospital staff and management team, and were also featured in local news media.

One of my favorite parts of the entire project was the Mural Blessing Ceremony. Hospital leadership and the mural project team gathered to commemorate the project and hear me talk about the mural symbolism. The hospital priest blessed the walls with holy water and a rose, which was very special for me and something I’ll never forget!

The project was so well-received that the hospital asked me to come back and paint another round of murals in a separate parking deck. These were completed one year later during the summer of 2022. These have definitely been some of my favorite and most meaningful projects, and I hope to be invited back for round 3!

Alison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an Atlanta-based visual artist and have been painting murals for about 15 years. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, but I fell in love with mural painting during a study abroad trip to Costa Rica as an undergrad. We got to work outside, climb around on ladders, and learn how to transfer small designs onto a larger surface. It was so fun! At that point I just knew it was what I wanted to do for a living.

After graduation, I found some work designing and painting signs for local restaurants. Eventually I was able to build up my portfolio enough to wiggle my way into Atlanta’s public art scene, and began developing my own style and artistic vision.

My aesthetic developed organically over the course of time through many different projects. Most of my work incorporates bold colors combined with elements of painterly realism and uplifting quotes and phrases, and is most recognizable for my signature sunburst pattern seen in the background of many of my murals. Nature is also a common theme in my work, as well as interconnectivity and spirituality.

Throughout my career as a muralist, I have been awarded several public art commissions from the Cities of Atlanta, Brookhaven, Canton, and Roswell, Georgia. I have also painted murals in various places across the globe including Nicoya, Costa Rica, and Kefalonia, Greece. Creative Loafing named me Best Emerging Visual Artist in their Best of Atlanta 2013 edition, and the Blue Heron Nature Preserve in Buckhead, Georgia awarded me the honor of 2020 Artist in Residence, where I have painted three murals throughout the property.

Some of my other notable clients include Google, Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital, Fulton County Public Schools, Pianos for Peace, and The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. Whether working as a mural artist for the private or public sector, I specialize in transforming mundane, forgotten spaces such as parking decks, stairwells, and bathrooms into beautiful, uplifting works of art.

I feel beyond blessed to be able to do what I love for a living, and in many ways feel like I have only just begun to make my mark on the world. I am excited to see what the universe has in store for me next!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I think one of the most challenging things about being a creative is the unpredictable nature of self-employment. It can be really frightening to be in a position where you don’t have a stable source of income and all the perks that come with a 9-5 job.

I recently went through a divorce and was suddenly in a position where I had to support myself on my artistic income for the first time in my life. It was super scary, but I decided to take a leap of faith and hope that everything would work out for the best.

At a certain point I was stretched so thin financially that I had to find other sources of income just to get by (thank you Door Dash!). I was almost forced to give up and change careers altogether, but then, just when my savings were about to run out, I got a phone call out of the blue and landed the biggest project of my life.

Through all of the struggles I have learned to have faith in my path, surrender to the flow of the universe, and trust that everything I need will be provided at the right time. It always is and always has been, and I know now that I am divinely guided, loved, and supported every step of the way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think art is a wonderful way to celebrate life and bring people together, especially when it’s located in the public sphere.

I love painting murals because it gives me the opportunity to completely transform the energy of a physical space and create something beautiful and uplifting for others to enjoy. I use mural painting as a tool to foster self-love, compassion, connection, and mindfulness, and I take great pleasure in sharing these qualities through my work.

I also enjoy public art because I get to work with others. Every project is a collaborative effort between myself, my clients, project stakeholders, and the community. It feels amazing to share the satisfaction of creative accomplishment with those who help bring the artwork to life. My favorite projects involve working with community members and kids, helping others feel special, worthy, and a sense of belonging and purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alisonhamil.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisonhamilart/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlisonHamilArt/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonhamil/