Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ferran Torras. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ferran, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

My creative career began in Spain after completing my studies in Graphic Design and Illustration. I had always wanted to pursue a profession related to the arts. Coming from a family of teachers on my mom’s side, I initially thought I would become an art teacher. However, I later discovered Illustration and its editorial community, and I fell in love with the possibility of becoming a children’s book illustrator. I worked in this capacity for several years while living in Barcelona. A few years later, I felt the need to travel and consider living abroad. I had previously spent 2 years in Bristol, which got me thinking about exploring other cities and cultures.

In early 2012, I traveled to San Francisco; I had visited the city before and always wanted to return. Originally intended to last for 5 months, that trip ended up lasting over 11 years.

During the first few years, I found myself falling in love with the city and enjoying every moment. I decided to apply for a new visa that would allow me to stay for an extended period and conduct business in the US. Driven by the desire to prolong my stay, I navigated through the tedious paperwork required to establish what is now Wall and Wall, a mural painting studio based in the Bay Area.

Throughout my artistic career, I had to balance my design and illustration work with side gigs to make ends meet. After a challenging initial period of running the company with no business background, projects eventually started coming my way. I gradually shifted from working part-time for other companies to becoming a full-time muralist. I have now been running Wall and Wall for over 8 years, and being able to pay myself a sustainable wage is an achievement that I feel pretty proud of.

Ferran, 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 a multi-disciplinary artist from Catalonia with a background in design and illustration. I grew up in a small rural town near the French border and studied art and design in Barcelona.

I am now based in the San Francisco Bay Area and founded Wall and Wall mural painting company in 2015. I’ve collaborated with clients such as Capital One, Kiva, WeWork, Google, PayPal, and Meta.

When I came to the US, I never would have believed that I would end up running a business. It happened organically based on the desire to stay in this country. I found myself extending my student visa for a couple of years until I was able to transition to an E2 visa, also known as an investor visa.

Initially, the business primarily focused on painting offices and enhancing their spaces. I acknowledged that people spend over 40 hours per week in these offices, so our work could have a creative impact on their environment. We aimed not to overwhelm the space where they spend most of their day. Over the years, the niche of painting murals in offices became more competitive, prompting me to explore the idea of live painting or brand activations for events. This has become a key aspect of the business, generating income and providing the fun of discovering new cities.

In addition, at Wall and Wall, we offer interactive murals—a personal passion of mine. These murals use conductive paint connected to microchips to react to touch or motion, activating sounds and lights. In recent years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with other companies to create projection mappings for events like SXSW, as well as permanent installations in office lobbies. These three services form the foundation of what we do.

With a strong understanding of branding design, I can take clients’ brand guidelines and apply them to the artwork. This ensures that the mural isn’t just a statement but also adds value to the client’s brand.

Lately, I’ve felt the need to reconnect closely with my background as a children’s book illustrator. I’ve introduced a new service for kids, offering unique designs and hand-painted murals for children’s rooms, libraries, schools, hospitals, and health centers—particularly in their children’s departments. This adds a playful and creative touch to their spaces.

Seeing the kids’ reactions to the environments we create brings me immense joy. From their surprise at discovering little details to sparking their creativity and curiosity, it’s incredibly rewarding.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist, personally, is the flexibility of my schedule. Now that I’m a dad, this aspect of my profession is crucial.

Professionally, the freedom I have to create and recreate, the unveiling of a painting to the client’s employees during live painting events, and the interactions with attendees – I’ve had incredibly engaging conversations about art with them. Everyone is very curious. But perhaps the most rewarding aspect is that I’m in a very creative profession. In the past, I worked for consulting agencies, and I ended up feeling bored as my work became very routine.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Navigating a small business is an ongoing challenge. With a majority of my clients hailing from the tech or health industry, I’ve experienced that not all of them fully comprehend the value and expertise demanded by this field. Until recently, though we’re now witnessing positive shifts, pursuing a career in the arts often meant facing the misconception that there was no viable future – the image of the starving artist prevailed. Fortunately, that perception is undergoing a much-needed transformation.

It’s crucial for people to recognize that we don’t offer our services for free. Our journey to our current standing has been marked by relentless hard work. When it comes to sustaining a livelihood through art, the endeavor is made even more challenging by the persistence of these pervasive myths.

In a broader sense, I believe that a more extensive understanding about careers in the arts is needed. Rather than discouraging individuals from pursuing their passions, it’s vital to foster an environment where people are encouraged to carve their own path and follow their aspirations.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wallandwall.com and https://kids.wallandwall.com/
• Instagram: @wallandwall and @kids.wallandwall
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wall-and-wall/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wall-and-wall-berkeley