We were lucky to catch up with Jes Weiner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jes, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I get asked this question, often. I have an old snap back cap that I’ve worn to keep paint out of my hair for years. Someone asked me if the hat was magic after noticing that I wore it every time I was painting. That interaction became the rebrand. I had been trying to figure out how to rebrand for a little bit before that, already. I can never remember artists’ names even if I can see their art in my head, making it hard to find them on social media. I knew that if I was struggling to remember the names of artists, my target audience was probably having the same problem. I knew I needed something catchy and memorable. That’s how I got Magic Hat Muralist. People don’t have to “get it”, they just have to remember it, and so far, it’s been successful in that aspect.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi, I’m Jes Weiner, also known as the Magic Hat Muralist. I create custom murals for brands that want to stand out, and private collectors who want to inspire their space. I’ve been creative from a young age, and won some regional Art competitions in Texas while in High School. I majored in stage painting and set design – I’m able to paint quickly, at scale, and with emotion.

One of my mottos is that “Art Is For Everyone” and I love getting to help businesses commission thought provoking, interactive art for their staff, customers and communities.

In a world of digital overload and information overwhelm, I believe businesses and brands can use hand painted murals and logos to stand out and connect with customers and communities in a way that is timeless and sets them apart from their competitors.

One of my favorite murals, and a great example of this, is a Mylar Balloon that spells “SMILE” on the outside of a pediatric dentists office. You may not think about posting a selfie at your child’s dentist typically – but Dr. Glass’ office is different. Not only do his clients take photos with the “SMILE” balloon and tag his business in their social media posts, people who aren’t even customers will travel to the location to take a photo. Talk about awareness! I did another Mylar Balloon campaign for a hair salon in Texarkana, where we painted gold Mylar balloons, spelling the town name, and created a photo op mural outside their salon. People from all over the country tag me in photos, it’s incredible to see the reach these murals have.

This is a one time expense, and yet it gives to the community, and engages customers in a way that is totally unique and multi-sensory, while also inviting your customers to join your story – sharing your message or your art together, is incredibly powerful.

I see a lot of muralists currently selling AI designed pieces as their own, and I must confess, it is deeply troubling and unsettling. I appreciate the use of technology to streamline processes and accelerate manual tasks, but I believe that not only is it painfully obvious to other artists and consumers that the work isn’t human designed, it lacks authenticity and personality, in my opinion. Further – I believe the rise of AI ‘art’ has convinced me that we need the human soul, the mind, emotions, experiences of the artist – to truly have meaningful art, and expression. This may be controversial, but I believe that the rise of effortless creation by AI will make handmade, slow, imperfect art even more valuable.

I also love creating murals for private collectors. Hand painted murals are wonderful ways to communicate emotion, give a sense of place, and inspire creativity. I love painting nurseries and kids rooms, do a lot of fitness rooms and think it adds such a unique touch to a home, or one of my favorites – a conversation piece for parties!

I believe that many of us in the consumer and digital age are overwhelmed by MORE stuff and crave the authentic, unique and handcrafted, and it’s such a joy to be able to provide that in a collaborative way in the spaces that people spend most of their time in.

One of the things that I believe is unique about my business is that I can complete work very quickly – we’re turning projects around at what feels like light speed, sometimes in the same week. I want people to know that just because a project is custom, doesn’t mean it has to take forever!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

This turned into my full time business on my biggest project – I was 6 weeks postpartum with my youngest and I was painting a giant logo with the use of a 40ft tall bucket truck. I had done a number of smaller projects for businesses or private collectors, but this was really when I started to get attention.

I would paint for a while, get down from the bucket and feed the baby, and then get back up and paint. I have three hilarious spunky children, and I love them very much, but that transition from full time Mom to full time Mom and full time Muralist has been a wild ride – I am thankful for my family and for the opportunity to create for so many cool people.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I get most of my clients from Socal Media. It’s a tough and time consuming part of my business, but it’s a way for me to connect with people en masse, at scale, and show who I am, what I’m like and how I work. In a word, it enables authenticity in a way that you could only get if you were with me on site. That’s what’s fun – I get to invite you into that process.

I try to post everyday, not always art related content. I have ADHD, and was diagnosed late, as many other women have been. I try to share my wins and my struggles in a way that makes other artists feel seen and heard, while also trying to explain to my neurotypical friends, family and clients the way our brains work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mhmurals.com
• Instagram: @magichatmuralist
• Facebook: Magic Hat Muralist