We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole Merizalde. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole below.

Nicole, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My first mural attempt was on large wood panels. I projected my design and painted in with brushes, taking my time making the cleanest work possible. Now almost two years later, I know that incorporating spray cans is the most effective and time-efficient way to tackle mural painting. Along the way I also learned alternative methods of transferring designs onto surfaces, with the doodle grid now being my go-to method. Utilizing spray cans and new transfer methods have sped up my process, and they were both essential in my growth as an artist. Looking back, I don’t think there was much else I could do to speed up that process. With the research I was doing along with volunteering and assistant gigs, I was fortunate to have developed the necessary skills fairly quickly. A huge part of my growth is owed to various Atlanta artists that taught me along the way and acted as incredible mentors.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Nicole Merizalde I am a Muralist and Multi-Media artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. I go by “ZaldePaints” on Instagram, and while my main focus is mural painting, I also enjoy working with ceramics and other various media. My work is inspired by my mixed-cultural upbringing of Colombian and Greek influences. In current and future projects, I aim to create pieces that reflect the experience of individuals that don’t feel fully accepted or included within their own racial or ethnic group. I’ve come to realize that many individuals, mixed or not, feel that they aren’t “enough” to be considered part of their culture, whether it be because of their appearance, not being fluent in a language, or a number of other reasons. These experiences can leave one without a sense community, and I hope to create work that evokes a sense of pride and ownership in one’s own identity, despite whatever societal checklist you are expected to fulfill.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Mural painting provides an extremely cathartic experience, allowing you to leave your issues behind for a while and focus on this grand task that requires all your attention and care. It is rewarding in so many ways, leaving you feeling like you can accomplish anything once you’ve overcome any challenges throughout the process. You end up with a massive piece of art that represents you and the stories you want to share with the public.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

People seem to severely underestimate how demanding mural painting can be. A lot of people seem to think it’s all fun, all the time, when it can actually be physically and mentally exhausting. There is always some kind of obstacle, whether it be lift malfunctions, unexpected limitations, extreme weather conditions, etc. The problems that arise usually require quick and creative solutions. Overcoming these issues, however, results in an even more exciting and rewarding experience. Hopefully, the more non-creatives that understand the process and the skills it requires would allow for a future where more projects are better funded and artists are respected and properly compensated.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zaldepaints/?hl=en