We were lucky to catch up with Tatum Bray recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tatum, 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?

I have the great fortune of being able to support myself full-time with my craft! Getting to this position was actually quite unexpected, and I’d love to share my journey.

Since I was 17 years old, I’ve tried to make a career out of my art. I sold night sky paintings, pet portraits, custom landscapes, Christmas ornaments, and even hand sewn decorative pillows. Though I made supplemental income, I could never survive solely from my art sales. I was not succeeding because of lack of focus, discipline, and over-all immaturity. After 10 years of failed businesses, I accepted that the art entrepreneur life was not for me, and I returned full-time to climb the ladder in the grocery industry.

While working at Sprouts, my store manager wanted to make some improvements in the store. He knew that I painted and asked if I could cover up one of the walls in the breakroom. It seemed like a fun project, so I accepted and got to work. The mural turned out so good that a manager from a different Sprouts wanted one in their store. After completing the second mural, I thought it would be a good idea to offer my services on online platforms.

Fast forward to today, just one year later, I have completed many murals and demand is only growing. I get clients through Thumbtack, Book an Artist, and my own website. Currently, I am working on my largest mural yet, a 2,100 square foot mural for a museum in New Mexico!

Though this success feels sudden, I have all my past failures to thank for it. I had learned so many lessons along the way, and I think growing up and maturing has allowed me to implement what I’ve learned. I believe that is the reason why my mural business has grown so quickly.

Thank you for reading :) -Tatum

Tatum, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have always sketched, painted, done crafts, etc since I could remember! Today, I focus on creating murals for residential and commercial uses. Most of my jobs focus around bringing attention to businesses or elevating spaces. I believe my strong client focus sets me apart from others. I work in depth with clients to give them the ability to bring their vision to life. I want to make sure they get exactly what they want!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I would’ve actually utilized the resources that were all around me the entire time, earlier on. Between social media, online platforms, art selling websites, clients I knew in person from my paint-and-sip job, Etsy, local art galleries, local art festivals, and many other resources, the opportunity to monetize my art was always there.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I never wanted to be an artist, I wanted to be a professional ballet dancer. I trained intensely since childhood. But I broke my foot at 18, and it was over. It was the biggest blessing in hindsight, as it is hard to make money as a dancer and it’s hard on your body. I’m in a much better industry now.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coloradomuralsandartco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coloradomuralsandartco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColoradoMuralsandArtCo