January 2019 Artist of the Month - Judith Ely

​I want to share my experience that I have recently had with mural painting in Charlottesville. This is my third mural opportunity but first one to be outdoors.  
Here are some thoughts on the experience. First of all, I love the physicality of the work. Climbing on ladders and scaffolding does not bother me. And I enjoy working outdoors. Secondly, I don't mind the paint-by-number aspect of actually painting what is planned on the wall which follows the preliminary painting of the scene. These are two considerations which anyone who might want to do mural painting should keep in mind.
I began by meeting with the Tiger Fuel representative, Rex Legg, to survey the location, a car wash on a busy city street. Deciding the size and location on the wall was to be the hiring party's choice, of course, but offering advice is a big help to them for what may actually work and will look good. I came away from the meeting with an idea of the size and of what the party wanted on the wall which was a mural of the American flag and silhouettes of first responders. I took photos of the location to gain perspective of the project.  
Here are a couple of images of the beginning of the work.