Today we’d like to introduce you to Brinley Lima.
Hi Brinley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been an artist all my life, but I didn’t turn it into a profession until 2020 when covid hit. I was working full-time at Hobby Lobby, and the pandemic furloughed me for a few months. In that time, I decided to start doing chalk art around my neighborhood. I’d offer to draw a child’s favorite Disney character or superhero for like $20. People loved the idea since they couldn’t really do much to celebrate their child’s birthdays, and it soon grew into a business. I was featured in some local magazines, and my popularity reached outside of Lantana (my neighborhood community). Eventually, some people asked if I could paint murals for their businesses and their child’s rooms. I said, “How hard could it be?” I quit my job and slowly started building my reputation in the DFW community for painting murals. God keeps sending clients my way, and I’m very thankful! Now I almost exclusively paint murals and continue to learn and grow at every project. I’m actually 5 months pregnant, haven’t stopped painting, and don’t plan on stopping painting after having the baby. My husband is really supportive of what I do, and I know I won’t be able to do it without him; I’m excited for this coming season of being a first-time mom and how to navigate those changes in my business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The hardest part is getting out there. There are a ton of people out there even more talented than I am, but people don’t know about them, or they don’t have the means/drive to promote themselves. I was able to get my name out there through meeting a ton of nice people, social media, tagging my name everywhere that I drew, and using lead-generating apps (they ain’t cheap though!). But if you look in the right places, there are tons of resources available now to muralists/artists to grow your business than there were 5-10 years ago. You also can’t be too hard on yourself. It’s easy to compare your work or business to someone else’s, especially on social media. It’s also easy for people to look down on you for being young (and sometimes I look like 16 years old even though I’m 23). You need to know your worth and be confident in it. Another struggle was learning how to step back. I used to pull all-nighters to get artwork done. Now I have boundaries to protect me and my mental health. For example, I rarely work weekends and rarely work after 6 pm. The year that I put those boundaries into place was my most successful year.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run Brinley Ash Designs! A mural art business with a vision to transform spaces into fun environments. Murals are so special because they can be installed anywhere and content whatever content you want. Most popular spots for painting murals are usually in restaurants, coffee shops, offices, bathrooms, gyms/sports facilities, apartments, and Airbnbs. I tend to target commercial businesses, but I am open to home murals as well. I’m proud of every mural I have accomplished and the relationships I’ve gotten to build with clients along the way. I also think I’ve hit a sweet spot of perfectionism and efficiency. Many people are surprised how quickly it takes to paint my murals. I also tend to have a lot of variety within my murals. Throughout my portfolio, you will see a range of different styles to accommodate differing client styles.
What matters most to you?
Doing what God is leading me to do matters most to me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I use my time to paint as a time of worship and learning more about him. Every time I paint a mural, I grow closer to God, and he keeps bringing me clients, so I know I’m on the right track! It’s such a joy being able to transform spaces. Seeing the before and after and the encouragement along the way is awesome. It’s awesome seeing the joy in the clients’ face when it’s done.
Contact Info:
- Website: brinleyashdesigns.com
- Instagram: @brinleyashdesigns
- Facebook: @brinleyashdesigns
Image Credits
@austinscottphotography
