Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Holmes.
Andrea, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a mural artist, author, and creative entrepreneur based in McKinney, and honestly, my path into murals happened somewhat unexpectedly. I’ve always been creative and artistic, but I started painting murals in 2020 when the world shut down. During that time, I began painting uplifting messages on the windows of closed businesses in Downtown McKinney as a way to bring a little joy and connection to people during such a strange and difficult season. One of the stores I painted had graffiti on the side of the building, and I offered to paint over it. That became my very first exterior mural, a 100-foot-long piece featuring native Texas birds, plants, and flowers. I had no idea at the time that it would completely change the direction of my life and career.
Since then, murals have taken me all over the country and internationally. What started as a local project turned into large-scale public art installations, corporate commissions, mural festivals, speaking engagements, and opportunities I never imagined I would have. I’m currently working on my 100 Bird Mural Project, where my goal is to paint one hundred bird-inspired murals around the world: ten in Texas, one in every U.S. state, and forty-one internationally. Each mural is inspired by the local community, culture, and environment of the place where it’s painted. So far, the project has taken me from Hilo to Vienna to Carson City, and I’m currently on mural number seven.
Along the way, I’ve also expanded into other creative projects. I co-wrote a book called Art Makes Magic, I teach and speak about marketing and self-promotion for artists, and I unexpectedly launched a successful product business after a viral video featuring my Travel Sticker Suitcase artwork reached millions of people online. That experience taught me to stay open to opportunities, even the ones I never planned for.
At the core of everything I do is the desire to create artwork that makes people feel something. I love transforming blank walls into places that spark joy, curiosity, conversation, and connection. It’s still surreal to me that something that started with painting windows during a difficult time has grown into a career that allows me to travel, tell stories through art, and leave little pieces of beauty around the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. From the outside, murals can look really glamorous because people mostly see the finished artwork and the travel photos, but there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don’t realize. This career is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. I’ve worked in 100+ degree Texas heat for weeks at a time, climbed countless ladders and scaffolding, and even fallen off scaffolding before. I’ve painted through exhaustion, wind, rain, sore muscles, and days where my body was screaming at me to stop. Murals are not just painting. They’re construction, logistics, problem-solving, project management, client management, marketing, social media, bookkeeping, sales, scheduling, travel planning, and customer service all rolled into one job.
One of the biggest challenges has honestly been juggling every aspect of running a business while also trying to stay creative. As an artist, you want your energy to go into creating, but as a business owner, there are contracts, emails, invoices, revisions, taxes, proposals, grant applications, social media content, and endless behind-the-scenes work that no one sees. There have been seasons where I felt completely stretched thin trying to do everything myself while also being a mom and navigating major life changes like divorce, moving, health struggles, and the emotional weight of trying to hold everything together at once.
Client relationships can also be challenging at times. Most clients are wonderful, but public art and murals are incredibly collaborative, and sometimes expectations shift during the process. I’ve had projects where the scope slowly expanded far beyond the original agreement, clients who struggled to trust the artistic process, or situations where revisions became overwhelming. Learning how to set boundaries, communicate my value, and protect my time has been one of the biggest growth areas for me as both an artist and a business owner.
There’s also a vulnerability that comes with creating art publicly. When you paint murals, people watch you while you work. They comment, critique, ask questions, and sometimes offer opinions while you’re forty feet up on a lift trying to focus. You have to develop a thick skin while still staying open and creative.
At the same time, many of the hardest moments have shaped who I am and pushed me toward opportunities I never would have found otherwise. I think a lot of my work is rooted in resilience, joy, and connection because I know what it feels like to move through difficult seasons and still try to create beauty anyway. That’s probably why birds became such a strong symbol in my work. They represent freedom, movement, perseverance, and hope. Even with all the struggles, I still feel incredibly grateful that I get to do this for a living.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a mural artist, author, and creative entrepreneur, and I specialize in large-scale murals that combine storytelling, nature, and community connection. I’m probably best known for my bird murals and my 100 Bird Mural Project, where my goal is to paint one hundred bird-inspired murals around the world. The project includes ten murals in Texas, one in every U.S. state, and forty-one internationally. Each mural is inspired by the local environment, history, culture, and personality of the place where it’s painted. Birds became the thread that ties the entire project together because they symbolize freedom, resilience, movement, and connection. No matter where you are in the world, birds exist there too.
A lot of my work focuses on transforming ordinary or overlooked spaces into something meaningful and joyful. I love taking a blank wall, underpass, alleyway, or building and turning it into a landmark that people feel connected to. My murals often include native birds, wildflowers, plants, and local symbolism woven together in a way that feels vibrant, uplifting, and rooted in place. I’ve painted everything from giant public art installations and corporate murals to community-focused projects and mural festivals across the country and internationally.
I’m also known for creating artwork that feels approachable and emotionally connected. I want people to smile when they see my work. I want them to stop, take a photo, point something out to a friend, or feel proud of the place where they live. I think public art has the power to change how people experience a space and even how they feel emotionally moving through it.
One thing that sets me apart is that I combine artistry with storytelling and strategy. I don’t just paint pretty images on walls. I spend a lot of time thinking about the purpose of a mural, the audience interacting with it, the history of the space, and how the artwork can create connection and impact for the community or business. I also think my background in marketing and entrepreneurship has helped me approach murals differently. I understand branding, placemaking, tourism, and social media visibility, so I’m always thinking about how a mural can become both meaningful and memorable.
I’m most proud of building a career that didn’t really exist for me before I created it. A few years ago, I had never painted an exterior mural, and now my work has taken me across the country and internationally. I’m proud that I’ve been able to turn creativity into a sustainable business while also creating artwork that genuinely brings people joy. I’m especially proud of the way the 100 Bird Mural Project has grown because it represents something much bigger than me. It’s become a way to connect communities, tell stories through nature, and leave little pieces of beauty around the world.
How do you think about happiness?
Painting makes me happy more than anything else. I don’t feel quite right if I’m not creating something. Painting feels grounding for me. It’s how I process emotions, connect with people, and make sense of the world around me. Even when it’s physically exhausting or challenging, I still feel happiest when I’m covered in paint and working on something meaningful.
My friends are also a huge source of happiness in my life. They’ve been my lifeline through some really difficult seasons, and I honestly don’t know where I would be without them. I deeply value connection, laughter, and feeling understood, and I’m incredibly lucky to have friends who are supportive, encouraging, and genuinely show up for one another.
Laughing with my daughter is probably one of the purest forms of joy I experience. Some of my favorite moments are the small, silly ones that aren’t planned at all. I also have a goofy little Brussels Griffon named Mr. Whiskers who makes me laugh constantly. He has so much personality and somehow manages to make even stressful days feel lighter.
I’m happiest when I’m experiencing beauty, wonder, and curiosity. I love birding, animals, traveling, hiking, reading, and learning about different places and cultures. Travel especially inspires me because it reminds me how big and fascinating the world is. I think awe and wonder are incredibly important, and I actively try to seek them out in everyday life, whether that’s through a beautiful landscape, an interesting conversation, sunshine coming through the window, or fresh-cut flowers sitting on my kitchen table.
I also really love good food, slow moments, nature, and being outside. Sunshine genuinely changes my mood. Hiking, hearing birds, seeing wildflowers, and spending time in nature helps me reconnect with myself. A lot of the things that make me happiest are actually pretty simple, but they make life feel rich and meaningful to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aholmesartstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aholmesartstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aholmesartstudio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aholmesartstudio
