Muralist who created West Columbia centerpiece paints public art full-time
Christine Crawford, a mural artist, has painted four murals in Lexington County, including a mural for MOD Pizza and a particularly visible alleyway along State Street in West Columbia between the New Brookland Tavern and the Hideout at WeCo
Crawford said she had always been interested in art and creativity, but it wasn’t until she attended Coastal Carolina University that she took a class in painting. After college she got the opportunity to create some murals with a friend and now she works full time in her creative career.
The artist said she fell in love with the process and how bringing a wall to life brings the community and the business to life.
Crawford told the Chronicle that public art brings communities and individuals together and gushed that it brightens up the area and breathes life into dull walls with purpose, love and color. She added that public art can help generate more car, pedestrian, and visitor traffic in the places where it’s added.
West Columbia Lane is what Crawford considered her “big break.” It is part of the city’s Interactive Park, which continues into the busy city parking lot beyond, and highlights many of the city’s assets, including the Gervais Street Bridge, the Congaree River, and both State and Meeting Streets.
“I will forever be grateful and grateful to them for giving me a chance and trusting me with my vision that I had for this space,” she said. “To this day it’s still one of my favorite murals and it makes me so happy when I see people post about it or it’s on the news or in a commercial.”
Crawford’s process for creating her artwork involves an initial meeting with the client to get an idea of ​​the design they have in mind. Your next step is to get some photos for inspiration, create 2-3 mockups, touch them up if necessary, and then paint them on the wall.
According to Crawford, her niche has no niche in creating.
Finding motivation in being a creative and independent person, Crawford tells the Chronicle that she’s never worked harder in her life. She shared that her husband, family and friends are her biggest supporters and they motivate her to be better and to challenge herself.
When it comes to finding inspiration, the artist said she finds it everywhere and said she first started living on the beach. Now she finds her inspiration in her surroundings, the people she meets and her experiences.
Some words the artist used to describe her work were unique, colourful, varied and one of a kind.
She said that art is special and evokes emotions, and further mentioned that art is a vehicle to communicate different ideas and thoughts.
“[It’s] means finding beauty in life,” she said, “bringing light to dark places”
In the coming weeks, the Chronicle will continue to take a look at public art and its influence in the region, profiling more local artists.
