Six artists, three weeks, three shipping containers, one Muralthon. Six new murals mark a step forward for Muralgarten, a unique destination that will combine public art and native plantings adjacent to The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls. The vision of Eric Unkauf (owner of The Shirt Factory) with the support of a board including Tom Myott, Hannah Williams, Kendra Farstad, and Matthew Martindale, Muralgarten seeks to give artists the creative freedom to paint what they want, in the style that they want.
We’re excited to introduce you to the talented artists behind Muralthon’s six murals, starting with Lexi Hannah, whose jungle inspired mural sits opposite Rock Hill Bakehouse!
Tell us about yourself!
I’m a full-time artist specializing in commissioned artwork, murals, and live event painting. My studio is at Albany Barn. I feel incredibly grateful and lucky to support myself with my artwork! I’ve been connected to Hannah Williams for a long time via social media, and she introduced me to Muralgarten. Having grown up in Latham, I've explored the Adirondacks, but I've never really come to know Glens Falls the way I do now. It's so satisfying to see the great artwork popping up around town, and I'm excited to see Muralgarten's plans take shape.
On Becoming an Artist
I’ve been painting pretty constantly since I was very young, but I was commissioned for my first mural in 2011 — my first big artist gig! I was asked to create a custom mural for the SUNY Geneseo gym, which led to many more murals there. I started taking painting commissions of everything from portraits to animals to landscapes, and I eventually was featured by outlets like Insider, Instagram, and Sony, which really helped my career take off (they took interest in my “drip paintings” of colorful animals, which played into my mural design’s inspiration). I’ve been fortunate in having a steady stream of clients since then, which allows me to work full-time as a freelance artist — a dream come true!
On Inspiration
I’ve been painting murals for over a decade but I’ve never been granted an opportunity like this where I could play with a design of my own choosing in a public space. I wanted to make the most of the opportunity by diving into subjects that I really love to paint, and for me, that’s nature and animals. I figured a jungle would allow me to paint those kinds of objects while remaining both intentional and free with the design (for example, I could be loose with splatters and drips and still create the impression of a specific scene).
On The Process
One challenge was the heat! But it was, after all, July in upstate New York. The metal shipping container would warm up as well, which could make painting on a ladder a little spooky. I also temporarily developed some numbness in my right hand from getting a little too wild and free in flicking my arm to create paint splatters. But overall, it was just so much fun, and this experience has helped prepare me for doing future works on this type of surface. I also really loved meeting all the locals while painting the mural!
A Glens Falls Favorite
I’m vegan, so I was stoked to discover the amazing Rock Hill Bakehouse right behind my mural spot! Their food is awesome, and the staff is wonderful!
