Meet Brian Holt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Holt.

Brian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started drawing at an early age. My mother is an artist as well, but I am the youngest of four siblings so by the time I was born she had stopped painting and had become a full-time mom. She encouraged me to draw and gave me tips when she could, but I think she would agree that I was pretty much self-taught. As I started college, she encouraged me to get a business degree instead of the art degree I wanted. I listened to her advice and it definitely helped me run a successful business for the past 21 years. One Christmas during my Sophomore year in college my mother sent me a canvas and paints with a note saying “just try it”. Up until that moment, I had been a pencil/charcoal kind of guy. I had never really tried painting but I went about turning that blank canvas into a work of art. To my surprise, it actually turned out better than I thought it would. My friends didn’t believe I painted it. It was from that moment that I knew I had to come up with a way to do this every day and make a living from painting. I didn’t want to be a “starving artist” so I brainstormed and thought how can I get people to commission my work. That is when I reached out to designers and started painting murals for residential and commercial clients. It wasn’t long before the designers were asking me to do different faux finishes as well as the murals.

Fast forward 21 years and I find myself filling 50% of my work with murals and the other 50% with faux finishes. Faux has come a long way since those early days. I’ve traded in my sea sponges and rags for plaster trowels. While there are still some of the tradition faux wood and marble that will never go out of style, most of the original faux has be replaced with real finishes like Venetian plasters, metallic plasters, glass beads and more. Today I stay busy enough that I get to hire other local artists to help me keep up with the demand. While I still work on every single project the extra help lets me complete larger jobs faster and enjoy the creative process. It has been a great career choice for me. I get to do something I love every day and I get to meet all types of cool celebrities and ball players. Last year, I got the opportunity to paint a night sky in the legendary Fox Theatre. It was a great opportunity and experience that I will always cherish.

Great, 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 biggest challenge of this job is getting inside of my client’s head so I can deliver what they want and things they never imagined. I think after 21 years I’ve gotten pretty good at it and websites like Pinterest has made the process a lot easier too. My clients simply send me a bunch of images they like and I can figure out their style and take that information and customize their design.

Please tell us about AtlantaMurals.com.
I started my business in 1998 and for the past 21 years, I have been creating one of a kind murals and finishes in new and traditional techniques. My work has been showcased in a number of local and national magazines and newspapers. I’ve been lucky enough to work in some of the nicest homes in the Southeast and my art can be seen in a number of local hospitals, theaters, restaurants, office spaces, and even city parks. I specialize in both murals and faux finishes. My murals range from corporate logos to kids murals to model train backdrops and much more. I love painting murals no matter what style or subject. The other half of the coin is faux finishes. I specialize in venetian plaster, faux wood, metallic finishes, glass beads, and complex patterns. I think the thing that sets my business apart from my competition is how much of a perfectionist I am, no detail is too small.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My father was in the military and when I was a child, we were stationed in Germany. One of my favorite childhood memories was camping around Europe. I can remember the brilliantly colored fields of tulips in Holland, the delicious foods of Germany and the breathtaking views of Switzerland. It is funny how the sense of smell is so linked to memories. Every once in a while you catch that smell floating through the air and are transported back to your childhood.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.PortlandMurals.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muralspdx/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/portlandmurals
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/portland_murals/

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