Southern Murals feat. Mallory Gilbreath

A fairly new addition to tourism sites is a list of murals in the city that you may be visiting for great photo ops. Today we are sitting down with a friend who is behind the paintbrush on some of those murals and portraits. Meet us at the table as we sit with our friend Mallory Gilbreath. 

I'm Lainie. And I'm Laura Beth. And we are Steel Magnolias, the strength of steel with the grace of a magnolia. We are here to have uplifting conversations about life in the south.  And we've got plenty of room at our table. So pull up a chair 

Well, today we are sitting at the kitchen table with our good friend, Mallory Gilbreath. She's an Alabama native, beautiful 22 year old lady and Auburn University senior studying health services and administration. We first met Mallory and her family when she was just six years old. They lived in the Middle Tennessee area and we love this family. So yeah, I feel like love isn't just such an underestimate we any chance we can be with any member of this family. In fact, if we had more microphones, we would just get the whole family on on the show today, because they're all very interesting and very deep, deep Southerners. So I do remember Mallory from six years old, because we walked with her through her formative years. So it's really exciting to be sitting here today with Mallory, and we did even watch a little bit of her progression in paint. That's right, but I don't want to give too much away. I want her to tell the story. So Mallory, Welcome to the show. Tell us tell us about just kind of how you got in to painting and then how in the world did it evolve into murals?

Yeah. Okay, so I feel like painting and art has like always been a really big part of my life. My mom has always really loved painting. And I think some of my first memories of just painting and art was like when we lived in Alabama, we, you know, obviously we lived in Nashville for many years. But Alabama was where I was born and lived up until I guess four or five years old. But my mom she used to always paint on like everything she would paint before I even knew it was a mural was she used to do murals in my bedroom. I remember specifically she painted a big, like princess castle, and I was so upset because she wouldn't let me help her as like a four year old obviously, I would have like completely ruined it. But um, so definitely, just like my mom has, like, had a huge like influence on just like my love for art and painting. And so yeah, I guess I would say that's right. It really first started cool, like watching her. So you started dabbling around. And then were you drawn to like still life kinds of things or landscapes or like where did it go?  I always say faces have always been like my favorite thing ever, even when I was little like all my little sketchbooks when I was young, it was all faces especially like specifically Eyes. Eyes. Were always like the thing that I like first started really drawing on people. Okay, I love it. I still do it a lot.  And you're incredible at it. Thank you. And so yeah, we saw a gifting pretty early, you know, unusual gifting. Yeah. I remember even go into the forest with you when you were you were a teenager at that point. Yes. Just trying to sow into that gift. The Frist Museum? Yeah.  Okay. And so how does it go from eyes to huge canvas.

So, because I am very blown away at the size of some of the stuff that you're doing, it was okay. It was really random. It really was like such a God thing. So throughout like middle school and high school, I was really just like, kind of doing it. Like for myself. I just did it just out of a place of just like, love for doing it. You know, it's such like a relaxing thing for me. And I remember I got my first commission piece when I was like 13 or 14 years old. And I was like ecstatic. I had like, made it so big. And I was painting I think the guy had asked me to draw, it was two poodles is there to him and his wife's two dogs. It was like for her birthday or something. And I thought like I was like, famous, so cool. But after that, I mean, I would just get like random commissioned pieces. And then one of my best friends her mom is actually an interior designer in Nashville. So when I was I think I was around 18 or 19 and she just randomly messaged me, I grew up with her daughter. So she knew that I love to paint and she was like, hey, like I'm working on this space, I have this massive wall. And I think like a giant painting would look amazing.So I was living in Alabama at the time, and she was in. She was in Nashville. And so I hadn't seen her a lot. And so I was like, I don't even know if she really knows, like, what style or Yeah, or even just like, if I'm still good at painting, you know, I had no idea but she just trusted me to do it. And after that, I just started posting on social media. I was working with her. And some people that she'd put me in contact with and through that I've just been able to share on social media and I've gotten a lot of just expanded clientele. So it's been good.  

Okay, tell us about that. First one. Do you remember what it was? So it was the unit that she was designing for? It was casino themed. And so I think it said rolling on Hi. Wait, gosh, I can't remember the exact word gambling that it was. Yeah, it had like the casino table. I think it was it had a guitar hat. It was it was so fun. Honestly, one of my favorite ones. That sounds so cool. Yes. It all sounds hard. I'm one that like is an appreciator of art. But I get nervous playing when loser draw. So this whole thing of painting a mural is so out of my league. It was very intimidating. It was funny because like, I had no idea what I was doing. It was just one of those things I just said yes. I asked my best friend to go with me and we went up. We had no idea what we were doing. And like literally as I was pulling out my parents, they were like, Okay, did you remember like tape measure A pencil like all this stuff? And I was like do I need a ladder? Yeah, no, seriously, like, I forgot, like all of the major stuff. So it's been a lot of just like trial and error. But yeah, it's it's been such a fun journey. That's a good point. Because yeah, we got to talk a little bit about not just the size being more paint, but that is you on a ladder. These are inside murals that we're doing now you've done some outdoor to i Yes, I've done a few outdoor, not as many though it’s a ladder. Yeah, what other kinds of things are your it's a lot of very, like, technical stuff. I would say like a lot of math, I was actually really surprised just trying to get everything centered. You know, you have to measure the wall, measure the space and also just like to scale things.

Okay, so funny, because you know how I'm often like, oh, some of the things we have to learn in school really don't matter. But actually, they actually do matter, even as an artist and he wouldn't think you know, there's a lot of math with painting. But when you're doing like these really big murals, there definitely is a lot that goes into it. So wow,

I see you have a ladder usually bring Yes, I normally

do a ladder, I do have a projector I use for especially lettering, sometimes I don't always use that. But that has really come in handy because a lot of these trips that I do for interior designers who's doing the Airbnbs I'm doing like four or five a day one. So it's a lot because I'm only here for like, you know, two or three days at a time because I'm living in Auburn right now. So I use a projector that helps things go by a lot faster. For sure.  So you're talking about projecting the image onto the wall and then you can kind of trace around use your sketch it or that we honestly just for scale, like especially lettering, okay? Because if not, you'd have to like a level is one thing that I use a time just getting like the level lines. But to scale, it makes sure everything's the right width and height and all the things so oh my goodness, yeah.  And all the different fonts. I'm just blown away. And then you mentioned bringing a friend so I can see how that could be hugely helpful. Because otherwise you're up and down the ladder getting what you need. Yeah, every single time.

Yeah, it's funny, because I think that every person I brought none of them have had any, like past experience, like painting or anything. So that's been fun to just being able to like have that experience like with some of my really good friends. It's been so fun. But um, yeah, but no, it has definitely been huge just having that helper, because it's like what you said like if I'm up on a ladder, just having to not get up and down having them being able to like hand me stuff and a lot of what they had them do is just like do fulfill in

Yeah. 

Yes, yes. That’s what I was saying. I was like, I began to fill in some solids. Yeah, you know, you've already lined something, you know, I'm not doing any border work and anything

feeling like you're calm.

It's so funny too, because they'll like text me like after we've done a mural and they'll be like, I'm sitting here looking at this mural and I'm looking at their lines making sure they're straight line you start to notice I kind of do like paint a few of them. Now you’ve done these in several places. Tell us about a few of your favorites.

Okay, so I think my favorite one ever it was asked actually where I was born, which is Boaz, Alabama, it's actually a city like right outside. It's my my uncle's car dealership. It's a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Albertville. It is the biggest mural I've ever done. It was eight foot tall. And I want to say it was like 13 or 15 foot wide it was. So it was up, like above their office doors. And so I got to get like a lift. And I had my little cousin Mia helped me with that one. And so just having that experience of like doing it for my family and having family help with that one. It was so much fun. And then obviously just the size of it. So, so what did that one look like that one had a had a ram truck on one side and then a Jeep Wrangler on the other, and then their logo in the middle. And it was it was amazing. I got to design it with my uncle. And so that was really fun. Is it still up? Yeah, if you drive by you can actually see it through the windows. That's cool. Um, but I will say another one. I just was super, I was so grateful when I had this opportunity. But I got to paint for kittenish in Dallas, Texas, and also at their Tampa Bay location. Their main location is actually here in Nashville. And so they actually found me on Tiktok because I would always like tag Nashville for all this and so that's how I got that job. But that was amazing, too.

What did that one look? What did those look like?

So the one in Texas, it was a big cowgirl hat that's like visually get like a lot of paint a lot of pink. They love the pink. Yeah, so they had a pink mechanical bull brought in and so their idea was to have to have the people like sit on the bowl and then have this cowgirl hat like kinda look like they're wearing it. And I was so cute. I think it said like, How do y'all I'm trying to get what it said. But um, and then the other one is just said Dallas stole my heart. And then we did heart ropes on that one sending the Tampa one was the same. It was Tampa Bay on my heart and it had palm leafs. That's kind of like there's your mural is actually one that's really popular here in Nashville. At their Nashville location. I didn't do this one. They've had it for years, but it was the pink heart balloons. The Nashville stole my heart. Have you seen it? I feel like a lot of like bachelorette parties go and take photos? Of course they do. Yeah.  Do you like giving somebody your opinion on what would be good? Or do you like, just tell me what you want? And I'll do it.

I would say definitely both because I know that I don't have the same style as you know everybody else. But like, if there is something I'm like that I just don't think it's gonna work out. I will tell them and like, Maybe we should try this instead? Or have you considered maybe doing this differently? So it just kind of depends. Yeah, I would say I do try to give my opinion.

Now I'm thinking about it. And I do know some of the places are probably more private. So you wouldn't necessarily see a lot of people taking a picture with your mural, but there are places that like whether it be an Airbnb or like a store or something. Have you seen anybody post a picture with your mural?

I have. Okay, so for the Kittenish one that was one thing that was really cool about that one was because they are a pretty big brand and so they had like a ton of people take photos with it. And so they haven't necessarily like tagged me or anything but just being able to see it through the Kittenish pages has been like so cool. I will like show it to my friend I wrote with him like look, we did this. That's amazing. We know

that would weird me out like I feel like that would be like that author you know, in a coffee shop seeing somebody read your book, or like hearing your song in a coffee shop.

Come on. Yeah, store something and people knowing it.

Yeah, so just even seeing that was like a dream come true. I'm like, This is insane. You know, that's so fun.

I love it. 

So do you. Are you open to painting more outdoor because I feel like the outdoor murals are totally on the rise. Yeah, so I feel like outdoor murals are a whole different ballpark. Honestly, you just have to think of like prepping the wall sealing the wall, getting all the supplies to like, get up to the wall if you do that, you know. So I would definitely be great. Sounds great. No, seriously, it's true. Especially it down in the south whether Yeah, so you have to consider all those kind of things, but I wouldn't be open to it. I think it'd be awesome. Yeah. And so to obviously be more visible, so I think that would be really cool.

Okay, well, it's a good thing. You're so good at painting faces because you've done a lot of Nashville Musicians and Country artists. Yeah, yes.

So I have that's one of my favorite things I've been able to do as of late. I feel like that's definitely been something I've been working on more recently. Even like this past year, I was able to do a few murals that had I did one with Chris Stapleton that I loved.  It is so good. It was so fun that was for Airbnb unit that was a mural and then also Morgan Wallen love doing him. And then recently I've been working on a collection for an exhibit coming to Pigeon Forge, and it's a bunch of different country legends. I've had Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton and Brooks and Dunn and I have a few more I'm going to be working on as well.

So can you say who the others are? Or is that still kind of up in the air?

Shania Twain will be next. She's iconic. My favorite country legend ever. I have a few other people I'm thinking about doing but I'm really not for sure. Okay. Next George Strait. Maybe Alan Jackson. I have a few names few names in the bucket. But hey, okay, so yeah, tell us a little bit about this Pigeon Forge exhibit Pigeon Forge being in East Tennessee, close to Gatlinburg and Knoxville in Smoky Mountains. So it's definitely a very highly trafficked, tourist stop. So is this at a gallery, something that you're doing?

Okay, so it is a private collection. So his name is Kobe, Kobe Grier. He's the one that's opening it. And he was in the music industry for years in Nashville. And so he was able to collect a lot of artifacts from country legends such as like Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Johnny Cash, a lot of really familiar names. And so he's just opening up this exhibit. And he randomly reached out a few months ago and just asked me if I would be interested in painting, you know, country legends to sell it his Exhibit. And I was like, This is amazing. So wow, it's such a cool opportunity. I'm very excited about it.

So when you get to go to see I mean, obviously you'll have there'll be some delivery, but we get to see, I guess the

Yes. Open Yeah, for the public. So okay, we'll definitely be making a trip to go visit. I'm so excited to see what he's got going on there. And obviously excited to have my paintings there as well.

So how many will you have, like 10? Ish?

I'm not sure.

I've seen you doing a lot towards this. You did a video on Instagram where you were sort of sharing it.  I’ve posted three so far. Three, the diaper and Johnny are Yeah, Johnny Cash. And then Brooks and Dunn. I don't really know how this is all brand new to me just figuring out like, just like the business side of it. And also just how many paintings I want to do in this collection. So I'm definitely just taking it painting by painting. But we'll see if it does. Well. I might end up doing more or completely different collection. I have no idea. Wow. Yeah. Who knows where the path will go? Right?

So what's it going to look like? Then down the road? You're going to be graduating from Auburn is Yeah. Are you going to stick with murals? Are you going into health? Trusting God one day at a time that yeah, no, right now I am just really trusting the Lord. I'm planning on moving back to where my family lives, which is in Northern Alabama. I do hope I'll be able to open up a like, like a private studio. I think that's something that I could definitely see happening within the next few years. And just having that space to do like canvases and such. I do want to keep murals definitely just happening. But I just don't know how how often I have no idea. I'm just honestly, well, that requires travel. So that's a little different than being able to have your roots and paint when you can write since you kind of go Yeah, so true. 

So what does happen if you mess up? Like if you are like, this isn't working? Or like big? Oops, you know, you just totally did something that you didn't intend to do. Yeah, what do you do?

Okay, so I actually love that question. Because one thing that I live by when I paint, this is something my mom has always told me like, since I was super little is that you can never mess up a painting. You can never mess up a painting because you can always just paint over it. And so I've kind of just stuck by that and so if I mess up, I just paint over it and try again. Okay, yeah, had to paint like a lot over like, have you like gotten far in and then been like, this is so small or this is way too big or whatever.

I would say if you prepare pretty well, especially if it's going up on a wall, I would say I haven't had that many incidents where I've had to like cover up a ton. Obviously, you know, you do have the mess ups of just like getting outside the line a little bit or the nose is too wide or too narrow. Yeah, that's sort of intimidating because now I'm thinking about it even more detailed and I'm thinking in some of these places. If they have books to have an interior designer than they have books to probably have a specialty paint they've put on the wall.

Oh, right. You might mess up. I see what you're saying. Yeah, you so you are brave.But you're also very gifted so I know you know what you're doing but that's intimidating to that prep. I can See why that would be huge and why you're using the level and using the math because you want to get the scale, right.

It always pays that you can prepare easily redo right? Yeah. Like you can redo a messed up little piece but not scale.

Yes, for sure. I would say honestly like with most murals, it goes more into the prep work of just measuring and getting all that set up than it does actually putting paint on the wall.

Yeah, that is funny because even just as an as a just painting a wall, a solid color. It's the prep, that's the hard part, filling in the holes. Taping.  Im usually so excited to just start. I'm like, No, I don't need to tape off because I'm precise. And then it's dripping all over the baseboard. And I'm like, yeah, why did I not tape off? 

Okay, Mallory, what would you say to somebody that's into this in terms of like their own interest in painting? They're like, I want to do murals. I'm good. Or, you know, I'm interested in this. How do people get into it?  It fell in your lap. So you didn't really know how to pursue it. Yeah, right. That is your first one. Do you know anyone else that does this? I honestly don't know anybody personally, that does murals. I would say like, just when launching like an art career, I would say just social media has been the biggest help for me. Posting to Tik Tok especially has gotten me a lot of different jobs. That has helped a lot. So just sharing and just honestly just loving what you do. Yeah. I've always tried to like live by that. I've just like, loving art and painting so much to where if like, I don't get jobs that I want. Or maybe I'm not selling paintings, like I'm wanting to, like, it's okay, because I'm doing it because I love it kind of thing. Yeah. I was like, you know, an artists such a personal style thing, that you're just doing what you love, And on social media, if somebody else loves it. Yeah, they say that's the style I want. Right? In my store or in my Yeah, on my wall, and you're in an age group, because you're 22. So you do your videos really well, like you put the great music to it. And you know, what kind of clip to go grab and it doesn’t hurt that she's quite lovely as well.

So I would even say if somebody's listening, and they don't know those avenues very well, then just get somebody to help you. Because I echo what you say, there's so much that people discover, especially in your type of field. That's so visual.  Right. Social media. So I do think if there's somebody listening that's like, I'm not on Tic Tok, and I don't plan to be or I don't, you know,

I just want to paint, well get somebody to help you do that. Go find a 22 year old that, that knows their stuff to help kind of actually so bad at social media. Honestly. I don't know, since I've started, like posting I need to get better at it. Honestly, just figuring out is just been another thing where it's like trial and error, just figuring out what works. But yeah, well, I think your joy comes through in the posts that I've seen where you can tell you're having fun. Oh yeah, you're doing I love it so much. Yeah, that's I'm so glad you said that because it makes me want to be a mural painter and I have no business being a painter. But yeah, you it comes through that you're just like, oh, I want to do that. Yeah, it's fun. Yeah, I do get with friends too. Like I'm telling you, it's just such a cool experience being able to have that with them. And I'm taking my mom I'm taking my grandpa on a trip actually. Taking all sorts of people but it's been so great.

Is there is there anything that you're hoping that you get asked still to paint whether that be a person or a place or

honestly, this is just, you know, Dreaming Out Loud.  Dream big. If you don't like Dolly Parton saw the painting of her that would be a dream come true. That had tons of people like tagging, tagging her tagging Miley Cyrus, you know, because Dolly is her godmother Yeah. So we'll see. I mean, it's gonna

she's also a guest for us as well.

Yes, clearly. So yes, the dolly piece that you mentioned is going to be a part of that Pigeon Forge event and we'll dig up some more information to put in the show notes when people when that might be opening or when people are going to be able to the public come see that.

All right, so Mallory, I'm curious. You're a lifetime southerner. What are some of your favorite places in the south that could be a place you vacation to place a city you really liked or anything?  Yeah, I love the South. I love so many different elements of the South but I would say probably my favorite is just the farms. My grandparents had a huge cattle farm growing up yeah. So now every time I see one, whether in Alabama or just anywhere in the south, it just It just feels like home. So just seeing that.

Yeah. Well, Mallory, we can't thank you enough for sitting down with us and sharing your talents with the world. Where can people find you so that they can live vicariously through you pretend that they too are a mural painter? Yeah. So I do have a Facebook page, but don't use it, use it as my I'm most active on my Instagram account. It's MallK Artistry now with two L's and then I also have a tick tok account. And that's Mall Katherine, and also two L's and then Katherine with a K.  

She's 22. So she's not on Facebook very well.  I need to get better. My dad's always pushing in. I'm like, I don't know how to work.  Your dad wants it to be on Facebook so that he can share it and show you off to his friends who are also on Facebook. Well, yes, we will link to all of that in our show notes. 

All right, well, thank you again, and we want to just end by saying peace be with you Mallory, and also with y’all!