Painted inside the women’s restroom at Imurj in April 2018, Ladies Night grew out of the charcoal drawings I had been making during the venue’s Tuesday night Drink & Draw sessions and from the vibrant creative community that filled the space. More than anything, the mural became my visual way of saying: y’all are welcome here.

The mural was inspired by the people, energy, and events that made Imurj feel alive. As I painted, the work continued to evolve in response to the space around me. Certain figures were shaped by conversations, exhibitions, performances, and community that regularly used the venue, allowing the mural to reflect not only my imagination, but the living culture of Imurj itself.

Though modest in scale and painted on a wheelchair-accessible metal stall wall, Ladies Night challenged me in meaningful ways. At the time, painting people was still an area of growth for me, so building a crowd scene required patience, layering, and trust in the process.

Ladies Night marked an important turning point in my mural journey. It translated the observational drawings I had been making at Imurj into mural form and gave me a chance to create a work that reflected not only my visual style, but also my values around inclusion, warmth, and representation. It was also proof that a mural does not need to live on a giant exterior wall to matter.

Title: Ladies Night
Size: 6' h x 6' w
Site/City: Imurj, 300 S. McDowell St., Raleigh, NC 
Medium: Acrylic paint on a gessoed metal stall wall.
Date: April 2018.