Today we’d like to introduce you to Brent Muir.
Hi Brent, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born in the country and raised on a dairy farm in Northwestern Pennsylvania with my parents and older sisters. Despite being immersed in the farming community, I gravitated toward art from a young age. My parents channeled and supported my creativity with countless classes and endless art supplies. After graduating from high school with a certificate in vocational commercial art, I was diagnosed with cancer. My cancer diagnosis changed my trajectory a bit, but it never deterred me from pursuing my career in the arts.
Sarah and I got married and started a family during our college years. Our 1st son was born in 2001 and I became a stay-at-home dad for his 1st year. During that time, I pursued freelance graphic design in the bmx and skateboard industries and obtained several large contracts for murals and commissioned art. After several years of freelance work, I started work in the screen-printing industry as lead artist for a local business. Our family continued to grow- at first with another biological son and a daughter, and as parents to dozens of children in the foster care system. We eventually adopted four more children into our home, making us parents to seven children.
After 13 years in the screen-printing business and a lifetime of freelance art work, I began tattooing in 2015. This new art medium was very challenging and rewarding, and it allowed me to expand my creative portfolio. Although we were well established in our personal and professional lives, we began to feel pressed under the weight of our years of working within the foster care system, the effects of the pandemic, and the darkness of Pennsylvania winters.
We moved from rural northwestern Pennsylvania to North Myrtle Beach in November of 2022. We left a lot of great memories and experiences in exchange for a fresh start. The move hasn’t always been easy but the benefits have been worth it. I have been inspired by the beauty of the South, and I look forward to creating art for the Myrtle Beach community.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Being an artist has been filled with obstacles, whether economic, lack of clientele due to location, the dreaded artist block, or many other reasons. But those obstacles create resilience and adaptability.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In the past, I’ve done everything from murals to hand-painted graphics on hot rods to tattooing; currently, I’m a painter and freelance designer. I have been focusing on portraits of people’s loved ones, whether they be of the pet or human variety. I’m proud that I’ve developed skills in various areas and have had success in them. What sets me apart is my ability to take clients, sometimes very general, ideas and turn them into something they love and are surprised by.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
This list could take up most of the article so I will consolidate it. I thank my family and friends who have supported me on this journey and all of the clients and employers who have taken a chance on me and let me make their visions a reality. Most of all, I’d like to thank my wife for standing by me through thick and thin and for believing in me the many times I didn’t believe in myself.
Pricing:
- Each piece is priced on size and intricacy
Contact Info:
- Instagram: BRENTMUIRART
- Facebook: Brent Muir Designs
