Photography by Summer Delashaw.
PATRON (P): What first inspired you to pursue mural art, and how did your journey as an artist begin?
Chera Brooker (CB): I grew up in a family of artists in a small town in West Texas, so I’ve been painting pretty much my whole life. I went on to major in graphic design and spent over five years working in corporate design and art direction while painting on the side. Even then, I always knew I wanted to become a full-time artist and work for myself one day.
After a trip to Nashville, Tennessee where I saw all of the murals throughout the city, it made me realize I wanted to try painting murals. I painted my first mural professionally for a friend who was opening a restaurant in Dallas, and I was instantly hooked. I could suddenly see what mural painting could become for my career as an artist. In 2022, I left my corporate job to pursue art full-time, and I haven’t looked back.
P: Your mural The Uptowner has become a recognizable piece of public art in Dallas. What inspired that project, and what story were you hoping to tell?
CB: The inspiration actually came from The New Yorker magazine. I’ve always loved their illustrated covers and the way they tell stories through artwork.
When Uptown Dallas approached me about creating a mural that celebrated the neighborhood’s lifestyle, I had the idea to create The Uptowner—almost coining a new phrase to represent someone who lives in Uptown. I wanted the mural to capture that energy and sense of place.
It also incorporates native Texas wildflowers and botanicals that grow along the nearby Katy Trail, tying the artwork directly back to the surrounding neighborhood.
P: Please tell us about the mural you created for Vincent’s at the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District. What was the creative brief and how much artistic freedom did you have in developing the concept?
CB: The mural for Vincent’s at the JW Marriott was one of the most seamless collaborations I’ve ever had. They reached out because they were already familiar with my style and knew they wanted a mural featuring Texas wildflowers and botanicals for their garden space. It was truly right up my alley, so from the beginning we were completely aligned.
It was actually the first design process I’d had in a long time where the client didn’t request any revisions. They approved the first concept, and we moved straight into painting.
Since then, that mural has blossomed into additional branding opportunities and creative collaborations with the JW Marriott. It has become one of my favorite projects to date.
P: How do you approach the creative process when designing a mural for a specific property, community, or neighborhood?
CB: I always start by listening to the client. Murals are an investment, so my first priority is understanding exactly what the client hopes the artwork will accomplish.
From there, my graphic design background really comes into play. I digitally design the mural, create scaled mockups on the actual wall, and work through up to two rounds of revisions. Once the design is approved, I transfer it to the wall and paint it exactly as envisioned.
Throughout the entire process, I’m focused on the details and making sure the finished mural truly reflects the goals the client had from the beginning.
P: What role do you believe public art plays in bringing people together and shaping a community’s identity?
CB: I think public art plays a huge role. One of the unique parts of being a mural artist is that I’m painting in public for weeks at a time, so I get to witness people’s reactions in real time. Every day people stop by to say hello, give encouragement, or tell me how much happier the space feels.
Murals have this incredible ability to make people feel proud of where they live. When communities invest in public art, it sends the message that this place matters and the people who live there matter. I think that encourages others to invest in and care for their community as well.
P: Can you share a moment when a viewer’s reaction to one of your murals changed the way you thought about your work?
CB: Honestly, every interaction with someone who connects with my work is meaningful. One that really stands out happened while I was painting a mural at my alma mater during homecoming weekend. There were prospective students touring campus, and a mother came up with her daughter, who was interested in studying art.
She was genuinely surprised and encouraged that I was able to make a full-time career as an artist. We talked about how many people still hold onto the old “starving artist” stereotype, and how encouraging it was for her daughter to see someone making a living through creativity.
That conversation reminded me that my work isn’t just about the murals themselves. Sometimes it’s simply showing people that building a career as an artist is possible, and that’s something I don’t take for granted.
P: How has social media influenced the way audiences discover and interact with your work?
CB: Social media has completely changed my business. I really started leaning into Instagram around 2020, and that’s when I saw everything begin to grow. I truly believe it played a huge role in allowing me to leave my corporate job and become a full-time artist.
I would simply share photos and videos of each mural, people would share them with others, and new clients would reach out. Even today, I rarely have to do traditional outreach because Instagram does so much of that work for me.
It has also helped me build an incredible community of people who support my work, along with mural artists who learn from what I share which led to me creating a mural painting course, Mural Method.
P: How have you balanced motherhood with your career as an artist?
CB: It’s been such a fun adventure. I’ve always wanted to be a mom, and I intentionally worked hard throughout my twenties to build a career that would eventually give me flexibility. Becoming a full-time artist wasn’t just about working for myself—it was also about creating a life where I could be present for my family someday.
Since having my daughter, I’ve actually been surprised by how much more focused I’ve become. Motherhood has made me make decisions quicker and prioritize the tasks that truly move the needle in my business. It’s eliminated a lot of the busy work and overthinking that I used to be notorious for.
In a lot of ways, becoming a mom has made me a better business owner. I’m more intentional with my time, more present in both work and family life, and incredibly grateful that I get to build a career while raising my daughter.
P: Looking ahead, what kinds of projects, themes, or collaborations are you most excited to explore in the future?
I’ve absolutely loved collaborating with the JW Marriott, and I’d love to continue creating artwork for hotels and hospitality spaces. I think my style naturally lends itself to commercial spaces that want to create memorable nature-inspired experiences for their guests.
Artistically, I’m always most excited to create nature-inspired work—botanicals, Texas wildflowers, birds, and butterflies. Over the years I’ve really homed in on that style, and it’s what I genuinely love painting the most.
Nature has always been deeply personal to me. It makes me feel connected to my faith as I appreciate God’s creation, and it reminds me of growing up in West Texas surrounded by wildflowers. I think that’s why those themes continue to show up in my work—they’re authentic to who I am, and I hope people feel that connection when they experience my murals.