Spreading Love Through Art!

Our first mural was painted in Costa Rica back in 2018.  The owner of a hostel that we were staying in asked us if we were interested in painting him 2 scarlett macawas in the Costa Rica jungle, in exchange for our accomodation. This was the accidental beginning to an act of pure love that we continue to do to this day.

Over time, we have painted numerous murals in many countries.  As we travel outside of Canada, we are happy to exchange our mural work for food and accommodation. 

We truly believe that our creativity is our gift to share with the world.  Usually we are sprucing up hostels or hotels that quite simply do not have the budget to hire professionals to do this work.  Because we do it for free, only in exchange for accomodation and / or a small food allowance, we are helping to beautify a place that will see hundreds, if not thousands of travellers pass through their doors.  Conciously, or not, our art is affecting the people that get to witness it.

Art can be a portal to many things, but because we know that we put as much love into our creations as we can muster, we know that that love will also radiate out.

We take great pride in our work and do not do things half way.  We paint as if we are being paid top dollar, and we don’t take these jobs lightly.  Our murals are our legacy that we are spreading around the planet, and we always put only our best foot forward.

If you are interested in helping us to continue our mission of #paintingtheplanet, please consider joining us on Patreon.  By contributing just $3/month, you can rest in knowing that you too are helping to Spread Love Through Art!

Scarlett Macaws in the Jungle

Our first mural project took place in a small hostel in the coastal town of Samara, Costa Rica.

We had stayed at this particular hostel for 6 nights a few months earlier, and the owner recognized us right away.  During our last visit, after learning that we were artists, the owner asked us to paint a large piece of plywood with a typical Costa Rican scene so that he could hang it in one of the hostel rooms.  At that time, we didn’t have enough time to do it as we were headed to a housesitting job, so we sadly declined.

However, on this particular occasion, we had just returned from Nicaragua, and we had no plans about what we were doing or where we were going next.  This time we asked him if he still needed the mural to be painted, and of course, he enthusiastically said yes!  It was to be an exchange for our accommodations, and we happily obliged.

This was simultaneously our first ever large scale painting that either of us had done, plus the first project that we worked on together.

To learn more about our time spent in Costa Rica, Click Here!

Spiritual Symbols of the Mayans

This multi-part mural was painted on the upper floor of a coffee shop/restaurant.  The top level is a large veranda style bar that is open on two sides, and looks out over spectacular Lake Peten Itza.

 As the bar didn’t open until 4:00, we had full days to just chill and paint while we took in the awe inspiring views from below. 

 The owner wanted us to include symbolism from visions that are often received in spiritual ceremonies using the traditional plant medicines of Ayahuasca and Peyote, the masculine vs. the feminine.

 As there was plenty of space and lots of walls, we were able to paint our own sections.  Of course, Jill did the feminine, Ayahuasca parts, and Chris did the masculine, Peyote, parts of the mural.

 This was another exchange, however, this time we exchanged our painting for food in the restaurant each day that we worked for 4 hours.

 Underwater fantasy

We arrived on Nevis, one island of the two island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, in February of 2019.  We had flown there via the Virign Islands and Puerto Rico.

The owner of the Botanical Garden where we were going to be volunteering, had indicated that she may want a 6 month commitment.  We were open to trying the job, to see if we thought 6 months there was doable.  We soon fell in love with the gardens and felt thrilled that we had an opportunity to get our hands back into the soil, and to exercise our bodies again.

About three months into our comittment, we both started to become quite depressed and frustrated with our experience.  There are so many things that contributed to us feeling that way, but ulimately, I(Jill) realized that the biggest thing that I felt that I was missing, was a creative outlet.

I had been creating a little bit on my laptop, but I was desperately missing an actual physical piece of art to work on.

In one quick thought process, I decided that I was going to paint a mural on a half wall, just inside the house where we were staying.  I went straight to the wall and just started drawing on it in pencil.  I didn’t mention it to the owner, I trusted that she would be happy with the art, and quite honestly, if she didn’t I would have painted plain paint back over it if needed.

A completely free flowing design, somehow reminded Chris of a mermaid tail, and the path for the design was set.

We both continuously worked on this in evenings that we felt like it, while simultaneously working 40 hours per week at the garden.  Over the course of time, our depression waned and we focused our creative energy on finishing the mural before we left the island.  It was just the project we needed to make us feel so much better. 

In the end, the owner loved it!  It now graces the entrance to the house, and will be enjoyed by volunteers to come for many years.  

Riad Baraka | Chefchaouen

Riad Baraka is located inside the medina in Chefchaouen.  It is a typical traditional riad, that was being refurnished and upgraded when we were there.

The owner is from England and he had a very particular way that he wanted the place to look.  He needed our services to bring some of his ideas to fruition.  He didn’t necessarily need murals per se, although Chris did paint one small one, but he needed decorations and pieces of art that he could add to his mix of already eclectic artifacts that were scattered throughout.

He had lots of ideas, and would provide them to us, but with not with too many details.  He wanted our own voices added to the mix, and didn’t want to direct us too much.  So he would provide us with an idea, and let us fly.

It was a fun experience and we would work for about 4 hours per day, and do rotations of 3 days on, one day off.  As it was very sunny the whole time we were there, we were able to work up on the terrace outside, which was a huge bonus and one we were very thankful for.

Click to learn 10 Things We Love About Chefchaouen. 

hike and chill hostel | tinghir

We arrived in Tinghir in March of 2020, just a couple days after the border between Morocco and Spain was closed, and only 3 days before complete lockdown occured because of Covid-19.  We had planned to only stay one month, but ended up being stuck there for 3!

We painted our way through lockdown, Ramadan and beyond!  We just kept painting the longer we stayed, and in the end, we really did paint most of the hostel walls.

Despite the strict lockdown, and subsequent fear related to that, we did enjoy the experience of being there, and we got alot of mural practice under our belts!

We were treated very well when we stayed there, and Jamal is an excellent cook!  He was born and raised in the Todra Gorge, and knows all about the climbing and hiking in the area. If you wish to stay at the Hike and Chill Hostel, or want more infomation, check them out on Facebook! 

hotel panorama | rissani 

We headed out to Rissani at the end of June after the lockdown was finished and the roads opened back up again.  We had a friend out there whos family owned a couple hotels in the small city.

We painted a mural on one room in their main welcome area that helped to break up the brown traditional walls.  Plus we added 4 similar vases across the base of the pillars, making it look fun and decorative.

For this project we also made many suggestions about how to improve the space using plants and bamboo for shading.  Once finished, this room will have a much more cooler feel to it both physically and visually!

Hassan owns a tour company in Morocco and would be an excellent choice if you are looking to book a trip to Morocco.  You can check out his website here.

Read “Rissani- A Must Stop!” 

Hostel Levantan | Istanbul

We arrived in Istanbul on a one way ticket from Morocco on October 19, 2020, after being ‘stuck’ there for 9 months due to Covid-19.  We had a hotel booked for 4 nights and figured that that would certainly be enough of the big city for these 2 small town Canadian kids.

Little did we know, Istanbul was exactly what the doctor ordered, and we lavished in the variety and excitement that was almost non-existant in Morocco.  After a couple days, we knew that we needed to stay longer.  There was too much to see and explore for only a few days!

Upon making this decision, we emailed about 8 different hostels to see if they needed any murals painted.  Two got back to us, and the first one is the one that we ended up at.

Levanten Hostel is located just below the popular Taksim square which meant that we were close to transit and easy access to the rest of the sprawling metropolis.  We took great joy in hopping on trains and buses and exploring as far as we could reach.

We also painted a few murals for the owner in exchange for our accomodation.  We thouroughly enjoyed the camraderie amongest travellers and getting the opportunity to chat with other people to hear about their travel experiences in 2020.

Click here to learn more about our experience in Turkey! 

deer hotel & Camp and Hostel Nikapart |  antalya

At the end of 2022 we stayed at the Deer Hotel in Antalya. It was just being renovated and the owners wanted us to accentuate the deer theme throughout. 

We painted a large deer head in the common area of the hostel part of the hotel, plus silhouettes of deer outside of each elevator exit on each floor.  

They also owned a hostel in another part of the city that we painted vibrant images in. 

Bob marley guesthouse | elphantine island, aswan

After flying to Hurghada, Egypt from Istanbul on January 2nd, 2021 we decided to head south to Aswan.  Originally we had meant to take the ferry from Hurghada to Sharm el-Sheikh, a city on the Sinai peninsula close to Dahab.  Many travelers that we had met in Istanbul had told us about this eclectic and funky town that was far removed from the regular Egyptian culture.  But when we found out that the ferry was canceled, due to covid, we decided to head south instead to the famed Aswan, located along the banks of the Nile River.  (Check out our video of the trip by bus and train here.) 

We secured a mural painting job at the Bob Marley Guesthouse and proceeded to the charming Elphantine Island, located a 2-minute boat ride from Aswan, and in the middle of the mighty Nile River.

Being home to the Nubian people, meant that Elphantine Island was a calm oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Aswan. We truly enjoyed our peaceful time spent on this island and relished in the experience of living on the Nile River for a short while. 

The decorations we painted around the doors and windows are in line with the traditional Nubian decor.  Plus we spruced the front entrance area making it much more welcoming. 

Just three weeks after arriving in Egypt, we decided that we had had enough and headed south by bus to Sudan! (Check out that vlog here!) 

Ruboni Community Camp, Ruboni

We arrived in Uganda May 2021 and proceeded to Ruboni first.  

Ruboni is located at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains in Western Uganda.  After spending so much time in the desert in Morocco, Egypt and Sudan, we were so thrilled to be surrounded by lush tropical greenery, and in the cool and fresh mountain air.

The manager was keen on getting us to paint a welcome sign at their reception counter.  The room was quite dark and surrounded by woodwork, and some color surely spruced it up.

Taking our cues from their uniform logo, and their mission, we made a design that reflected their values for the reception area.  Chris also painted some vines on the outside patio pillars, which made them feel more a part of the jungle.  

Elephant Home, Kikorongo

 After Ruboni, we moved to Kikoronogo in June of 2021. 

Kikorongo is located in the Savannah of Uganda. It is only 60km away from Ruboni, but the weather is starkly different. While Ruboni gets too much rain, Kikorongo doesn’t get enough.

While working on our murals there, we learned that the nearby village was quite literally starving. Covid had killed their tourism economy and lack of rain had killed their crops.

Thankfully we were able to raise money to help them through their crisis and did so for 12 weeks. To learn more about that project, visit our GoFundMe page at https://gofund.me/cff03a14.

At Elephant Home we painted the exterior and interior of their gift shop/reception building. We ended up staying in Kikorongo for 6 months while teaching permaculture, composting and home gardening to the villagers. 

UWEC – Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center (Entebbe zoo), Entebbe

We returned to Uganda in March 2022 and started our adventure at the Entebbe Zoo. We were meeting with their outreach program coordinator to discuss plans to paint murals in the schools as a way to educate the children on wildlife conservation.

While there, we visited some of their facilities and took interest in one room in particular. The information center was boring and drab and we knew that we could improve it and make it more interesting for visitors.

We approached the management with our idea and within days they had purchased supplies and we were on our way.

We came up with the concept “Window to Uganda” and painted silhouettes of landscapes and animals that fit into the various regions around the country.

It was a really fun project and it turned out great!

Rhino restaurant at Entebbe zoo, Entebbe

While painting the information center at the zoo, the owner of the on-site zoo restaurant was seeing what we were doing and requested that we paint in the restaurant as well. 

We spent another week painting their restaurant service area with Rhinos, of course! 

Ruboni Community Center, Ruboni

After the zoo, we made our way back up to Ruboni where we had promised to paint a wall of their community center the previous year.

Instead of staying up at the remote community camp as we had in 2021, we stayed down in the village near the center. It was a very different experience living in the community.

We ended up painting the entire front of their building that faces the road, as they are trying to attract tourists to the facility.

We only started out painting over what was already there, and touching it up, but one thing led to the other and we painted a representation of the Mubuku Valley where Ruboni sits. We also painted a sign for them to put on the road to attract visitors. 

Because we faced the road, we had many villagers stop to watch our progress on a daily basis. It was a fun and rewarding project and we felt good giving back to the community in this way.

Kalitusi Backpackers, fort portal

In 2021 we met Martha at Kalitusi Backpackers. Her campground and cabins sit on a sprawling green acreage with beautiful gardens and trees. She has a creek running down the edge of the property and the area is full of birds and lush greenery. 

After Ruboni, in June 2022 we returned to fulfill a promise that we had made the previous year to come and paint something for her. 

Our initial plan was to paint a large mural in the bar area, but when we realized that the wall had water damage, we had to problem solve a new solution. 

She mentioned that she had tiles, and Jill suggested that we do a tile mosaic on the bottom portion of the wall where the water damage was. 

Once the tile project was complete, we painted above it, incorporating the painting into the tile to create a cohesive design. We also painted pillars, tables, chairs, and stools to give the place a fresh and fun facelift. We spent over 2 months staying at Kalitusi and can attest that it is a wonderful place to make a temporary home. 

If you happen to find yourself in Uganda, please stay with Martha at Kalitusi. You will not regret it! 

Face of africa adventures, arusha 

We actually found Face of Africa Adventures through couchsurfing. We had no intentions of doing artwork for them, and no expectations to do any either. In fact, our host didn’t even know that we were artists. 

But once we saw their headquarters where we were staying, we wanted to do something to brighten their space up. 

After the owner showed us his logo, we were inspired to recreate it on their office wall. So we did. 

Yoho hostel, varna  

We discovered Yoho Hostel in 2015 when we travelled to Bulgaria the first time. We fell in love with Varna then, and vowed that we would come back some day. 

In 2022 we made that a reality. However, when we entered Yoho Hostel, we didn’t realize that it was the same place that we had stayed on our last visit. 

After speaking with the owner, we realized that it was. We told her that we paint murals in places that we stay and she expressed interest in having us do that. 

Because of the pirate theme of the hostel, we wanted to make the main living room feel as though it was on a ship. So as you look out from the couch, you look out towards the shore of Bulgaria like you would see it from the Black Sea.