Conversations with Pauline PBehindTheArt

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pauline PBehindTheArt.

Hi Pauline, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I spent over 12 years in the beauty industry, which I’m still part of today. But creativity has always been a constant in my life. Art was something I did for myself for years, mostly behind the scenes. After taking a break from it, I came back to painting a few years ago purely as a creative outlet. But this time, it felt different. I knew I didn’t just want to create for myself, I wanted to work on a larger scale and step into mural work.

Once I made that decision, I fully committed to learning and building. I dove into research, taught myself the technical side of murals and started finding opportunities to bring my work into real spaces. During that time, I also realized how much art supported my mental health. It became a way to reset, refocus and reconnect with myself, which pushed me to take it more seriously. What started as something personal quickly became something purposeful.

As I began working on projects for schools and businesses, my perspective shifted. I wasn’t just painting walls. I was creating environments that people interact with daily. That pushed me to be more intentional with my work, focus on storytelling, energy and impact, especially for younger audiences.

Today, I balance both worlds, continuing my work in the beauty industry while growing my career as a muralist and artist. My work focuses on creating visually impactful spaces that people can connect with, bringing meaning and a strong sense of presence into everyday environments.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been linear, but every part of the process has shaped how I approach my work today. A big part of my journey has been navigating anxiety and personal challenges, and returning to painting gave me a way to process that and reconnect with myself in a more grounded way.

As I started building this into something more, I realized how much goes into it beyond just the creative side. You’re not just showing up to paint, you’re managing your time, your mindset, your well-being, because that directly impacts the quality of what you create. Taking care of yourself becomes part of the work. At the same time, I’ve been balancing my career in the beauty industry, which has required discipline and structure while continuing to grow my work as an artist.

There’s also the reality that building something also comes with a lot of rejections. Not every idea lands and not every opportunity works out. The process is constant. You finish one work and you’re already thinking about the next, always adjusting and figuring out what the next step looks like, even when you’re not completely sure you’re getting it right.

Those challenges have pushed me to become more disciplined, more intentional and more confident in my direction. They shaped how I work, and how I think, and that carries into every project I take on.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a visual artist and muralist focused on large scale work that transforms spaces in a way that feels intentional and immersive. I focus on work that combines bold design with layered meaning, pulling from cultural influences, symbolism and visual storytelling to create a strong sense of identity within a space.

One of my earlier murals, inspired by my roots and growing up in Los Angeles, played a major role in shaping my direction. It pushed me to create with more intention, using symbols and visual language that reflect both personal identity and environment. That foundation continues to influence how I approach my work today.

My work is rooted in the belief that everything is connected. That perspective naturally guides how I build each piece, through composition, symbolism and structure, creating layers that feel cohesive and intentional rather than isolated elements.

What sets me apart is the perspective I bring from working in both the beauty industry and the art world. That background has trained me to be highly detail oriented, disciplined and adaptable, and to create consistently even when things are busy or uncertain. I approach my art work with that same balance, making sure every element feels considered, cohesive and visually impactful.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that consistency matters more than immediate results. In work and life there will always be rejection, redirection and moments where things don’t work out the way you expected. Early on, that used to feel discouraging, but over time I learned not to take it as a stop sign.

You keep showing up, you keep creating, you keep applying anyway. Not every opportunity is meant for you, and not every attempt leads to something visible right away, but the process still builds you. I’ve never been one for instant or external validation, instead I focus on whether I gave my full effort each day.

At the end of the day, life goes on. That perspective keeps me grounded. Whether something works out or not in the moment, what matters is that I stay committed, learned from it and continued moving forward with intention.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pbehindtheart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbehindtheart