Southern Drawl: Painting the Town

On your typical weekday afternoon, you can fully expect to find muralists Allison Dunavant and Christine Crawford covered in paint. Just not hidden inside an art studio.

As founders of Girls Who Paint Murals, South Carolina’s only female-owned mural company, Crawford and Dunavant work most often in public spaces perched on top of ladders or hovering four stories above the pavement in a boom lift. They are commissioned to transform the walls of everything from apartment buildings and churches to restaurants and middle school libraries.

Needless to say, working in the elements and handling physical labor is part of the job. It has never fazed Crawford and Dunavant—only, ironically, those around them. “As women working on construction sites, we don’t always get a warm welcome,” Crawford admits. “Sometimes people question whether we know what we’re doing or how to operate the equipment. Over time, we’ve learned how to navigate that. It’s also part of the job.”

Since launching their business in 2022, the public aspect of muraling comes with hurdles for female artists. But it’s also the reason Dunavant first fell in love with the art form. After earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of South Carolina, she began exploring self-employment options and stumbled upon muraling.

“Murals are unique because they are one of the most accessible art forms,” Dunavant says. “You don’t have to enter a gallery or museum to interact with them, and you don’t need any particular educational or socio-economic background to interpret or appreciate them. Murals provide unique, accessible opportunities for both community engagement and civic pride.”

 Fueled by her newfound passion, Dunavant founded her own mural business in Charleston in 2020. Little did she know that Crawford, who had earned a degree in graphic design from the University of South Carolina a few years prior, was doing the exact same work in her hometown of Columbia. Yet the two wouldn’t cross paths until a year later, on Instagram, as fate would have it.

They quickly began chatting about all things murals—especially how it had evolved from simple street art into a professional marketing tool for businesses. The result? A growing demand for their artistic skills led them to collaborate on several projects. The rest, as they say, is history.

In 2022, Dunavant and Crawford merged their companies to form Girls Who Paint Murals. “Before we even knew each other, there were so many parallels in our lives,” Crawford says. “Once we started working together, it became clear that we shared the same goal: to build a successful and sustainable business.”

As entrepreneurs, the ability to divide and conquer—from painting to booking new clients—proved to be a game-changer for Dunavant and Crawford. Today, they’ve expanded their team, employing additional artists and experiencing firsthand the benefits of scaling their business. It’s a growth that has set the Girls Who Paint Murals brand apart in Charleston.

“The main difference is that we are a mural company, meaning we approach each project with a full team of muralists,” Dunavant says. “This allows us to tackle a wide variety of subject matter and design styles, which in turn lets us work with a broad range of clients.”

With that comes an increased range of tactics they’ve adopted as artists to meet the needs of all their clients. For example, every mural installation starts with transferring a design to a wall, and Dunavant and Crawford do it three ways depending on the project: freehanding, using an old-school light projector, and virtual reality (VR) headset projection.

“VR headset projection is a newer technique gaining popularity with muralists, and people are always curious about it,” Dunavant says. “It lets us essentially wear the projector and see a transparent version of the design on the wall.”

Unlike traditional projectors, which require working in total darkness, the VR method makes some installations far more convenient. It also enables Crawford and Dunavant to take on more projects overall, since certain sites wouldn’t be safe or feasible to tackle at night. A good example is one of their most striking recent projects: a large geometric mural adorned with magnolia flowers at the Assembly at Park Circle apartments.

As they’ve expanded their capabilities, Crawford and Dunavant have grown their client list significantly. In 2024, they completed their first murals in California, New York, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, and in 2025, they added Colorado and Texas to the mix. But no matter where they are, they now find themselves working around the clock.

“There are always emails to answer, contracts and invoices to send, administrative tasks to manage, and design mockups to create,” Crawford says. “No one ever sees the amount of work we do behind the scenes when we’re not painting.”

Looking ahead, the duo is focused on building more local connections through murals. This February, Girls Who Paint Murals partnered with Charleston International Airport for Valentine’s Day on a first-of-its-kind project: a temporary window painting designed to capture the hearts of thousands of travelers.

“This is something we hadn’t offered before, but one of our team members, Krystal, had a lot of experience in window painting and really helped us navigate the installation and removal process,” Dunavant says. “Now we can say it’s a service we are happy to offer to future clients.”

Locally, Crawford and Dunavant are also on a mission to build a larger community around muraling. Last September, they launched the MELT Mural Fest, hosting seven muralists from across North America in North Charleston. The artists created murals, and locals were invited to view them during a free public event.

“Our vision in creating this event was to build the culture around our business,” Dunavant says. “We truly believe that when you lift others up, you lift yourself up. It’s important to us to showcase muralists, their art, and the positive impact it has on the community.”

The 2026 MELT Mural Fest will take place in Goose Creek this September, and Crawford and Dunavant are already receiving applications from muralists eager to participate. This year’s lineup promises to be even bigger and more diverse, particularly with female artists.

“For a long time, the mural industry felt pretty male-dominated,” Crawford says. “In the last few years, though, we’ve seen many more female muralists emerge. It’s exhausting work, but women are just as capable. It’s been incredible to watch that shift—and to be part of it.” 

(LEFT) CHRISTINE CRAWFORD

Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina

Education: Bachelor of applied science in business marketing, Coastal Carolina University; Associate of arts in graphic design, University of South Carolina

Favorite Quote: Creativity takes courage.

Favorite Thing to Do When You’re Not Painting: Being outside, whether that’s going to a festival, working out, or just being one with nature.

On-Site Music Playlist of Choice: Anything from Olivia Dean and Royal Otis to Rufus de Sol and Sebastian Paul

Most Memorable Girls Who Paint Murals Moment: Booking our first out-of-state job together.

Best Advice for Aspiring Muralists: The business side is just as important as the art side. Protect yourself and your artwork and know your value.

(RIGHT) ALLI DUNAVANT

Hometown: North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Education: Bachelor of arts in studio art, Coastal Carolina University; Master of fine arts in studio art, University of South Carolina

Favorite Quote: Practice makes better.

Artist Who Inspires You: Shepherd Fairey because he scaled his artwork beyond its street art into murals, graphic design, and apparel, all while creating positive social change.

On-Site Snack of Choice: Tabasco Cheez-Its or RedHot Goldfish

Proudest Girls Who Paint Murals Moment: The little but regular achievements on every single job, whether it’s learning something new or stretching my skills.

Best Advice for Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs: Just do it. Full send. If you wait until you feel ‘ready’ or for the ‘perfect time,’ you might miss the opportunities.