Turning Public Spaces into Cultural Celebrations
Marissa Hernandez, owner of Hernandez Design Co. Photo by Tatiana Peña, JEFAS Magazine. Illustration by Marissa Hernandez
By Christina Fernández-Morrow, JEFAS Magazine
If you’ve driven across Des Moines, Hampton or Jefferson, Iowa, chances are you’ve seen Marissa Hernandez’s work bursting with color and culture. She’s brought more than 25 large-scale artworks to life, each one standing out for its focus on representation, ensuring that communities see themselves when they come across her murals.
From Early Beginnings to Statewide Impact
Hernandez, artist and owner of Hernandesignco, has been creating murals since before earning her degree in painting from Drake University. Her earliest work, at the Conmigo Early Learning Center on Scott Ave in Des Moines, launched a career that would see Hernandez transform dozens of public and private spaces across Iowa.
“My goal was to do at least one mural within five years of graduating,” says Hernandez. Far surpassing that, she shows no signs of slowing down. Her art can also be seen on the side of the Evelyn K. Davis Center, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa, inside the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and several elementary schools, to name a few. But creating art on a grand scale is only half the job.
Navigating the Business of Art
Hernandez quickly discovered the challenges of being a professional artist. “When you talk about a career as an artist, you’re going to be self-employed. You have to collect receipts, have a business account and do taxes. They don’t teach you that part when you’re getting your degree,” she explains. Navigating the logistics of self-employment has been a learning curve. She learned some lessons from trial and error, while other tips she learned from fellow artists in the community. “I didn’t expect there to be so many artists in the Des Moines area, especially artists of color. It’s nice to have them to talk about all this business and art world stuff,” she says of the support she found. But beyond brightening Iowa’s artistic landscape, Hernandez’s art is deeply rooted in something even larger: the communities she serves.
People are at the core of her work. Her style centers on representation, using faceless portraits that allow the viewer to imagine themselves in the art. “I like the versatility of it because it can be different races, ethnicities and ages so multiple people can identify with the art,” she says of her signature style. She also infuses her heritage through vibrant shades of yellow, blue, pink and purple. Her Latinidad was the focal point of the mural she did for the Latino Cultural Center in Hampton, Iowa. “I love that I got to include my culture into the design. It was really special,” she says. It was also one of her largest projects.
Marissa Hernandez, owner of Hernandez Design Co. Photo by Tatiana Peña, JEFAS Magazine. Illustration by Marissa Hernandez
Balancing Creativity, Wellness, and Business
While she loves that public murals like that one can be enjoyed by anyone, she recognizes that it can be taxing. “Sometimes it takes a toll on the body,” says Hernandez of standing for long hours, carrying heavy cans of paint, climbing up and down boom lifts, loading and unloading supplies, and cleaning as she works. In addition, she contends with the weather, recalling near freezing temperatures in November, and when the heat and humidity made the paint especially tricky during a project in late July.
To maintain her energy and creativity, Hernandez is intentional about rest and recovery. She regularly makes time for activities that reset her mind and body. She enjoys reading different genres of books and playing with her cats, as well as spending time in nature – experiences that sometimes find their way into her work. As she learned to balance her wellness and artistic approach, she sharpened her understanding of some business fundamentals she initially overlooked.
She hadn’t considered the labor involved when she first began pricing her work. Her peers were key in this area of her development. “Artists of color are really transparent about their pricing because we want to make sure everyone’s getting what they’re worth and no one’s underselling themselves,” she says. Over time, she created a pricing scale that incorporates the value of the work that goes into the ideation and implementation of her murals, while still being affordable.
Representation and Inclusive Art
No matter how many walls she transforms, Hernandez never loses sight of her mission: to create spaces where everyone can feel seen and celebrated. “Representation is my main thing. It’s important for murals or public artwork because it’s going to live in these communities. You want it to be reflective of the people there.” So, the next time you encounter one of her pieces, take a moment to envision yourself within the beauty she created, allowing a moment of light and color into your day.
You can follow her growing portfolio on Instagram: @hernandesignco.
