I began work on a mural at my friend Shane's Mixed Martial Arts Gym. I'd painted this gym several times before and have always had a wonderful experience. Shane has had a vision of owning a warehouse gym with completely painted walls since he can remember. Back in 2009, he bought his first space, and soon after found me to get the walls singing. This most recent mural was a diptych and a request, portraying two martial arts fighters, poised toward each other, in front of a traditional-style Asian landscape. I made study drawings of two of Shane's fighters, Seth and Bailin, then studied books on martial arts and Chinese painting at the FSU Library. It took a couple days to get everything lined up for this mural. Once I had my studies and supplies in order, I went to the gym and began painting. Six hours yielded a painting which I consider one third finished.
