Meet Pauline Hacopian | Visual Artist & Muralist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pauline Hacopian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pauline, why did you pursue a creative career?
I never thought of doing art as a career. I always drew in sketchbooks or painted when I was younger. During the pandemic, when everything was shut down, I decided to paint for fun and to essentially help my anxiety. So I decided to create an Instagram page just for my art. I followed some artists that I like and in 2021 I came across an organization that was having an art contest for a Mural. They chose my design, and I painted my first mural. I loved seeing the communities reaction and wanted to get more involved within the community. It was at that moment that I knew I wanted to pursue a creative career. Since then, I have painted a few other murals, I painted a utility box for the city of Burbank and have been in a few group art shows.

Please tell us more about your art. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
As a visual artist and muralist, I create unique designs on walls and other surfaces. I use a variety of techniques and materials to bring a vision to life. I have collaborated with the city of Burbank, the Burbank Armenian Association and ANCA (Burbank division) to create art throughout the community. I’m definitely most proud of putting my art out there for the public to see and being able to create a business out of it. I got to where I am today by taking a chance on a random Instagram contest I saw and designed a concept. Being able to create art for the community brings me so much joy and I love interacting with people. As an artist, you’re constantly learning. Whether you’re figuring out what works for your business in terms of marketing, working with different people, the “business” side of it and actually creating your art. You also learn a lot about yourself personally and professionally. It’s a constant learning process and I think that’s what’s so interesting about being a creative. What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that I create art that can bring people together, beautify public spaces and promote cultural diversity. If you look at my work, I have a variety of styles from bright and bold colors, to painting motorcycles to bringing awareness to my culture through art.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would fill our day with wellness and creativity. I would start our day with a Pilates class at MegaFit LA followed by a healthy and nourishing breakfast at Acai Jungle Cafe, which has the best acai bowl in my opinion. I would take them on the self-guided art tour in Burbank and visit different local museums. For lunch I would introduce them to Lucifer’s Pizza (they have the most DELICIOUS pizza and have gluten free and vegan options!). Then we would go to the beach to relax a little bit and enjoy our lunch. An afternoon pick me up oat matcha latte (or coffee) from The Palm Coffee shop. And to end the evening, we would go to La Mesa, which is a Tulum inspired restaurant with organic foods and craft cocktails.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Firstly I’d like to shoutout my mom for always supporting me with everything I do and really pushing me to get creative and get out of my comfort zone. I would also like to shoutout to the Burbank Armenian Association for the taking a chance on me and trusting me with their first mural. Through them I have been so lucky to have met members from the city of Burbank, get involved more in the community and basically kick start my creative journey. I want to shoutout all creatives out there. Anyone who is an artist of any kind. We are all created with a purpose, and we need to share our gifts with the world. So please, share your amazing talents with the world and keep creating! Lastly, thank you to anyone who has supported me through my creative journey. Whether you have purchased a piece from me, attended a show or have supported me in other ways, THANK YOU!

Website: www.pbehindtheart.com

Instagram: pbehindtheart

Other: linktr.ee/pbehindtheart