Business Q&A: Mirage Artistry

It isn't very often when someone takes their passion and turns it into a money-making venture, but that's just what Leah Menna did when she started her own successful mural-painting business, Mirage Artistry, several years ago.

The Calhoun High School graduate currently freelances out of her home in the Merrick area. Although she specializes in custom murals and faux finishes, that’s just the beginning for her.

Menna recently spoke with Patch about her past, present, and, most importantly, what’s to come for Mirage Artistry.

Tell us a little bit about how you got your start in the arts.

I’ve been painting murals for the past 12 years, since I was 15. I started off in my local church, New Covenant in East Meadow. When I went to college, friends would always ask me to paint murals for them and it just grew from there. One day a friend asked me to do a faux finish for her boss – I had never done a faux finish before, but I went and did it. From there it branched out; my friend’s boss hired me to do more work and referred me out. It just grew off of referrals.

And what prompted you to actually turn it into a business?

I always say that you should do something that you love and this is my passion. I’ve always loved painting ever since I was a kid. At Calhoun, the art programs were amazing and they always pushed us to go with our passion. I couldn’t imagine working for someone and not doing what I love, especially once I saw how prosperous this could be.

Tell us what kind of services you offer.

I work with acrylics – they’re water-based paints. As for the murals, I can do anything. A client can give me a photo of something and tell me they want it on their wall. Or, someone can have an idea for something and I’ll come up with a drawing and a design and then go from there. For faux finishing, I work with a lot of different plasters. I have a portfolio of finishes that clients can view and once they find something they like, I can make a sample board on their color schemes for their home.

What's the biggest mural you've ever done, and how long did it take?

In Miami, I did a mural for a church that was 30 feet by 60 feet. It took me about seven weeks to complete it.

Are you planning on expanding your business in the future, and if so, how?

I would like to have a showroom – a home décor boutique where people can come in view wall space with all the finishes I offer. Also, within the boutique there could be custom-made items to purchase from both other artists and myself. I also do furniture restoration, so I would also display those pieces in the showroom.

What do you like about operating a business in the Merrick area?

I love that it’s a community, and that everybody knows each other. People know each other more than a larger, metropolitan area. It’s a close-knit community and people like to work off of people that they know.