Alli Dunavant and Christine Crawford, Co-founders, Girls Who Paint Murals

Alli Dunavant and Christine Crawford

On Valentine’s Day, travelers moving through Charleston International Airport were met with an unexpected burst of color — a Valentine’s-themed mural designed to spread a little extra love. The large-scale artwork, cheerful and welcoming, was created by South Carolina-based duo Girls Who Paint Murals, a female-owned company that is quickly redefining what entrepreneurship in the arts can look like.

Behind the name are co-founders Alli Dunavant and Christine Crawford — two artists whose paths ran strikingly parallel long before they ever met.

Donavan, originally from North Myrtle Beach and now based in Charleston, holds a B.A. in Studio Art from Coastal Carolina University and an M.F.A. in Studio Art from University of South Carolina. With a deep love for landscape painting and portraiture, she brings fine art techniques into every mural design, creating bold, expressive, site-specific works that elevate everyday spaces.

Crawford, born and raised in Columbia, also earned her B.A. from Coastal Carolina University — in marketing — and later pursued graphic design studies at the University of South Carolina. Her eye for composition and stylized, graphic elements complements Donavan’s painterly style, resulting in murals that are both visually striking and strategically aligned with a client’s brand or message.

Remarkably, the two founders attended the same universities at the same time — yet never crossed paths.

“We both had our separate mural businesses before actually meeting in person,” Crawford said. “We started following each other on Instagram and asking each other questions about clients and proposals. Then Alli got a really big job in Hilton Head for the Boys and Girls Club. She asked if I wanted to help because it was a big project that needed to be done in three days,” said Crawford.

That collaboration proved pivotal.

“We realized we worked extremely well together,” she said. “So it’s kind of history from there. We kept asking each other to help on projects and finally said, ‘Let’s just stop asking — let’s make this a partnership.’

What began as two solo artists hustling to keep creative careers alive — taking pet portrait commissions, juggling side jobs, building portfolios — evolved into a scalable, client-focused mural studio. Both women “fell into” murals around 2019 or 2020, discovering a shared love for large-scale painting. By the end of 2021, they completed their first project together. In 2022, Girls Who Paint Murals was officially launched.

‘When we were trying to figure out the name, we both agreed, ‘Well, we are girls and we do paint murals.’ So let’s just name ourselves Girls Who Paint Murals,” said Crawford.

Since then, growth has been driven largely by reputation.

“It’s kind of a word-of-mouth domino effect,” Crawford explained. “You paint a mural for a client, and they become a reference for someone else. They know someone who wants a mural or just wants to talk about it. Thankfully, it keeps building from there.”

Today, the company serves commercial and residential clients across South Carolina and beyond. They specialize in storefront murals, office walls, hand-painted branding and signage, and vibrant residential commissions. Schools are a particular passion — spaces where color can inspire creativity and pride. Businesses, meanwhile, are increasingly recognizing murals as a powerful storytelling tool, transforming blank walls into immersive brand statements.

Part of their competitive advantage lies in stylistic flexibility. While many artists operate within a defined niche, Girls Who Paint Murals intentionally does not.

“Allie comes from a fine art, painterly style and I come from a marketing and graphic design style,” Crawford said. “We’ve combined those to make something really unique. A lot of artists have a specific niche, but we like to say we don’t. We’ll paint anything and make your vision come to life,” offered Crawford.

That client-centered approach — paired with artistic range — has allowed the company to scale. With Dunavant in Charleston and Crawford in Columbia, they leverage networks across multiple markets. As projects have grown in size and complexity, so has their ambition.

In 2025, they launched the inaugural MELT Mural Festival in Charleston’s Navy Yard area, bringing together artists and community members to celebrate public art. The second annual festival is already in the works for September 2026 — another signal that the founders are thinking beyond individual commissions and toward building an ecosystem.

Entrepreneurship in the arts often demands resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to blur lines between creativity and commerce. Crawford’s marketing background and Donavan’s fine art training embody that blend. Together, they have proven that artistic passion and business acumen are not opposing forces — they are mutually reinforcing.

At its core, their work is about connection.

“Murals make art accessible to the public,” Crawford said. “They build community identity. They transform spaces. They help with economics, creativity, inspiration. They build a connection between everybody. And we think that’s really beautiful.”

From airport terminals to school hallways, from branded corporate walls to neighborhood gathering spaces, Girls Who Paint Murals is demonstrating that public art is more than decoration. It is placemaking. It is storytelling. And, in the hands of two determined entrepreneurs, it is a growing business that proves creativity — scaled thoughtfully — can leave a lasting mark.

Below is a sample of their work.