Meg Biram was blogging before blogging was cool. The former Hallmark card designer launched her eponymous blog all the way back in 2007, and became one of the region’s most popular online personalities when she moved to DC from Kansas City in 2011.
But, Biram’s true passion was with her art.
She recently relocated to the Rosemont neighborhood in Alexandria—and shifted her professional focus from her blog to more artistic pursuits. Her larger-than-life murals can be seen at The Coconut Club in DC, Kith / Kin at The Wharf and the luxe Adaire apartments in Tysons, among others.
She also opened a private art studio in Del Ray where she’ll create and occasionally collaborate with fellow artists. Here, she shares what life is like as an up-and-coming artist living in Northern Virginia.
You moved from DC to Alexandria. How do you like living in NoVA?
We didn’t realize that Rosemont is the perfect little spot. It’s right by the King Street Metro, and near Del Ray and Old Town so you can live two lives … I love that Del Ray and Old Town have really strong communities. The women [in my neighborhood] have become really good friends of mine. My husband and I like to support the local businesses. While we try to be healthy and cook at home, we do try to go out and eat at local restaurants. I love it out here. I don’t ever see myself living back in the city.
How did you transition from blogger to artist?
I was always an artist growing up, but I never saw anyone who was a working artist in real life. I didn’t know you could have a creative job. I didn’t know that being an actual artist was an option. As I got older and smarter, I realized you can be an artist … but I had no reason to stop blogging. But finally I thought, ”Why am I waiting to do what I really want to do?“ Now I’m really hyper-focused on art and making it the career I want.
How did you get into mural painting?
I had painted the hallway in my Georgetown studio [and shared it on Instagram]. People would compliment me and started asking me to do projects for them. Now I’ve done [more than] 20 murals, basically just because I painted my hallway … but now that I have a studio in Del Ray, I’m looking forward to getting back to painting and fine art. I have a lot of concepts and ideas in my head. I feel like the studio is the tipping point for me to have the artistic career I want to have.
This post originally appeared in our June 2019 issue.