Meet Jake Mulder | Owner / Artist

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

Hi Jake, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I feel like I pursued an artistic career because it gives me an outlet to unleash my creativity. Since I was young, I’ve always been interested in creating different types of art, whether it be painting, drawing, sculpture, etc. This is not to say I’m good at all of those types of art; I have never been a good technical artist when it comes to drawing, but I still enjoy the artform. In 2017, I started working with epoxy resin and created several large-scale art pieces using a variety of mica powders, alcohol inks, crushed glass and crystals. I took a chance after a year of working with epoxy and approached an art gallery in New Albany, Ohio about being a signed artist with them. Hayley Deeter, the owner of Hayley Gallery, signed me and I sold several of my art pieces through her gallery. I still create art pieces when requested, but now my focus is the art I get to do while creating my custom accent walls. Since 2018, I have completed over 500 custom accents walls in multiple states. The walls usually are designed using a variety of wood trim, but I’ve recently started working with Venetian Plaster and have really been enjoying this new medium!

What should our readers know about your business?
Mulder Artistry LLC was officially started in April of 2022, although I did my first wall at the end of 2017. In early 2018, I was working for friends and friends of friends; word of mouth was my biggest asset. I didn’t start advertising until we moved to Houston, Texas in 2021. I’m so proud of starting my business and actually taking that step. I never thought I would be a business owner and definitely never thought I would be doing manual labor! I tell everyone that I’m a unicorn: a gay, left-handed, red-headed stepchild, who’s in an interracial relationship for almost 23 years. It has not been easy running a business, it is a LOT more work than I ever imagined it would be. Registering for my LLC was easy, but then finding an accountant and filing all of the correct taxes in a timely manner is a whole other thing. I am an artist; I went to school and received my Bachelor’s in Human Services, I know nothing about running a business. I have had to learn a lot over the past two years! The biggest lesson I have learned is making sure you have the right team helping you: a good accountant and bookkeeper are essential! Also, it is a good idea to have a lawyer who can look over any documentation – cover all bases! I feel what sets me apart of other businesses is that I do everything myself: I manage my webpage, answer all emails, do all of the quoting, and all of the installs/painting. I love what I do!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living in Houston, we have friends and family come to visit us often. There’s always something to do in Houston! Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States and has one of the most diverse populations of any of the cities I’ve ever lived. Usually, the museums here have multiple special exhibits going on at a time, so that’s always a fun thing to do; interactive exhibits are almost always a good time! If you’re downtown in Houston, visiting Waterwall Park should be one of your stops. There are so many parks and things to do in this city. If you are interested in space and want to visit NASA, it’s only about an 45minutes to an hour from Houston. When it comes to restaurants, there’s so many options! Because our population is so diverse, we have a variety of cuisine to choose from here. My favorite place to go in the afternoon for a small bite and some wine, is Cru Food & Wine Bar. They have several different small plates that can be shared, but the best part: wine flights! For dinner, I love Karne Steakhouse. Karne’s is a Korean BBQ Steakhouse, you pick your meats, and they grill it for you – right at your table. They also have an excellent selection of specialty cocktails. Some other excellent restaurants that aren’t downtown: Cafe Rian Cajun Cafe, Chimichurri’s South American Grill, or Raffa’s Waterfront Grill.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, I have to give love to my domestic partner of almost 23 years, Vince. He has always supported my art, even when he was completely unsure how it would turn out. He’s welcomed be being creative in our homes, experimenting with different techniques and designs on our walls. He’s amazing, wonderful, and terrific. I also have to give credit to my father, Daniel Mulder. He passed on November 16, 2022, but he was always my number one fan. My dad was always accepting of me and was supportive of all of my endeavors. His whole life, he dealt with a variety of medical issues, but he persevered and outlived all of his doctors’ expectations. He was so proud when I started my business in 2022 and loved that I named my business after our family name; he was only too happy to wear his Mulder Artistry t-shirt. My first published ad came out in August of 2023, I can only imagine his face if he was to have been able to see me in print. Thanks for all of your love and support Dad – I miss you and love you!

Website: https://www.mulderartistry.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mulder_artistry

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-mulder-073151134/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MulderArtistry/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mulder-artistry-humble-2?osq=mulder+artistry