Dominic Jones, 35, of Westminster, has been using the barns and buildings of Carroll County as his canvas, using his talents as a self-taught muralist to beautify structures for the last 14 years.
Jones, owner of Jones Custom Murals And Portraits LLC, said the murals are more than a job, they are a way to bring joy to others and show his dedication to and love for creativity.
“I do so many different things, and nothing is too big or too small,” said Jones, who talks about his work with enthusiasm. “It’s something I started, and I trusted in God that it would take off.”
Jones said drawing has always come naturally to him. The Baltimore native learned on his own as a small child and has never attended a professional art school.
“I didn’t go to school, I did some construction work, but I’ve been doing some art most of my life,” he said. “My first mural was the one of cars that I painted on the wall in my son’s room. In 2010, I decided to make murals my business.”
Jones and his family lived in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, for a time, when he started painting murals professionally. He used word of mouth to get his business going. First, he painted a mural at the Ace Hardware store depicting a playful view of the building with local people, the town and a map.
He went on to paint a mural of the Marines lifting a flag at Iwo Jima for Stoney Point Farm Market in Littlestown, and a new Stoney Point logo.
“I did several different abstract pieces in Gettysburg, and a big piece for UPS in Middletown, Pennsylvania,” he said.
Jones said his mission was to get his name and talent out into the community.
“I already painted portraits, but people started asking me to do murals,” he said. “People started messaging me almost every day. I put my pedal to the metal, and in time people started to notice me.”
Jones credits his success to his belief in a higher power.
“I trusted in God, and I stayed consistent in what I was doing,” he said. “I knew God would provide for me and my family. I want people to notice me, not just because I deserve it, but it’s God’s will.”
Even during the COVID pandemic, Jones said he kept working.
“I just kept rolling,” he said. “I had jobs booked up for a year. I lost some, but I kept on.”
Today, Jones does a wide variety of artwork and commissions, including interior murals for homeowners.
“I do large murals and medium murals, interior and exterior,” he said. “I’m pretty much a designer of scenery and portraits. Even on canvas. It’s not only walls. It’s a customer-based business. I talk to the customer and find out what they want.”
Jones has recently been working in Manchester painting a large mural of an American flag on the side of a barn. He’s been documenting his work on his Facebook page. Visitors to his business page can also see the mural he painted on a barn in Sykesville.
With his wife managing the business, Jones said he’s free to paint.
“There are so many beautiful places in Carroll County,” he said. “This is my opportunity to put my stamp on the county. I’m out here doing what I have to do. Let’s put Carroll County on the map!”
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
Muralist and artist Dominic Jones, Jones Custom Murals and Portraits, LLC, is painting an American flag on one of the farm buildings on the Raver farm, commissioned by Dawn Raver as a gift for her husband. Jones has a few murals that he has painted in Carrol County including Westminster and Sykesville. (Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff photo)
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