Bridge Talk Vol. 3 – TheFlowerLadyPcola,

In this edition of Bridge Talk: The People Behind Graffiti Bridge, we meet the woman behind the blooms - TheFlowerLadyPcola. Known for her signature floral murals, she’s transformed The Graffiti Bridge into a garden of color and meaning. Her ongoing Flower Talk series weaves petals with poetry, offering messages of kindness, hope, and reflection. From bright daisies to bold roses, her art softens concrete and sparks conversation—one bloom at a time.

What’s your artist name, and how did it come to be?

That’s a funny story because you (Joseph) gave me that name! Once upon a time, before we officially met (but you had been posting my art), you mentioned on social media that you were trying out a different brand of paint. I commented that I would like to know your thoughts on that brand and you asked if I was a graffiti artist. When I said that I always paint bright flowers and encouraging quotes and you said “Holy Shit! You’re the Flower Lady!” and the rest was history. I was also a hippie flower child in the 70’s and have a full flower tattoo sleeve, so the name truly fits.

When did you first paint The Graffiti Bridge?

I first painted in January of 2020. A pretty devastating tornado hit the Tennessee town I had just moved from a couple of months before. Their mantra was “MJ Strong” (MJ for Mt. Juliet) and I felt compelled to paint that slogan as a way of sending some love to my friends and family in Tennessee. Not only was that the first time I painted the Graffiti Bridge, it was the first time I had ever done spray paint art, period. It just seemed like a fun, and appropriate, thing to do. Of course, I was hooked!

What does the bridge mean to you personally or artistically?

The bridge is literally my sole spray paint canvas. I’m not a trained artist, so the ephemeral quality of graffiti art really appeals to me. Since it’s temporary, I try to focus more on the act of painting and being in that creative space rather than stressing about the quality of the finished product since it most likely won’t last long anyway. Art as a whole is relaxing and meditative, and spray painting is a fun way to focus my creative energy. I have a fairly busy mind, and I’m a firm believer that when my hands are busy, my mind can rest.

Do you have a favorite mural you’ve painted there?

I like some better than others, but I don’t feel as if I’ve ever done a great one. Honestly, my earlier work was pretty terrible. I never walk away feeling as if what I painted was really good, and I often find myself later critiquing things I should have done differently. I guess when I’m painting, I’m so in the moment that I don’t really “see” my art until I am removed from it. Does that make sense? For a little while, I did have the drive to improve, but now I really just want to have fun and continue doing my thing.

You’ve become known as The Flower Lady - what drew you to flowers as a central theme in your work?

Early on, I painted a variety of stuff, but one day I decided to paint a wall of flowers, placing a quote on a banner. I felt as if it was time for me to find my style, along with a subject matter that I like to paint which had meaning at the same time. Flowers are visually appealing and the flower walls and banner quotes are eye catching and fun to paint. That soon became a style that people recognized as mine.

What is Flower Talk, and how did the series begin?

After painting flowers with a quote banner for a while, I decided to do something different, painting one giant flower with a quote bubble. I named it Flower Talk, which was just silly and made me laugh. I painted a few of those and then went back to my regular banner style for a while. After receiving some unhelpful critique, I stopped painting for over a year. Oddly enough, it was another tragic thing (the death of a brother) that made me get out there and paint again. The death of a second brother just 30 days later prompted another mural. It was during that healing process that I had an epiphany that I need paint therapy in my life and it’s okay if that happens to be talking flowers! So, I muffled all the noise from that unhelpful critique and decided to jump back in and continue the Flower Talk series, most likely only painting that for a while. I’m just having fun and it feels good to spread some encouragement. There are now seven murals in the Flower Talk series, and more to come soon!

Are there particular flowers or colors you return to again and again? If so, why?

Since I gravitate toward cartoonish flowers, they really aren’t based on anything in particular. I like to use bright colors because I think that’s fun to see when you are driving by. I am trying to branch out from my typical six petal flower, though!

How do flowers help you express deeper messages in your murals?

I think flowers evoke feelings of happiness and promote a sense of enjoyment. I stockpile quotes and the day I decide to paint, I choose the one that feels right for me in that moment. Painting flowers, whether it’s a wall of flowers or a single Flower Talk, is a pleasing, cheerful way to deliver a thought-provoking message that resonates with people. I hope my art makes people feel good when they see it. I often laugh and say “Who knew flowers were so smart?”

What’s the most memorable reaction someone’s had to one of your flower pieces?

There have been a few times when I’ve met someone and when I say I’m the Flower Lady, they get excited and exclaim that they have followed me on social media for years. People are typically surprised to meet me because, let’s face it, you don’t expect a spray paint artist to be a gray-haired woman in her 60’s!

One day, I painted some song lyrics from the 70’s and a young woman reached out to me saying she took a pic of herself standing in front of it and sent it to her dad because that was a song he loved. She said it made him cry that she was thoughtful enough to do that. Other times, someone will say “I really needed to hear this today” or “I was having a really hard day and that made me smile.”

How would you describe your painting style?

Someone told me once that I do one dimensional cartoon art, intentionally meaning that in a negative way. I allowed that comment to get in my head for a while (that point when I stopped painting) and then one day, I said to myself… “Heck yeah, I paint one dimensional cartoon art and I will keep on doing just that!” The thing is, everyone has their own style and nobody should feel as if they need to paint like someone else does. We should all cheer each other on and not try to shrink the creative self of others. So, my painting style? I’m a 65-year old woman living my best life, having the courage to publicly embrace my creative side doing one dimensional cartoon art!  WOO HOO!

Do you usually plan your pieces, or do they bloom in the moment?

I always start out with a sketch. I know the sort of flower I’m going to paint and I’ve thought out the colors and the quote. Of course, as you know, those walls are not level and have a lot of blemishes and other quirks, so things sometimes turn out a bit differently, mainly because of spacing. And that’s okay.

Favorite brands, tools, or tricks when it comes to painting flowers in graffiti?

I started out using Montana Gold, which is by far my fave. Since that’s pretty pricey and I’m retired now, I have begun to gravitate towards Ironlak or MTN 94. Dang is also a brand I have used quite a bit. I’m also starting to get the hang of different paint tips. As you know, that can be a game changer in so many ways.

What kind of music or vibe do you like when painting?

No headphones for me! I always try to be aware of my surroundings (and enjoy being outdoors) without too many distractions. I’m too old to risk someone walking up on me if I’m not paying attention. A couple of times while I was painting, a truck hit the bridge and that is a pretty intense vibe.

What three words would you use to describe graffiti?

Just Do Art.

Where else can people find your work—online or in the real world

I’m The Flower Lady P’cola on Instagram. Other than that, my spray paint art isn’t anywhere but the Graffiti Bridge. Every now and then, I paint a batch of rocks (with flowers and encouraging words, go figure) and scatter them around. I also recently painted a bunch of tiny wooden hearts that I call “pocket hugs” and I randomly give them away. I like to have a creative outlet at home as well. I’m really an introvert, so the fact that I paint at the bridge and put myself out there, claiming space as an artist, is a pretty big deal to me.