In this episode, we’re talking about the journey and realities of being a full-time artist with Matteo Miles, a muralist and painter, based in Greenville, South Carolina. Matteo took advantage of the programs and opportunities within the emerging art scene of Greenville to cultivate his talents, but his path hasn’t always been clear.
Career Area: Muralist
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Matteo Miles
“Take yourself seriously, and others will too.”
Matteo Miles is a professional muralist based in Greenville, SC. Known for large-scale, hyper-realistic public art, he blends creative talent with a strong business sense. Miles believes in creating work that speaks for itself and builds community along the way.
About
Matteo Miles built a career from scratch literally by picking up a paintbrush and offering to finish a mural that had been abandoned at the hotel where he bartended. That spark ignited a career now filled with large-scale murals across the region for clients like Starbucks and local businesses.
A graduate of Greenville Tech and the Fine Arts Center, Miles knew from a young age that art was his calling. “I always wanted to do something creative,” he says. But the transition from sketchbook to scaffolding wasn’t easy. He learned to price his work fairly, navigate contracts, and build stamina for long painting days. His advice? “Take yourself seriously, and others will too.”
Miles now completes multiple mural projects a month and approaches each one with both artistic vision and professional discipline. His work is deeply tied to place celebrating community stories, local icons, and shared identity. “You’re creating something that lives in people’s everyday world,” he says.
For young artists, he recommends gaining both technical and physical readiness. “You’ll be on your knees, on ladders, in heat or cold,” he says with a laugh. But the results? They’re unforgettable.
