26 Jan Walls of Belonging: Madison Ramey’s Story

Madison Ramey’s path into the art world began through quiet acts of self-discovery and grew into a career built on courage, intuition, and community. A stay-at-home mother during the COVID-19 lockdown, she began sketching simple doodles for her toddler. Those small moments of creativity sparked a complete transformation. With no formal art training and no prior background in the field, Madison taught herself to draw and paint and gradually built what is now her thriving mural business, Mad R Paints.

She began with canvas-based abstract work but quickly found her calling in murals. Her first large-scale project was an 8 by 40-foot wall, a challenge she accepted with no prior experience. That leap of faith, supported by encouragement from people around her, set her career in motion. Since then, Madison has completed 88 murals to date, many of them rooted deeply in the communities where they live. Her work includes projects such as the Erwin Strong mural created after a natural disaster and a 320-foot honeycomb wall in Gate City, VA that incorporated more than 300 hand-painted cells from community members during a public paint night.

What sets Madison apart is her commitment to connection. She does not view murals as a job but as a responsibility to represent and uplift each community she works with. She believes in honoring place, people, and emotion in every piece, whether she is painting a joyful nursery wall or creating a memorial mural for a grieving family.

Madison’s creative process is intuitive and collaborative. She often works with assistants, including a 77-year-old friend who finds joy and purpose through painting. Her work is fluid and adaptable, filled with personal touches such as gold accents, faux lime washes, and hidden details for viewers to discover.

‘Round the Mountain played an important role in her early journey. Having her abstract work displayed at the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center was a major confidence boost, especially in a genre often misunderstood. Seeing her bio and work showcased alongside established artists affirmed that she was on the right path.

Madison Ramey’s art is about more than aesthetics. It is about belonging, encouragement, and discovering something within yourself that you did not know was there.