Cedar Falls artist creates murals with a whimsical twist for Corridor businesses

Some artists hang their art in galleries. Others paint on walls. Mural artist and owner of Whimsical Twist Candice Warby is part of the latter. What started out as a passion for calligraphy morphed into window art and murals, which she paints on and inside commercial and residential buildings. Ms. Warby began writing calligraphy in 2016 and created her business in 2018, which didn’t gain much traction. During Covid, she saw lettering artists online write positive phrases on small business windows, and thought, “I can do that.” After quarantine ended, Ms. Warby wrote uplifting messages on the windows of main street Cedar Falls businesses – with the owners’ permission – for free. “A couple of them were like, “I’d love to have you come back, how much would you charge me for this?” Ms. Warby said. “And it’s just kind of snowballed from there.”

Based in Cedar Falls, Ms. Warby has painted murals for several businesses across northeast Iowa, like Marion’s Frydae and Goldfinch Tap + Eatery, Cedar Rapids’s Kool Moo and Crab House, and Waverly’s Z’s Pizza – just to name a few. She recently completed a mural for the Cedar Heights Elementary library in Cedar Falls. One of the formerly white walls is now painted over with a book-themed mural, with the phrase “books are windows to the world” brightly written across the length of an open book, acting as a bridge connecting different books and landscape featured on either side. “When you walk into the library it just lights up the whole space,” she said. “It just kind of makes (it) a more positive space.” Ms. Warby recently completed a mural for Rio Burrito in Cedar Rapids. The design displays traditional Mexican flowers surrounding two Mexican girls with their silhouettes against a sunset. The painter described her style as whimsical, uplifting and colorful, and when it comes to the mural process, discussing what the clients are looking for is the number one priority. “It’s important for them to be familiar with my work so they can know what I have done,” Ms. Warby said. “I like to be stretched and try new things, but I also need to be realistic.”

There’s also the reality of Iowa weather to consider, so Ms. Warby uses the highest grade of professional exterior paint that contains UV protection, which helps keep the paint from fading or having color issues for 7-10 years, she said. Murals are a powerful marketing tool often not considered by business owners, Ms. Warby said. They set the business apart from others, provide a talking point for customers and onlookers, and can be shared by taking a picture and posting it to social media. But murals are rare in Iowa — outside of the Iowa City public art scene and the growing scene in Cedar Rapids — making them a gargantuan commodity for businesses. Beyond the business element lies the inspiration to uplift people through words and colors. Ms. Warby said she loves writing positive quotes, uplifting messages and happy song lyrics in her work. “Life is hard and we can help each other through little things,” she said. “Like seeing a bright mural on the side of a building that just kind of makes you smile a little bit — and I love that aspect of it.”