A Passage of Light

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Mural

Davie, Florida · September–October 2026

21′4″ wide × 11′10″ high · approximately 252 sq. ft.

Acrylic paint, brushwork, and airbrush on an interior wall

A plain wall became a view into another space. For Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Davie, I painted a procession of golden columns leading toward a distant temple tower, with morning light spilling through the center. The architecture is an illusion: every column, ceiling panel, step, and reflection is paint.

Completed architectural illusion mural at Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Davie, Florida, with golden columns, a turquoise lotus ceiling and a sunlit temple, by Art by Nargiza

Making room for a deeper view

The composition begins at the edges of the real room. Broad leaves overlap the nearest columns; repeated floral panels become smaller as they recede. A turquoise ceiling holds two golden lotus forms, while the painted floor carries the light back toward the viewer. Those repeated lines give the wall depth before the eye reaches the temple in the distance.

On my first visit, a ceremony was taking place. Uma had built this place for people to gather and worship, and that experience shaped how I approached the wall. The mural needed to belong to the room and its purpose. Warm color, symmetry, and a clear path toward the light became the foundation of the design.

Before the first brushstroke

The original wall shows the starting point: a flat surface with outlets and the room’s existing fixtures. I planned the perspective around that space, working from the structure outward rather than adding isolated decorative elements.

Blank interior wall before the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple mural in Davie, Florida

Building the architecture in paint

I established the columns, ceiling, and floor with brushwork, then developed the depth with airbrush. At this stage, the geometry and main colors were already in place, but the highlights, shadows, and distant atmosphere were still taking shape.

Temple mural in progress with painted columns, lotus patterns and flat color areas before final airbrush shading

The final passes brought softness to the sky, volume to the columns, and reflected light to the floor. With statues nearby, careful protection and controlled spraying were part of the process throughout.

Airbrush and brushwork stage of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple mural, with ladders and painting equipment visible

Commission an architectural mural

A painted view can change how a room feels without changing its footprint. I create custom architectural illusion murals for cultural spaces, community interiors, homes, and businesses, with travel available for commissions across the U.S.

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