Bathurst's Callum Hotham has started a mural painting business- Calum_Artist

Just ask Callum Hotham, he knows.

When Mr Hotham realised his goal of becoming an international cricketing sensation was unlikely to become a reality, he swapped out his bat for a wooden instrument of another kind - a pencil.

He then swapped out the pencil for a can of aerosol, and thus was the beginning of a career for Mr Hotham, who now operates as a self-taught, full-time muralist under the name of Calum_Artist.

He started his full-time career in April of 2022, and since then, he has painted around 40 murals, both in and around Sydney, and in his home town of Bathurst.

Now, he is on the look out to brighten up our streets with his impressive artworks.

"I would love the opportunity to paint some big buildings here in Bathurst, as it is my home town," he said.

"I'd love to paint some silos, or some really big hotels. The bigger I can do them the better."

These big projects would be a grand addition to his already astonishing resume, which includes installations painted for Nathan Cleary's brewery in Penrith, and another large mural in the same area.

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Though Mr Hotham is always on the look out for new projects, he credits his interest in art to the time he spent training as a stone mason, and developing an interest in the craftsmanship of the trade.

"When I was doing stonemasonry, I was patching up columns, with old patterns that were created by convicts back in the 1880s," he said.

"Then when I had spare time I started drawing, and then I started painting."

And, by what was a stoke of good fortune for Mr Hotham, COVID hit, and he had ample free time on his hands.

"I just started drawing for something to do, just to try and keep myself occupied," he said.

"I started drawing with pencil and then moved into aerosol painting and painting on canvas."

He then moved onto creating his first major work, a mural for the training sheds at his cricket club.

After his cricketing coach, who was only "expecting stick-figures" first laid eyes on the mural, he was mesmerised, and this helped Mr Hotham to land his first paid gig, painting a gym in Hornsby.

Since then, his art has improved with each stroke of the aerosol can, and finds joy in the reactions he receives from his work.

And, according to Mr Hotham, his favourite jobs are the ones of personal significance, including an artwork of his grandfather he painted for his fathers business; Hothams Sand, Soil & Gravel Supplies.

"It definitely does feel pretty awesome to paint somebody that you know and then to see their reaction, it's like you've just given them a present," he said.

By injecting love into every artwork, Mr Hotham is hoping to take his family, and career around the globe.

Mr Hotham and his partner Alana Sack have recently welcomed a baby boy into the world, and he hopes that he can continue to provide for his family, while also creating meaningful art.

More of Mr Hotham's work can be found via his Instagram page, Calum_Artist, where he can also be contacted in regards to commissions.

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