A spherical object with green and blue swirl patterns and yellow text that reads "Earth Surprise Murals."

Art for all, on every wall!

Low Barrier public art installations with an emphasis on community representation.

Earth Surprise partners with municipalities and the neighborhoods, schools, and businesses that comprise them to paint murals that tell community stories.

We’re passionate about beautifying dull walls with engaging imagery for communities with spirited energy and cultural vibrancy.

We love to design and execute fun, inclusive, and inviting images that trigger the intangible, euphoric and uplifting effect that public art can have on the human heart.

Our Work
Two children on a red cherry picker lift, waving and looking down at the camera against a partly cloudy blue sky.
A young girl with long hair wearing a colorful striped dress is standing in front of a purple wall decorated with chalk drawings of animals, stars, and flowers. She is reaching up with her right arm.
Display of Sherwin Williams paint sample cards, a yellow and black cane, and a mannequin with a white t-shirt that has a drawing and a name tag. The setup appears in a home improvement store, with various paint cans and supplies visible in the background.
A man wearing a virtual reality headset standing on grass, pointing with his right hand, and dressed in paint-splattered white pants and sneakers.
Two men wearing masks with pink filters, one in a green T-shirt and the other in a gray jacket and black cap, making hand gestures while standing outdoors on a grassy field with trees under a cloudy sky.
A man with tattoos on his arms is pulling a green rope to paint a mural of vibrant green abstract shapes on the side of a house with dark siding, with a small window covered by a brown paper
Image shows a rooftop with a chimney and some signs of rust around the chimney. There is colorful signage along the side of the building and a wooden staircase at the bottom left. The shadow of a person on a lift is cast on the roof.
Two men with painted hair and colorful outfits posing in a school hallway. One man is standing with arms outstretched, and the other is kneeling with a hand on their thigh. Both have smiles and paint splatters on their clothes.
Two men are giving a presentation or performance in front of a seated audience of children. The man on the left is wearing a colorful apron and a blue shirt, gesturing with his hands while smiling. The man on the right has green hair, a striped jacket, and is holding notes, smiling as he looks at the other man. Behind them is a screen displaying the words "Community And Belonging" with a list of related words on a blue background.
Two men smiling and making playful gestures in a grassy front yard with houses in the background. Both are wearing white overalls with patches that say "Earth Surprise Murals," one in a red jacket and carrying a large backpack, the other in a tan jacket with yellow shoes.
A bundle of earth supply company bags and a yellowish cloth on a hardwood floor.
Two men standing side by side with their arms around each other, smiling at the camera. The man on the left has short dark hair, a beard, tattoos on his right arm, and is wearing a white t-shirt and white paint-splattered pants. The man on the right has short hair, a beard, a cap, and is wearing a navy blue t-shirt with paint-splattered overalls. Behind them is a green wall with a stylized plant or leaf design.
A man with a beard and red hair wearing white overalls, holding a microphone and pointing at a large screen, appears to be giving a presentation to young children. The screen displays a colorful image of two people sitting on a bench with the text 'Who are these cool people?' The classroom wall behind them features signs with words like 'TALK,' 'JUMP,' and 'LEAP,' and a smaller sign with 'P.E. Rules and Expectations.'
Decorative Santa Claus and pirate Santa figurines on a pink wall. Santa is dressed in a Hawaiian shirt with a floral lei, holding a gift, and wearing a red hat. Pirate Santa is wearing a tropical shirt, red pants, and a large straw hat, holding a coconut.

Community Investment

Earth Surprise activates spaces with engaging visuals that lift public energy and bring joy to communities that co-exist with our work for years to come.

We implement input strategies for public engagement before, during, and after our installations are live, so that all parties feel heard, represented, and proud of the final product.

Recent Installations

  • Keister Elementary School Mural

    Keister Elementary

    The culmination of student-led drawing workshops for a cutting edge outdoor learning space in the Shenandoah Valley.

  • Street view of a brick building with a mural, a tree, a sidewalk, a crosswalk, and a sign for Broad Porch Coffee Co.

    Broad Porch Coffee Co.

    A mural that feels unexpectedly alive, organic, and true to the Broad Porch brand that nods to the layered coffee history of this downtown Harrisonburg cultural staple. 

  • Colorful mural on a brick building wall with the phrase 'Explore More,' featuring abstract shapes, clouds, a rainbow, mountains, and various vibrant illustrations.

    Explore More Discovery Museum

    Bringing the inside out to extend the sense of wonder and discovery beyond the front doors of Harrisonburg’s Children’s Museum.

  • Interior of a restaurant or cafe with wooden walls and ceiling, a large colorful abstract art piece on the wall, illuminated signage that says 'The Kitchen,' a glass-front fridge stocked with snacks or beverages, and decorative elements like a mirror with a white frame and a potted plant.

    The Kitchen, from VA Beer Co.

    Bridging the visual gap between Virginia Beer Co’s beloved brand identity and their new York County, VA brew pub experience with a layered, abstract imagery in their patented logo shield. 

  • Interior of a restaurant featuring a large, vibrant mural of an orange tiger eating noodles on a black wall. The space has wooden tables, chairs, and decorative hanging lights.

    Emerald Lounge / Slurp! RAmen

    An atmospheric centerpiece for Slurp! Ramen and Emerald Lounge that feels as memorably hand-made as the food and drink in Church Hill, VA.

  • Reception desk with black paneling and a vibrant, abstract wall mural featuring various shapes and colors behind it, with three hanging pendant lights and an illuminated neon uterus sign on the wall.

    Period Nirvana

    Pushing back against the stigma around menstrual care for Period Nirvana in Asheville, NC as they advocate for women’s health, education, and access in a world that too often dismisses those conversations. 

  • Colorful mural of a bird with flowers coming out of its head on a white wall in a cafe or restaurant.

    Farewell AVL

    An intriguing visual anchor that complements the rhythm of Asheville’s neighborhood coffee shop.

  • Empty interior space with wooden floors, exposed ceiling beams, and a large mural of a mountain and a playful black creature on the wall.

    Living | Room Collective

    Carrying over online brand identity with iconic imagery from Harrisonburg, VA’s favorite home goods shop.

  • Black and white mural of a bird with leaf-like patterns on its wings painted on a building's brick wall.

    Veil Brewing Forest Hill

    Tone-setting flash with minimal color for The Veil Brewing Co.

  • Crowd of people waiting in line outside a building with a graffiti mural of a dinosaur on the wall that says "The Veil".

    Veil Brewing Co.

    Setting the tone for your food + drink experience at the Veil Brewing Co. in Norfolk, VA by capturing the unpredictability and wild creativity that pulses through the brand’s identity.

  • Colorful mural featuring a tiger, a bird, and abstract shapes above a kitchen countertop with light wood cabinets and a white sink.

    The Otis

    Bringing some texture to the upscale apartment lobby at The Otis, self described as “The Creative Soul of Richmond” in Scott’s Addition

SEE MORE WORK

We’ll paint anything once.

Large-scale murals are our space-making specialty, but we’re open to any visual projects you dream up.

Give us a shout! Let us know what you’re working on and how we might be able to help.

A digital graphic featuring a glowing blue triangle inside a dark circle with a metallic gradient background.
ASK US ANYTHING
Two people painting a colorful mural on a brick wall. One standing in front with arms outstretched, and the other lying on a scaffold above. Both are smiling and wearing casual clothes and sunglasses.

About Matt + Tim

Greetings from Virginia! Co-founders of Earth Surprise Matt Leech and Tim Skirven have been friends for 23 years, both pursuing creative careers individually as illustrators, designers, tattoo artists, creative directors and general vibe curators for clients of all shapes and sizes internationally.

We believe in the joyous therapeutic power of creative expression and all the energy it can bring to communities. We want you to experience it, too.

Send us an email or give us a ring, but in the name of all that is holy, don’t try and talk to us while we’re painting, please and thank you.

ELECTRONIC MAIL BUTTON PUSH AT YOUR OWN RISK

SUMMER ‘26

We’re gearing up to paint a five story loft complex in Scott’s Addition, a Richmond City Public School student hang-zone, and a multi-use city recrecation facility.

Add your project to the list!
A black circular button with a blue LED light in the center, surrounded by a white ring, and a blue outline of a downward-pointing triangle inside the black circle.

Outlook Good!

Email’s best, DM’s are cool, phones are for emergencies.

Now accepting temperate climate exterior commissions for Winter ‘26-27 🌴