A Florida department has tapped a firefighter's artistic talent as a way to enhance its stations.
St. Lucie County Fire District Julian Reams was asked by his fire chief to create murals for the department after his colleagues noticed him sketching during his downtime, WPEC-TV reports. A tattoo artist for the past two years, Reams was encouraged to pursue art by his mother, who enrolled him at a Miami magnet art school.
When it came to the station artwork, Reams was told that it needed to be respectable and relatable to the department. He also wanted to create something that inspired his fellow firefighters and celebrated their line of work.
"It's something for us to see between calls or to see when we come back," Reams, a firefighter for eight years, told WPEC.
As both a firefighter and an artist, Reams also is providing inspiration for his two sons. Both boys—Jalani, 12, and Amari, 10—have aspirations to eventually join the fire service, while Reams said Amari has shown a talent for art.
