LisaMarie's Story : Spray Can Artist

LisaMarie, hard at work on a beach scene.

Care to introduce yourself?

My name is LisaMarie Lundy and I currently work in a restaurant, act, model, nanny and am occasionally paid to paint personalized artwork with spray paint during college festivals nationwide.

How did you get into creating art with spray paint?

My lovely boyfriend, Joe runs a business performing spray can art acts for colleges and private parties. He decided to teach me and take me on the road as his partner.

So, did you go to art classes or something?

I have never had artistic skill aside from writing. Kind of amazing for someone else to see the creative talent hiding behind low self esteem. This skill has been learned without a teacher but it is so much easier to learn someone else's techniques and make them your own with time.

What do you like about painting?

I'm happier and more confident when painting. It's an amazing feeling to be able to create beautiful pictures.

What are the downsides, if any, to being an artist?

It's unstable as most art related jobs seem to be. We don't have a constant flow of shows at certain times of the year.

How do you combat the downtime?

Emailing and calling colleges, as well as going to conferences to showcase for potential schools and private parties.

Describe your typical work day in 4-5 sentences:

We pack up the truck with all supplies (500 lbs of equipment) and drive to wherever the job may be. Hotels at night, early breakfast then off to unload the equipment at the school. Shows are 4 hours of spray painting with a small break every hour. Students line up for hours while we create a custom painting every 5 minutes.

Is this your only job?

Sadly no, I hope one day the work will be constant enough to be my only job. I work in a cafe, act, model and babysit as well. New York City is a constant hustle.

What resources would you recommend to a new person getting into this line of work (books, websites, classes, etc)?

Sadly there aren't a lot of books, and probably no classes, but I have known people who learn from YouTube. Joe is in the process of writing a "How To" book about his 16 years in this line of work. He currently has a GoFundMe campaign for the book and future documentary.

Do you have a website, book, or portfolio you'd like to share with Alt Cash?

Our booking site Spraycanartists.com and [Joe's] GoFundMe link.

Thank you so much for telling AltCash about your work; it was a real treat.