Today we’d like to introduce you to Leigh Ann Agee.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I began my muraling journey in 1989 after being asked to paint a nursery. I knew it was what I was meant to do. So, I pursued it constantly, moving forward. I was lucky to form relationships with area designers, leading to bigger commercial jobs like schools and hospitals in the Tri-Cities area. I moved to Nashville in 2003 because of my love for songwriting and moved right into the mural scene there quite smoothly. I painted a very high-end baby store for advertising, which paid off. I was then featured in 9 Parade of Homes, a competition showcase for the Nashville Home Builders Association. This was an opportunity to work in high-end homes with the best designers. I won the best muralist all 9 times I competed. I took a brief sideline in 2009 by creating Moon Bound Girl, a series of books and paintings depicting an inspirational faceless girl. She inspires girls to dream big and shoot for the moon. Her hair ends when she discovers her inner passion and gets butterflies! You can check out all of that work and products on www.Moonboundgirl.com. I moved back to the Tri-Cities area in 2017 and have been back in the mural business at a larger scale, involving more processes. I completed an oversized 210′ mural for Johnson City on Legion Street featuring dogs at a dog park being spied on by jealous cats. I have also completed several projects for commercial businesses, including hotels, Airbnb, and a large photo park at the Country Barn Souvenir Shop featuring the Grand Ole Smoky “HiBearnator band” with “Little Jimmy Chickens!” lol I love commercial work but also love to design on a more personal level for homeowners too. So, both opportunities are a fit for me! If I’m painting, I’m happy.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am self-taught, which comes with millions of obstacles. If I needed to learn how to do something, I just sought out how to do it. I look back at times and think man; I wish someone had shown me an easier way to do that! I have learned so much over the 35 years and continue to learn. With technology and new products, many new and exciting ways to accomplish murals exist. I first consider the job’s substrate, size, timeline, height, indoor/outdoor, and protection needs. Then, I work on a design with the client to meet their vision. Budgeting is a big part of planning, and I also work within that with my clients. Some people want to go all out; others need something simpler.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a professional artist since 1989. I am creating murals, custom paintings, and a few brands and products, including books for my brand, Moon Bound Girl. My specialty is conceptual art. I love to take a story or an idea and create art. I’m proud of most of my projects as each is unique, but I love the Johnson City Legion Street mural as it shows my sense of humor and whimsical flair. My work stands out because I’m not strictly a direct painter. I use acrylics, oils, spray paints, and airbrush. So, I have a unique look that looks good close up and far away. I am well versed in several applications, such as direct paint or the Pellon process, which is painting on fabric that is applied to the surface. It allows you to paint it off-site and install it later. This can be helpful on projects waiting for walls to be built or meeting timelines. Pellon is great for most substrates, too. But it can be more costly. www.LeighAnnAgee.com
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Risk-taking is essential for an artist to grow and, quite frankly, for a person to grow. I have a million stories of risk-taking, but here are a few.
When I first realized art was an option for me (after someone asked me to paint their nursery), I went door to door with a framed watercolor painting in hand to see if they would like a custom painting of their home. I would get sick, knocking on a stranger’s door. I was shocked that so many would pay me a deposit and write a check trusting me to bring the finished, framed painting back in a week or so. I also remember being afraid to frame the sample painting because I was worried about spending $100 on that frame. I was determined to make a living no matter what it took. I painted furniture or whatever I needed to paint.
When I painted my first Moon Bound Girl painting, I had no idea where it would lead. Because of the reaction to that painting, I did a series of oil paintings featuring this faceless girl with her hair in the air in different countries and called it ‘The World Tour.” I did a show in Nashville and immediately got a book deal based on those paintings. However, the book deal had issues with their production, so I decided to self-publish the book. It was a massive risk for me, but I believed in it. I used all of my savings to pay for it. I went on to do shows all over the southeast, selling books and lots of artwork, posters, and notecards. I learned that doing shows is a considerable risk, too, as you have to find the right ones, gamble on attendance, weather, and whether you have a good spot at the show, so you never know how sales will go. Some were great, some were horrible. I sold a lot over the years, but printing thousands of books and doing shows were big gambles.
Regarding muraling risks, I remember meeting at one of the first schools I did. (This project required many murals, 17 in total) I had never painted on a cinder block before, and I couldn’t see the walls as the building was a year out of being built. I also had never done a project so big. So I pretended to understand the blueprints, shook my head, and said, sure, I can do that! And I did do it! I was a nervous wreck starting the job, too! However, It’s still there 20 years later! So, you must take risks and be willing to come out of your comfort zone to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LeighAnnAgee.com, www.MoonBoundGirl.com
- Instagram: @moonboundgirl
- Facebook: LeighAnnAgee, Agee Arts and Installations, and MoonBoundGirl
