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Art Of Our Culture

L’il Dame Stripes

Article By: Killer Rose

Originally Published In The April 2020 Issue

It’s not very often I find strong women artists that work in our industry, so when I do, I jump on the chance to feature them within our pages. Beth Kearney is no exception, and I am so excited to tell you about her!

From a young age, Beth was creating art. It didn’t really matter what kind, if it allowed her to create, she loved it. There was never really a standout moment that told her, full-time “this is your thing, she just sort of did it regardless. The same could also be said for her love of motorcycles. She was introduced to them at an early age through various friends and family when she was brought to an auto show and got to take a look at all the badass striping that was on them. She knew then that it was something she wanted to learn how to do, but it wasn’t to become a full-time passion until she graduated from college and realized that cars, bikes, and art were what her future career needed to be!

Beth has been striping professionally under the name Lil Dame Stripes for over 15 years now, and her preferred medium for her pieces is enamel paint. Her biggest inspiration in creating her art is the art itself! She loves being able to take elements from the piece itself that may stand out and integrate them into whatever she may be creating. She’s also a huge stickler for accuracy and loves to try to make her pieces as period correct to the style as possible, which lends itself greatly to the overall design aesthetic. She also loves to be able to say “I did that, that’s my work” when a piece is done and try to do one better on the next one.

As for what sets her apart, it’s clear to see it’s her passion. Every day she wakes up truly excited and grateful for what she does. She looks to the greats of her craft, learns the techniques, and always, ALWAYS asks questions. Learning new things is something that always motivates her and keeps her running towards the next big project.

 

“I wholeheartedly believe that if you do not love the industry itself, your art will show that lack of connection.”

When Beth isn’t painting, she’s doing anything and everything else to keep her busy! From hiking and woodworking to gardening and flea market hunting, she does it all, but spending time with her family is the most important. She even takes an annual trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where she races during Speedweek!

She’s been very fortunate through this industry and her art to be able to travel all over the world and work at various events including leading workshops or working car shows. Most recently, she traveled to Saudi Arabia, where she was asked to demonstrate the art of pinstriping to the people of Riyadh. It was an incredible experience she wouldn’t trade for anything in the world and it was all made possible through her art.

In terms of where her art has taken her over the years, she loves being able to see the progress she’s made since she started. Being able to challenge yourself while doing something you love for a living is something not many get to experience, which is why she also considers herself incredibly blessed for the opportunities she’s been given over the years through her art. Moving forward, her plans are simple; keep pushing herself to learn something new and be better than she was the day before. The future is ours to do with as we please!

If you’d like to check out more of Beth’s incredible work or commission a piece for yourself, you can find her on Instagram @lildamestripes or head on over to her website lildamestripes.com

Thanks for reading. Till Next Time, Amelia Rose

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