Since she was a young child, Lianna Maley was surrounded by art and taught to cherish creativity. Her father is a graphic designer, painter and artist of many other mediums as well, so creating has been a major part of her and her family’s daily life. Now she’s pursuing it as a full-time career and her art has already made her mark in the town of New Paltz, with her murals adorning various local businesses and gaining adoration and recognition.
“It was always something that fascinated me,” says Maley, a third-year graphic design major. ”From a really young age it was always made clear that creativity was something that was super important in our household, and I really hung onto that and it has influenced so many of my life decisions to this day.”
One of the most classic, well-known murals in town, the “Protect our Pollinators” piece, was painted by Maley. *potentially include more here*
Another Maley original is the continuous vine painting running throughout the Green Bar, a new juice bar on Main St. She plans to create even more public art in New Paltz — “I’m manifesting that,” she says. She’s also been working on some of her own projects, a tattoo sketch for a friend, being the Oracle’s cartoonist and painting designs on sneakers.
She’s exploring all sorts of new forms of art, bounded by nothing but her goal to make art that elicits a magical feeling people may not feel on a day to day basis. “Anytime that art can take on that otherworldly feel that people can connect with in a different sort of way compared to everyday life I really enjoy it,” she says. She’s embraced everything from rug making to digital video production, to using wires and cardboards and other odds and ends.
In the future she plans to travel, and to continue making art and pursuing graphic design. “I have never been so sure of anything,” she says of her career path. She says art will always be more than only a career or hobby for her.
She explains: “When I think of art I don’t just think of pen on paper or paint, art is moreso a creativity that influences me and surrounds me and something that I tried to deliberately work into my life in many different aspects and areas.”
