Sitting at her art studio in her basement, junior Lainey Barrett was searching for inspiration she could use her next painting project on Pinterest when she saw multiple pictures showcasing beautiful hand-painted banners.
She put down her phone and immediately thought — This is such a perfect idea for a business that I would enjoy.
A range of acrylic paint, brown kraft paper and makeup brushes, because they tend to hold paint better than traditional brushes — this was everything she would need to get started.
“It all happened in pretty much one day,” Lainey said. “I was like, I'd be really good at this, I really enjoy art, so I think I'm just gonna get all the materials and start doing this.”
Lainey did a quick Instagram search for other banner painting businesses to get an idea for choosing prices and banner sizes, as well as the fonts she would offer. She then marched upstairs to tell her parents about her new business plan.
“I was proud and I was excited for her,” Lainey’s mom, Regan Barrett, said. “I thought it was just so perfect for her. It's also brave because you kind of have to put yourself out there and make sure you're meeting deadlines and talking to some parents who have ordered and making sure they're pleased.”
Lainey’s banner business has been going for around a month now, and she’s sold 10 banners so far. She’s grown extremely fond of this business because it allows her to continue a passion she loves — while also incorporating a way to earn money, too.
Painting, whether it was finger-painted trees or delicately formed flowers, has always been a haven for Lainey. A way for her to relax and unwind after a busy day, or a place to channel her emotions and creativity.
Lainey was inspired to begin painting in kindergarten when she would walk down the street with her mom and her sister, Emmy, to their neighbor and art enthusiast, Carol Schiezer.
Schiezer owns a colorful workshop for kids and adults in the attic of her home, called Art in the Attic. This is where she hosts sessions for kids, like Lainey, to explore and expand their love of art in mixed-media classes. These classes fostered Lainey’s love for art, inspiring a hobby that has evolved into “Bannered by Lainey.”
“She's always been super creative,” Schieszer said. “She's very detail-oriented, and she's really good with straight lines and graphics.”
Some of Lainey’s favorite elements to include on banners are flowers and borders. Many of these details are included in the banners she’s made for volleyball brunches and milestones, birthdays and school dances.
When the customers order through her Instagram account, they message her with their order details, such as size, occasion and fonts. She offers four different banner sizes, starting with 3’3’, which is $30. With each foot increase in the length, the price increases by $10.
Barrett paints a second layer of a pink flower on the top of
a sign she is making for her friend, junior Nola Frank.
Barrett picks up a pair of scissors to cut a different
piece of paper.
Junior Lainey Barrett mixes shades of paint — light pink, white and red — to create a pink shade.
Lainey will make a mock-up of the banner using Canva and send it to the customer for approval. As soon as Lainey has all the information and approval on the mock-up, she can begin sketching on the brown kraft paper.
Her “studio” for sketching and painting is in her basement, where an art table is coated with vibrant orange and green paint spills and marker lines from elementary school. All of her paints and brushes are scattered on the table, along with her projector if she’s using it. The projector allows her to trace her mock-up onto the banner, but she mostly prefers to freehand with chalk.
She has banner paper taped to the wall and paints while listening to her favorite songs on Spotify or watching “New Girl.” Sometimes, she’ll make time-lapse videos of herself painting the banners, which she posts on her Instagram. She also posts a picture of each banner after she’s done to give more examples to customers.
“Watching the time-lapse video she posted to her account, I was just amazed at how she uses the brushes and her technique," Lainey’s dad, Casey Barrett, said. “I’m just impressed by her.”
Lainey spreads out the projects over multiple days to help pace herself, which makes it easier for her to ensure every detail is perfect. She will work on it for a few hours at a time, making sure that the banner is done in time for the customer’s event.
“I love when customers send me pictures of [themselves] and the banner,” Lainey said. “I think it's so fun to see everybody celebrating around it, and just adding a little bit to their day.”
Lainey plans to continue this business and hobby until she leaves for college. She looks forward to each banner because it combines a hobby she enjoys with a business that allows her to earn a little extra money.
“I've always wanted to do something in art, and I definitely think I could see myself selling regular paintings, but for now, I just see myself sticking to banners for a while just to get the hang of it,” Lainey said.
Going into her third year on the Harbinger Staff as a Staff Writer and Social, junior Reese Dunham is excited to write more stories and start working on socials. You can find Reese usually procrastinating homework, on a walk, or taking naps. Reese also spends free time binge reading books, baking treats, and spending time with friends and family. After being in many positions on staff, she is happy to have found a home in writing for the newspaper and is thrilled to try something new as a social. »
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