Today we’d like to introduce you to Lena McCarthy.
Lena, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been painting and making things my whole life. My mother is an artist and always encouraged my siblings and I to be creative and get outside as kids.
Fast forward, I graduated from the College of Fine Arts at Boston University in 2014 with a BFA in painting.
After a year of waitressing and saving up, I went to teach English at a school in Santiago, Chile. When I arrived in the city, the very first thing that struck me was the explosion of graffiti and street art absolutely everywhere. During college I had dabbled in public art and mural painting, but this was different. Every surface – for better or worse – was painted. There had to be thousands of people painting for the city to be covered so completely. The range of work was also astounding; everything from tags to paste-up to enormous murals and back again.
Soon I was asking people if I could paint their walls. A year turned into two, I painted legally and not-so-legally, but eventually returned home to Boston in April of 2017, starry eyed by street art. Last August I painted my largest work: a 2,500 square foot wall off Blue Hill Ave on Quincy Street, nearby my Roxbury home. It shows two anatomical hearts breaking through a wall and growing together – a message of human connection that threads through most of my work.
I hope to continue adding color to our Boston bricks and beyond. I believe that our environments have power to inspire and change, and want to contribute to that in the most positive way I can.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
(Laughs out loud) With total respect, this is a silly question! Creating public art has a long list of obstacles: financial, political, logistical to name a few. Hey, last week I went wall hunting and was met with about 10 rejections all in one afternoon! But at the end of the day, I’m lucky to do this and I wouldn’t choose anything else. Nothing worth doing was ever easy, right?? Plus, my friend Caleb (Neelon, artist) always reminds me that there are way harder jobs than being an artist and I think he’s right!
The biggest challenge for me was realizing that when you want something you have to go after it yourself and create your own opportunities. I used to get really bummed out about my rejections (which when you’re an artist are about 100:1 to your acceptances, at least in my case!) But it’s all worth it when you find an opportunity that was meant for you, when you get to meet cool people in your community, and to see the ripple effect of inspiration in live time. I’m so grateful for this journey – struggles and all.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I make brightly colored paintings and murals. My work, large or small, has the intention to connect people and to invite them to enter into a different space. My focus is on murals and transforming public space to be more fun, interesting and inviting.
What were you like growing up?
I’m the middle of five children, so I grew up in a pretty bustling household. Looking back now, I don’t know how my mother did it! She sent me to kindergarten when I was four because I kept asking her to go to school with my older siblings when we took them to the bus stop. Seeing as my parents were quite busy, I became independent at an early age and to this day am a bit of a secret introvert. I think it was a reaction to being constantly surrounded.
Growing up, I loved making things and being outside. I also loved school.
In middle and high school I became very involved in theater and visual arts. I was so fortunate to have really supportive teachers and parents who let me be whatever I wanted to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lenamccarthyart.com
- Email: lenamccarthyart@gmail.com
- Instagram: @lenamccarthyart
- Facebook: Lena McCarthy
Image Credit:
Cody O’Loughlin
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