Visionary Painter Flamgu's Approach Continues to Evolve

Written by: Sterfrii

Lindsey Orrin, also known as Flamgu, is a seasoned artist who has built a strong reputation within art circles and music festival culture over the years. Her styles are appealing as they are distinct. On the heels of her first Burning Man experience, she’s still in Nevada for the Reno Tahoe International Art Show, where her work will be on display for the rest of the weekend.

“The city has brought in some of the art from Burning Man and its sculptures around town, which is cool,” Orrin said as we started diving into our conversation. She told me the city of Reno is rampant with art from Burning Man and since it’s got such a close proximity to Blackrock City, in a sense they are creating and carrying with that fun atmosphere as she heads into the art exhibition this weekend.

Synapse: Tell me about your art show this weekend in Reno!

Flamgu: It's kind of like an art fair. So it's indoors, and there are probably 100 plus booths. And this art fair has some individual artists as well as galleries that have booths, and then they also have a big sculpture component, which is [mostly] sculptures from Burning Man. Yeah, so I saw that and I'm like, ‘Oh, that looks cool. I want to be a part of it.’ And then, because this has been in the plans for like nine months or something to come here … yeah, it's been a long time coming. I originally was gonna be in my truck full time [but] that's why I made such a giant journey out west, because I thought I'd just like to be here.

Synapse: So just kind of looking back at this year, what other events were you able to paint at or vend at this year? Any festivals or anything like that?

Flamgu: Okay in January I did three outdoor art / fine art festival sort of things. So, no music festivals. Those look like: there could be 100, 200 artists that set up their own booth, you know, with our own walls, and curate our own stuff and make our own sales. We pay a booth fee, which is significantly less than vending at festivals (or most of them). Then you are meeting people that are wanting to buy art. So it's very different from the music festival setting, because the music festival setting is not people that are there to buy art, but it's more people that naturally would like your style of art, so they might buy some things. There's a big difference.

Synapse: So maybe perhaps the difference in like, where it would be cool to have your canvases on display, I guess like at a music festival, more people are going to be buying prints and people are going to be buying other styles of things. Whereas your original canvases, you sometimes need a little bit different of a market or something, which you find at those other festivals?

Flamgu: Yeah I mean, the art festivals are kind of new for me because I've just been doing the music festivals but I've been learning a lot. When I showed my personal work in January, I talked to lots of artists around me [about] how they make a career out of it and stuff. I mean, a lot of artists have two styles – the art that they like to make, and then the art for the people … and if you can find a place that satisfies both of them, you're doing really well.

Synapse: That makes total sense.

Flamgu: I've noticed in my personal art a lot of people can buy the more abstract pieces, for the originals at least. They like them for their house because they're not too “heady.” You know, you don't have to think about them much, but they just make your space feel good. I saw a desire in the market to have paintings of a certain size, that are abstract, the color palettes are curated, and they're just paintings that make you feel good. So this year, I've been working on basically separating my two styles, my paintings that come from my soul, but talk about what I really feel and think about the world. And then paintings that are more marketable and they are experimental and abstract and fun. This year I've separated them, and it seems like it's been really helpful for me, because I can focus more energy on each, you know? I have time for them both and their separate efforts, if that makes sense.

Synapse: Yeah, absolutely. trails right into my next question: As far as scaling your business and your work, like scaling it into being something sustainable … looking back from when you started taking your art seriously to now, what's it like? You know, being on the other side of the word “success” that a lot of people are aiming to get to, if that makes sense? Just being an established artist.

Flamgu: It’s not like I’m rolling in the dough but I have faith in what I do, and luckily, it's always provided at the right time when I need it. That’s right now my version of success – but it's very successful to me because I'm getting to live a life that I really want to, you know? That to me is what's most important in life. But the journey of becoming a full time artist? I've learned it can take the joy out of the painting, you know, if you're trying to sell it all the time. So the more creative I've been about the art market and marketing things and diversifying my products and offerings, the more rewarding it is. At the beginning, when I was just trying to paint and sell the paintings, that was really tough. But it seems like the more I put my hands in different pots, the better it's been, and the more that I'm thinking like, ‘Oh, this is a puzzle, and I like solving it.”

Synapse: That makes sense – trying to put as many eggs in different baskets as you can, so to speak.

Flamgu: Yeah, having the live painting is like, really good and that has been really important in my journey, and that's taught me how to paint quickly. I can sell those easy and you can share the process with people, and I think people feel a lot more engaged with the art. You know, it can bring you as an artist into different environments. There's so much potential with what live painting can be and where it can be seen, so I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of that but I'm really, really thankful for that and excited for the live painting journey.

Synapse: Speaking of … between your two different styles that you've kind of discussed where you’re trying to separate, maybe not so much the workflow, but like the way that you market them (and the way you even just look at the different types of art that you make), what are some of your favorite and some of your go-tos as far as different mediums or methods you use?

Flamgu: I'd say it kind of depends on the intention of the piece, but it usually always starts with a mix of acrylic and spray paint to lay the foundation for the rest to build on. For live painting, I just stick to acrylic because it dries and I can keep layering it and finish it in a timely manner. But if it's a piece that is really hashed out in my sketchbook, and it's conceptualized, they're more representational paintings and figurative, I like to use oils.

Synapse: I didn't even think about the process between each because the oils, well, I guess they do stay oily for a while. Versus something that can dry quickly. Then there’s the time sensitive nature of live painting, you know. Where, for someone like you, there can come in multiple ways to present your work. Like you can bring in works in progress to put on display and maybe paint minimally on it, you know, put on some finalizing touches or things like that. I guess I've seen people take advantage of the live painting multiple ways, depending on their style, or what piece they've got up, or you know, if you're starting fresh on a piece then obviously people are more focused and in work mode those days.

Flamgu: I think that's really the beauty of live painting. It’s like [taking] where you are and who's there and putting it into the painting, I feel like I actually paint a lot better when I'm in a live painting scenario. I mean, I'm not creating like, giant, illustrative pieces live painting, but I create a lot of paintings, and there's a lot of energy and they just happen quickly and they feel good. You know, if I could just be live painting a lot, it probably would be a lot more [eventful].

Synapse: Yeah, then again though, too, you're figuring out all the ways to diversify and things like that, where I feel like live painting is a lot of people's first step into presenting their work to the world, other than on social media and stuff nowadays, you know? … So talking about diversifying your styles of things you have and the things you sell, one of the favorite things that I've seen is the hooded jacket or hoodies. What's it like making your art wearable? What's that like, crossing over into that medium?

Flamgu: Yeah. So, obviously art on clothes is a really good way to make money as an artist, but there presents a problem of the method of getting the art on what type of material. To do dye sublimation, which is basically how you get printed art on material, you have to use a polyester fabric for the ink to adhere to it. So in that discovery, I don't want to make my art on polyester because it's not good for the environment or your skin, you know, it releases microplastics into the water supply. And then I thought a lot about, ‘Well, how can I make clothes without using the polyester?’ So it actually started out in I think it was 2021, in a collaboration with my mom. We started doing one of one like upcycled clothing. I got my art printed on like cotton canvas, and then they were basically, like big patches that were sewn on the back of like denim jackets or like army green jackets, vests, stuff like that. Then they had accents on the pockets, the cuffs, and those are really cool pieces, and they're all one of a kind, and they're wearable art, you know, because they're not manufactured. They are each a labor piece of art in itself. So the same thing kind of goes with the hoodies. The hoodies happened because I was at a music festival, and these guys saw my blankets hanging. And they made hoodies out of thrifted cotton & woven blankets. So, yeah, the blankets were merchandise that was not using polyester. That's why I naturally started making the blankets as merchandise that was sustainable still … I started sewing them on my own. Yeah, but that's been a really good thing having that because sewing is so mechanical. Well, at least sewing those hoodies, it's pretty mechanical, you know? It's like a pattern you follow and you sew, whereas painting is very mental. It's like using your creative brain to puzzle and figure things out. Having the sewing as work in conjunction with the painting has been really good for my workflow, because it allows a different mode of working, and it makes the painting better too because I'm not always having to think like a creative … the hoodies have helped a lot, and they're fun to make because they're all one of a kind and people love them. It's just fun to see the art in that form, and how it wraps around. There's just unlimited, endless potential with what can be made. Actually, I was designing all the fabric samples before you called. So that's a part of it. People probably don't realize I have to like mirror the images, or decide how the images are going to lay on the fabric, and then you have to line up sort of the edges of the material. And the fringe you know? How can you use the fringe to your advantage? That sort of thing.

Synapse: It's like with painting, you're at the mercy of your imagination, whereas, you have like guidelines, at least, or like, you know, like some rules or constraints or limiting factors that you have to abide by whenever you're turning it into clothing. It sounds like that's been good for your creativity. And I just feel like it's similar to like a deadline, right? Deadlines don't help creativity, but they do help get things done, you know? … Anyway, knowing where your head was at creating something sustainable with it, that's really awesome.

Flamgu: Can I add one thing about the merchandise? It seems like so much is just produced in China and then ends up being in the landfill eventually. So that's why I've been very particular about what kind of merchandise I make, which maybe has me behind in terms of monetary gain, but I'm glad I have a clear conscience about what I'm putting out in the world and that's why the clothing is a labor of love. I mean, it definitely helps financially, but not as much as getting actual merchandise made, but everything I sell is made in America. I have magnets and stickers and prints and those blankets, and the hoodies. That's sort of all I got – but it works. It works well. And I can give the magnets and stickers out as gifts to people, and that's a nice thing. It feels good.

Synapse: Absolutely, and it's still yet some other things that most likely are not going to make it to a landfill, because it's something people can keep on display in a sense. Whether it's on a fridge or, you know, on something they're proud to rock like a water bottle with stickers or whatever else between those items. At least they're gonna get used and still get put in a space to where your art is getting seen and appreciated as well … You’ve got lots of options, you also have lots of work under your belt – you have lots of dope paintings, which is the precursor to all of that … I guess lastly to kind of wrap things up, what goals do you have? So like, you know, kind of thinking more in terms of leading up to where you are today, and then from today forward. What goals do you have, professionally and personally, especially pertaining to your Flamgu project?

Flamgu: It seems like looking from where I was in 2020 or 2019, and where I am now – it's amazing and it seems like everything that I put my mind to is developing or has developed. Sometimes, it takes time, you know? More time or more effort. There are more obstacles than you think. But as long as I keep following my heart, you know, in the direction that it gives me, everything just works out. So looking ahead, I think I made like a five year goal, 10 year goal, I kind of visit that every so often, every year or something. I like to kind of think about what I want to accomplish in the next few years. I know I would like to have a big solo show at some point in the next five years … I don't know, I live to create I guess it's kind of a life that's very much in coherence with nature and sort of like creativity with the earth and with garden and with sculptures and helping other artists grow. So, sort of like an art residency program, but you know that's more like a lifetime goal. There's a lot of steps to get there, and I think the steps to get there are very much about just enjoying life and being happy. Because I think when we're creating joy within ourselves, we create it for other people, and you know, it's a better world. So I'm just gonna keep following that and I'm happy with that.

You can keep up with Flamgu on her website or via Instagram. Be on the lookout as she prepares for Miami Art Week and Art Basel this December, where she will be spreading her wings all around the city between live painting and her work being featured in the Aqua exhibit.

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