Airbrush artist & YC instructor Amanda Beland rises above the misconceptions
By Michael Grady
Amanda Beland is a painter, teacher and entrepreneur. But the Prescott native is first and foremost, an artist. If you don’t get that, she’s happy to set you straight.
“When Zeriah, my fiancé, is in the shop, customers walk right past me and go straight to him. He says, ‘Nope. That’s her. Over there. She’s the one.’”
She named her Prescott Valley shop “Ms. Conception Paint” for that very reason. She found her passion in airbrushing and prevailed against sexism and stereotyping to build a career out of it. As an adjunct instructor at YC’s Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC), Amanda shares the skills she developed, and challenges students to do the same.
“My dad did auto body and paint at collision shops. That’s how I got started.” Customers would come in, requesting airbrush art. “My Dad could do old school stuff like Hot Rod flames, but that was it.” People kept asking, so Amanda gave it a shot.
“The first time I tried airbrushing, it was really hard, and I sucked.” She tried quitting, “but the itch wouldn’t go away.” In 2013, Amanda decided to go all-in. “I found airbrush classes all over the country. I spent five years and thousands of dollars flying to every class I could find.”
Working with airbrush legends like Mike Lavallee (“Overhaulin’,” “Monster Garage,”) Amanda developed an intricate style that has earned her multiple trophies and awards. Her work flourishes on hot rods, computers, cow skulls, you name it – but her primary medium is motorcycles.
“Most car people don’t want custom art because they want to sell it one day. Motorcycle riders love it, though, because the bike is an extension of themselves. They’re like, ‘I’m going to die on this thing. I don’t care about the resale value.’”
Amanda has taught airbrushing at CTEC since 2022. “Most of my students are kids, after their Auto Body certification.” But airbrushing goes beyond the garage. “There’s huge money for it in the culinary arts, makeup, tanning and taxidermy — those swordfish and sailfish trophies? Someone has to paint ‘em to look like what they caught.”
Her course “is super hard,” but it offers students a chance to grow, as she did. She’ll park a bike in her classroom with her latest work, then point to a painted blob on the wall. “It’s supposed to be a sparkplug. That’s the first thing I airbrushed, ever.” She says. “It’s how I show ‘em: ‘This is what I’m capable of doing. And this is where I started.’”