Meet Liz Budinoff

We were lucky to catch up with Liz Budinoff recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Liz, thank you so much for agreeing to open up about a sensitive and personal topic like being fired or laid-off. Unfortunately, there has been a rise in layoffs recently and so your insight and experience with overcoming being let go is relevant to so many in the community.

As an independent artist in the 21st century, finding a source of income that both sustains you and provides the flexibility needed to pursue your passions is a necessity. I chose personal assistant work. A great option at the start but as I climbed the professional ladder I realized it was not the career path for me. Towards the end of 2022 I started feeling restless and couldn’t shake the sense that I wasn’t in the right place. I couldn’t put a name to the feeling but could sense that something better was on the horizon. Fast forward to March 2023, I got fired from the assistant job I hated. Embarrassed as I had never been fired before, I couldn’t help but feel thankful. I would never have quit even though the job was making me miserable.
I retreated to painting, something I had loved my entire life but sequestered to just a hobby (I thought of myself as just an actor). With a wealth of time on my hands, I started painting and posting about it on instagram. Before I knew it I had a mural in my living room, a chalk art series at the NYBG, was breaking into stand up comedy and was confidently responding to “what to you do?” with “I’m an Artist.”
I’ve come to realize that rejection is just a redirection. While I always knew I was a multi hyphenate artist – I needed that push out of the nest. I’m eternally grateful for being fired because otherwise, I wouldn’t be the confident artist I am today.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Liz Budinoff, a multi-hyphenate artist based in New York City. I bring humor and vibrance to everything I create, whether I’m on stage, behind the camera, or working with a paintbrush.

I’m a stand-up comic and host of the Unruly Open Mic at Unruly Collective in Bushwick. Comedy is where I connect most directly with people, and I try to carry that playful, inviting energy into all of my work.

In the world of independent film, I wear several hats as an actor, production designer, and producer. I recently acted in a vertical drama titled Seducing the Senator’s Wife, which just premiered on Drama Bay. Also, Cry of the Coyote, a short film I production designed; directed by David Foley and starring Joe List and Keith William Richards just came out!

My visual art is bold and colorful, blending pop art with psychedelic and intergalactic themes. You can see one of my floral murals on the stage at Unruly Collective. I also participate in art shows, create stickers, prints, and take custom fine art commissions. I love working with others to bring unusual or personal ideas to life.

I design and upcycle clothing with the same creative energy I bring to the rest of my work. This practice has already led to custom sports jackets and T-shirt quilt commissions, and I’m always open to creating more one-of-a-kind pieces.

What excites me most is the crossover between all these creative forms. I want my work to bring people together; to make them laugh or look twice or feel something they didn’t expect. I love it when folks come up to me at art shows and tell me what they see in my work. It’s always something different and always leaves folks smiling.

Right now I’m focused on expanding my art offerings, collaborating on more custom pieces, and continuing to grow my presence in film and comedy. I’m always creating, always experimenting, and always looking to connect through art in all its forms!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First and foremost – this is a business! Loving art and making a career in it are two different things. I spent the beginning of my career learning everything I could about being a creative professional. Take the classes! Hop onto the free zoom seminars in your inbox. Grab coffee with folks who do what you want to do!!

Secondly – social media is a great tool but it’s not the only one. Play to your strengths and remember that we live in the digital age. Leave a footprint that is informative to your craft, shows who YOU are, and not what you think anyone else wants.

Finally – TRUST YOURSELF. I have listened to so much crap advice that in my heart, I knew wasn’t it. Take all advice with a grain of salt and remember that you are the only one living with your choices. Make yourself proud.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

As someone who has long refused to pick a lane – I’m all for expanding skill sets.
It makes me think of the adage “a jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
It’s great to be great at something. Being an expert at something is impressive but it can also back you into a corner.
The world is constantly changing. The fact that things change is truly the only constant.
As someone who graduated from college directly before the pandemic hit. The world I was prepared for, no longer exists. I often think about all of the industries and career paths that have come to be in the past 5 years alone.
All this to say – play to the strengths you have but it never hurts to learn something new.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

My professional portrait is by Sam Pickart (https://www.instagram.com/sampickart/)
and the 2 photos of my large abstract mural are by Will Armstrong (https://www.instagram.com/arm_will_strong/)

the rest are taken by myself and my partner 🙂

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