A unique canvas

Brittnea Barnes was just passing through, like many do. She, her husband and dad were in the area for just one night. We happened across her and struck up a conversation.
It’s fascinating, what a simple hello and ‘what has you here?’ can uncover.
Barnes was visiting the area from her home state of Louisiana for work. Lady Lines Pinstriping offers custom paint and pinstriping for vehicles of all sizes. She’s been doing it since she was a kid, growing in her work and her craft along the way. As an artist, she essentially fell into it as her dad has restored vehicles and worked on hot rods his entire career. He would take her along as he worked and to car shows.
Barnes, from a very early age, considered the fresh paint jobs on his vehicles her canvas.

Where most others might have their custom car decals done in vinyl or some other sort of adhesive, every little touch, every little line, Barnes does by hand.
“There was actually a decal back here that was kind of similar, the driver really liked it. And then I kind of just took it and did my own thing, went with what he and the truck needed,” she said.
The trio happened to be in Moody County to work on a semi for Van Dyke Transportation — her first hire in this area, but the three were enjoying a cross-country trip together with stops in countless states for other new and repeat work.
“It’s essentially a vacation for us,” said Barnes’ dad. “A lot of the car guys will get together and get five or six cars together and then the bbq’s and the booze start flowing and it’s a lot of fun.”
The stop in Moody County was a little more subdued, the work was being done in a shed along I29 near the Nunda/Ward exit as storms once again rolled through and it was yet another cold, wet winter day. There was no let up in sight. Everyone was just trying to stay warm and dry.
Barnes’ laughed and said they were looking forward to heading south to their next job — some classic John Deere tractors that had been restored in Leavenworth, Kansas.
They loved what little they saw of Moody County and South Dakota though. And given the reaction a few others that day had to her work, Barnes and her custom-culture crew hope to be back this way again soon.