This is blog post #3 for my Web and Social Media class at NKU. This blog is a recorded interview.
Interviewer (I): So let’s start from the beginning, can you remember your first influences in art or art making?
Amy (A): Absolutely. My mom and my Auntie M. As early as I can remember I watched my mom weave baskets in all of her spare time. She dyed the reeds different colors on our stovetop or out in the yard, and sold them at craft fairs. My aunt, my dad’s sister, sewed a lot of clothes, gifts, quilts, and items for her whole family. Everyone in our family has a personal quilt made by her, and she has even had her quilts published in magazines. Being around these two women since birth has profoundly impacted my art making in so many ways. They gave me lessons in sewing and weaving and took me to fabric stores to inspire my wild imagination. They encouraged the skills they taught me, but the effect they’ve had on my art go much farther than just those things they taught me. I believe their art influenced my affinity for playing with textures, mixed media, color palettes and so much more.
I: To follow that up, can you remember you first major experiences with art or art making?
A: Definitely the lessons I got from the women mentioned before—my first time sewing, which was a little stuffed dove. After that I sewed clothes and beds for my dolls and stuffed animals. Sewing was the big art form in my childhood. And oddly enough a little woven piece I made at an art camp in grade school. It was when textures and colors started really coming together and clicking.
I: Did you know you wanted to grow up to become an artist, or study art at a collegiate level?
A: Nope. I wanted to be a nurse, a teacher, and then a fashion designer, which I guess would be considered an artist. But no, I didn’t really consider going to school for Fine Arts until much later in life.
I: What made you choose it, and then stick with it?
A: A lot of tears and soul searching. But really, after switching majors a lot, I realized the thing I was missing in all of my previous majors was the ability to work with my hands. It wasn’t until I took a ceramics class at NKU that I realized this was it, this was the thing I knew I would do in life.
I: Can you tell me what you’re working on now?
A: I’m currently working on putting together my senior thesis show. I don’t want to say the whole concept because you should come see it in person! But I will say I’m sculpting some realistic waterfowl, some amphibians, and coil building some really big Grecian urns. It might not make sense now, but that’s what I’m doing right now. It will deal with foundational memories and experiences in nature that have influenced who I am today.
I: How did you get to this idea?
A: I’ve been wanting to create work that pays homage to the natural world that I love and try to care for. To me, some specific memories and experiences have become almost like legends to myself. They seem too awesome to have been true. They have shaped my being and what I stand for today. I’m working on trying to become an environmental artist, and I wanted to start by honoring the elements of the natural world that started my love for the environment, and environmental art.
I: Did you always want to work in clay and sculpture?
A: No, I kind of mentioned before how I wanted to be a fashion designer. That was my intended career path for a long time, through 4th grade to freshman year of college. Junior year in high school I remember making some sculptures I was extremely proud of, but never thought of exploring it further.
I: Where do you draw most of your creative inspiration?
A: The environment, all aspects of it. From rock formations, to creatures I love, to nature documentaries. Also, textures that I find and collect, whether physically or through photographing it.
I: Is there a person or artist you’re watching for inspiration?
A: There is a seemingly endless amount of people I look at for inspiration with the rise of artists on Instagram. Osa Atoe, Didem Mert, Hannie Goldgewicht, Sue Scobie, Kurt Hammerly, are all artists that I love seeing on my feed. Their work is inspiring in many different ways, in terms of work ethic, creativity, glaze combos, use of technology, etc.
I: Is there a specific strategy or ritual you stick to when making your work?
A: Nope. I’m too disorganized for that. Just have fun.
I: Do you want to work in your field of study?
A: YES!
I: Where do you see yourself going with this degree?
A: I see myself working out of a home studio, being able to sell my work made in said studio. I want to do some residencies, work in a community studio and so much more! I’ve got a lot of plans and I’m planning on accomplishing them.
