The uber beautiful and talented Amanda Woodward!
Today I have the greatest pleasure of welcoming Amanda Woodward to the Artist Interview spotlight. Her work for the Vision of Squam Show pays homage to the class she took with the ever amazing Penelope Dullaghan ... ah to lie on one's back and look up at a mobile, in the out-of-doors! Amanda's work can be found at Woodward Design firm which she owns with her husband and friend as well as her own portfolio. She is also a champion knitter and has an upcoming show here at artstream along with Melanie Wilson and Mike Lewis in Oct/Nov. Stay tuned for more Squam goodness in the interview dept this week!
Now on to the interview:
1. What is your earliest memory of art making?
I do recall sitting on the chocolate brown shag carpet in my parents living room and drawing pictures from a children's television show with mom. It wasn't Bob Ross, but something like that.
2. What is your medium of choice?
For gallery and personal stuff, I work on canvas with acrylic, glaze and india ink. For commercial illustration work, I work in pencil or ink and do the colouring on the computer with the wacom.
3. What are your greatest inspirations for your work?
Life. I know this is a common answer but truly, my life is a huge inspiration. The relationships I engage in, new experiences, travel adventures, even the small and seemingly insignificant moments, it all informs my work. I often find that those small things, like growing tomato plants, feeling sand between the toes, laughing, loving... are the elements I want to share with people through my paintings.
4. What is playing in rotation these days while you are working?
I work in a studio environment with my husband and another designer, Kristin. We run a graphic design firm out of our house, Woodward Design. We have an imac completely devoted to music and photo taking! Currently we're listing to alot of Joel Plaskett, Neko Case, Pieta Brown, Fleet Foxes, Josh Ritter, Frank Sinatra & Elvis Presley.
5. What is a good art making day look like for you?
Getting up in the morning, drinking coffee, eating fruit and getting to work. No graphic design or client distractions and hours of painting or drawing. Eight hours at least! Maybe a good lunch at the cafe down the block or a chai latte break in the afternoon. Ending the day with time in the kitchen to make a yummy supper and perhaps a glass of red wine. I realize now that I am talking more about food than art...
6. Who are your favorite artists - living and dead
This list is always changing but currently I am loving Lynda Barry, Tove Jasson, Toulouse-Lautrec, Katherine Dunn, Natasha Rosenberg, Dan May, Maddalena Gerli...
7. Greatest advice given to you which you would like to pass along?
Its important to dream big but also recognize that being an artist takes plain old hard work. I can't even count the amount of times that I have tried to rationalize an excuse or distraction that prevents me from drawing or painting. At the end of the day, we need to step up and produce something, anything. Make time to play... and don't take yourself too seriously ;)
I do recall sitting on the chocolate brown shag carpet in my parents living room and drawing pictures from a children's television show with mom. It wasn't Bob Ross, but something like that.
2. What is your medium of choice?
For gallery and personal stuff, I work on canvas with acrylic, glaze and india ink. For commercial illustration work, I work in pencil or ink and do the colouring on the computer with the wacom.
3. What are your greatest inspirations for your work?
Life. I know this is a common answer but truly, my life is a huge inspiration. The relationships I engage in, new experiences, travel adventures, even the small and seemingly insignificant moments, it all informs my work. I often find that those small things, like growing tomato plants, feeling sand between the toes, laughing, loving... are the elements I want to share with people through my paintings.
4. What is playing in rotation these days while you are working?
I work in a studio environment with my husband and another designer, Kristin. We run a graphic design firm out of our house, Woodward Design. We have an imac completely devoted to music and photo taking! Currently we're listing to alot of Joel Plaskett, Neko Case, Pieta Brown, Fleet Foxes, Josh Ritter, Frank Sinatra & Elvis Presley.
5. What is a good art making day look like for you?
Getting up in the morning, drinking coffee, eating fruit and getting to work. No graphic design or client distractions and hours of painting or drawing. Eight hours at least! Maybe a good lunch at the cafe down the block or a chai latte break in the afternoon. Ending the day with time in the kitchen to make a yummy supper and perhaps a glass of red wine. I realize now that I am talking more about food than art...
6. Who are your favorite artists - living and dead
This list is always changing but currently I am loving Lynda Barry, Tove Jasson, Toulouse-Lautrec, Katherine Dunn, Natasha Rosenberg, Dan May, Maddalena Gerli...
7. Greatest advice given to you which you would like to pass along?
Its important to dream big but also recognize that being an artist takes plain old hard work. I can't even count the amount of times that I have tried to rationalize an excuse or distraction that prevents me from drawing or painting. At the end of the day, we need to step up and produce something, anything. Make time to play... and don't take yourself too seriously ;)
