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ARTISTIC PROCESS
I often get questions about how I come up with ideas,
how I got started doing this, how long it takes to
create a painting, etc. Hopefully this will answer
those questions…
INSPIRATION
My inspiration can come from anywhere…movies, books,
a phrase heard in passing. Sometimes I get
frustrated, because I have so many ideas fighting to
come out. Every painting has so many possibilities…
directions it can take. Often the idea I start out
with becomes something else entirely by the time the
piece is finished. But sometimes I get blocked…and I
turn to my collection of art books for inspiration.
When that fails, I stare at the blank paper for two
or three hours before giving up. Some days the muse
just doesn't feel like stopping by.
CREATING A PAINTING
First, I usually put on a Loreena McKennit cd…
My creative process differs from many artists. I
rarely do preliminary sketches, other than rough
stick figures to give me a feel for the layout.
Usually I just sit down and start…and hope it all
works out. The initial drawing can take anywhere from
15 minutes to several days. Sometimes I have to set
it aside for a week or so and try something else
before getting back to it. Then, when I'm happy with
the drawing, I start to paint. I generally like to do
the background first, as it's the hardest and least
interesting for me. Skin comes next, and it goes from
there. I don't like to spend more than 3 days on a
painting or I start to get bored with it. Most of my
pieces are under 11X17 inches, and take less time to complete.
HOW I GOT STARTED
In 1992 I got a job working as a custom picture
framer (which I continued to do for more than 7
years). This was the best step I could have taken
toward my eventual career. Learning to frame art is
not only important for the artist (the framing really
makes a huge difference), working with mats and
frames gives you a better feel for color and texture.
Now, back to the story…after 4 months at the gallery,
my boss (now my good friend, Shawn) handed me an
empty frame that had been laying around the shop and
said " Here, paint something to go inside this frame…
maybe a little fairy or something." I had always had
an interest in faeries (ever since I was a small
child and my aunt bought me FAERIES by Brian Froud
and Allan Lee) but hadn't ever really tried to draw
one. So, I went home and did just that. We put the
finished painting out in the shop and a few days
later it sold…that was how it all started.
In 1993 I started testing the market for my work by
having laser prints made. It enabled me to print my
work without going broke from large printing fees. I
sold my prints at a couple of street fairs, and was
fortunate enough to have friends with shops who were
willing to sell my prints as well. A year or two
later, my boyfriend (now husband) decided I should
have a website. To my surprise and delight, he had a
flare for designing websites. My first site had
around ten images. Now, in 2001, it's grown to 8
galleries and approximately 140 images. I'm afraid it
may keep growing! I still print my images using a
laser printer, but I lease my own now, and have
complete control over how they come out, type of
paper, etc. Without new printing technologies that
have made it affordable for beginners to have their
work reproduced, and the amazing capabilities of the
Internet, I'd never have gotten this far.
GENERAL INFO
Favorite Authors - Tolkien (of course), Charles De
Lint (absolutely enchanting stories and characters),
Orson Scott Card (great lessons to learn from many of
his books, with
wonderful plot twists too)
Favorite Books - Imajica-Clive Barker, Swan Song-
Robert McCammon, Mists of Avalon-Marion Zimmer
Bradley, Mythago Wood and The Hollowing-Robert
Holdstock, Someplace To Be Flying and Jack of
Kinrowan-Charles De Lint
Favorite Artists - Brian and Wendy Froud, Allan Lee,
Michael Parkes, Stephanie Law (HI Stephanie!),
Brom….there are so many
Favorite Movies - Labyrinth and Heavy Metal
Good Reference Books (for learning how to draw
people) - Pose File books (I have #1 and #4),
Illustrators Reference Manual-Nude
Tools of the Trade - Amy uses Daniel Smith Extra Fine
Watercolors, Windsor and Newton brushes, Arches cold
press watercolor paper, and Saunders Waterford cold
press watercolor paper.
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