Amanda: It’s easiest for me to get in the zone first thing in the morning. I’ve always been a morning person, I wake up and want to leap out of bed because I’m excited to drink coffee and sit at my drafting table. When I can, I spend an hour or two moving between drawing, writing, and reading to loosen up. I really value that quiet time to feel free to play and try to maintain that mindset moving into the day.
Who is one of your newest found sources of inspiration?
Amanda: I've been really into Angela Kirkwood's animations, Heather Benjamin's illustrations and ceramics, and Creighton Baxter's gorgeous drawings. I'm also revisiting my all time favorite Apichatpong Weerasethakul's work lately. I'm also feeling inspired by the season change and beginning a new film project for the summer.
I dream a ton. I used to have recurring dreams and night terrors as a kid. Now my dreams tend to often feel like puzzles, I like to imagine that my dreams are helping me digest and process the day.
How do you conquer a creative block?
Amanda: I try (and sometimes fail!) to let it breathe, and shift my attention to anything else for as long as it takes. Sometimes I draw with my non-dominant hand to take the pressure off. I also like to listen to people who inspire me, like interviews with artists or activists to get my heart rate up or to re-engaged with the things that I want to be paying attention to. A walk or a nap can also do wonders :)
Pick your top 5 and list in priority.
Solitude
Nature
Good Company
Intimacy
Sleep
What makes your pulse quicken? What makes you feel alive?
Amanda: A good film, the wind, movement, chance encounters.
Do you dream a lot? Does it influence your art? Do you have recurring dreams?
Amanda: I dream a ton. I used to have recurring dreams and night terrors as a kid. Now my dreams tend to often feel like puzzles, I like to imagine that my dreams are helping me digest and process the day.
Who is one of your earliest sources of inspiration?
Amanda: My earliest source of inspiration was my grandmother. She understood something about creativity as a way of being. She had seven children and was a full time stay at home mom, so she wasn't an artist by career or trade, but she knew how to observe the world and she inspired me from an early age to identify what living creatively could look like.
Save 10% by subscribing to our newsletter.
Sign up to get exclusive access to new collections, member pre-sales, and events.
