Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Farley.
Amanda, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2016, I moved from a small town in South Carolina down to Georgia to study at the Savannah College of Art and Design. There, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts in Production Design with a minor in Painting. SCAD was a fantastic school, and I wouldn’t trade the experience I gained in those short four years for anything. However, I graduated in spring of 2020 when the world was shut down. I spent that summer working a part-time framing job and slowly tried to put myself out there as a freelance artist – doing almost anything. I was commissioned to paint a piece for a finance office and later painted lingerie designs for a locally owned bra store, which led to another lingerie illustration commission. I even worked some nights as a makeup artist for a haunted house nearby. No matter what I was doing, I was managing to do something creative.
After my years living in Savannah were sadly over, I moved back home to South Carolina and eventually to Charlotte, North Carolina. I’ve always taken my own art very seriously, but this was a turning point in my career. I got another job working in a frame shop, I hosted my first solo art exhibition, became involved in other group exhibitions, and even illustrated a published book.
After becoming much more comfortable selling my own original work, I found an interest in selling other artists’ work. I created Colony Art Collective, a small business where emerging artists can be assisted in selling their original artwork through a united platform. The collective is a project I am very proud of and could never have achieved without the great artists I’ve been lucky enough to meet.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Along with the rest of the world, I struggled during the pandemic. Although I graduated from my dream school, it took me a while to catch my footing after leaving. I had to learn that, especially in hard times, opportunities weren’t going to fall in my lap. I had to not only search for them but fight for them and believe in myself while doing so.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While studying at SCAD, I experimented with many different painting styles and techniques. I love to try new things and learn new skills, but throughout all my work, color is always a big focus for me. My work tends to have a very intentional color palette and is often very vibrant. I like the viewer to feel excited by my use of whimsical color.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I often find myself inspired by other artists on social media sites, such as Instagram or Facebook. I love watching someone else’s process to create something.
I also find myself inspired by good music. Whenever I’m working, there’s always something playing in the background, and it usually matches the mood of what I’m doing.
Contact Info:
- Website: amanda-farley.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_farley_art/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandafarleyart/
- Other: colonyartcollective.com
