RIGADOON

Amy’s art experience started while in public school, learning enameling back in the 1970s, worked as a self employed artist in hot glass and enameling in the 1980s. The glass bead making made it more complete in the glass arts. Amy then graduated with a B.F.A. degree from the Cleveland Institute of Art. She bought her first motorcycle in the late 1980s. Naming it Rigadoon, the meaning is an old fashioned lively dance. It was appropriate for a motorcycle with a sidecar. Amy then took an avenue in vintage motorcycle drawing! This way she could combine her love of vintage motorcycles and art. The sidecar made it possible to carry art she created on motorcycle tours to look for art galleries across the countryside to carry her artwork. During the tours she saw interesting places that gave her inspiration to create works of art. This made the motorcycle earn their keep!

Tours have so far taken her through 49 states, Canada and Mexico adding over 250,000 miles! Most of those miles she learned to maintain her own motorcycle out of necessity while preferring to ride in low population areas and visiting the national parks.

Working from photographs each motorcycle drawing is hand drawn with pen and ink with added pencil for shading. The cards are then touched with highlights of silver metallic paint for the chrome and other polished parts. Custom drawings are always welcomed!

The drawings featured here are just a small selection of what she has drawn over the years. Vintage motorcycles are her specialty but also has drawn tractors, cars and airplanes. Amy has always been inspired by Amilea Earhrat and her amazing travels to far away places. A favorite quote that keeps her inspired ~ “Everyone has oceans to fly, if they have the heart to do it. Is it reckless? Maybe. But what do dreams know of boundaries?”

With encouragement from friends she drew and wrote a book for all ages on her adventures with her 1973 BMW motorcycle with a sidecar “Rigadoon”. The book “My Adventures With Rigadoon’’ takes her throughout the United States including Mexico. Amy and Rigadoon took off to live on the road for a year. Traveling, meeting interesting people, national parks and experiencing the wind in all kinds of weather. Now Amy is working on her 2nd coloring book about her travels to Alaska!

Examples of Amy’s glasswork can be seen at the White House. Hillary Clinton assembled a collection of crafts to be on permanent display in White House in 1994 and has been on a national tour for five years before resting back at the White House in Washington D.C.

Her main objective in life is to inspire others to create their own life and not be controlled by other opinions on what they think you should do. Always live on your own terms. After all it’s your life to see fit. Get out there and see what nature has in store and feel the wind. Indepence is the key. After all what do dreams know of boundaries?”