AMANADA OLEANDER

amandaoleander

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p h o t o g r a p h e r J A M A R I O B E N T s t o r y b y g a b b y f e l i p e s t y l i s t m a z

71Q+ A

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Gabby: Hi Amanda, I just want to say I love your artworks so much. I feel like I can connect with some of your drawings on a personal level and I’m sure many others as well. All your drawings bring a sense of reality, the “beauty” and the “ugly” sides of life, which everyone can have a deep connection with. One of my favourite drawings is a woman painting a man while asleep and quoted, “when someone shows you their true colours don’t try to repaint them”. Do you intend for others to “see” and “feel” what you “see” and “feel” in your art? In other words, do you want others to see what you are saying in your art?

Thank you so much Gabby for appreciating my art!

Amanda: I don't intent for others to see or feel what I do with each art piece. When a viewer interprets an art piece what they see always says more about the viewer than the art or the artist. It's much like an ink blot and I find that fascinating. That's why many times I ask my audience to interpret the art first before they read my interpretation so it doesn't sway their perspective.

Gabby: I’ve been following

your Instagram page for a

while now and I’ve noticed

you’re constantly doing the

100-day

challenge,

posting

amazing,

new

drawings

everyday.

How

do

you

discipline

yourself

to

committing

to

draw

everyday?

What

motivates you?

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Amanda: I have a pretty constant urge to create. I am always thinking about my next project or the projects I am currently working on. Death is a big motivator for me. I'm not going to live forever, I want to create as much as I can while I am alive.

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"I was born an artiscan remember thawanted to do with m

Gabby: Seeing you as a successful artist today, makes me believe that maybe you were an art prodigy? Were you born to be an artist or made an artist?

Amanda: I was born an artist. Ever since I can remember that is all I've wanted to do with my free time. My love for art has been nurtured since I was a child. I have been taking art classes since I was about 5. I was a member of a children's art museum at a very young age. I've had an easel since I can remember. I then went on to get a fine arts degree as an adult.

t. Ever since I t is all I've y free time. "

Gabby: What advice would you give to artists who are trying to make their passion a day to day job?

Amanda: Educate yourself in your craft and work on it every single day. Share your art with the world. Put up a site and sell your work. Keep going until it's your full-time job.

Gabby: How did you find the groove of finding your own drawing style and being confident with it?

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Amanda: My style is always changing. If you saw my work in 2015 while I was working on my Endangered Species Collection you would think I just painted animals. I go through seasons like all artists do. My art is continually evolving. I found my first "style" once I had the foundation down and created so much work it just bloomed naturally. That was after about 15 years of creating when I was midway through my art degree.

76ArtWater.Food. Art

Art

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Water.

Water. Food. Food.

"Once in a blue moo create from a photo"

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Gabby: Approximately how long doesit take you to create one piece ofdrawing?

Amanda: It depends the size and

detail of the piece. As for my daily

drawings those are small 5" X 5" and

those

take

me

approximately

4

hours.

Gabby: What makes your drawingstyle unique?

Amanda: My art work comes from my mind. I don't look at a photo and illustrate that.* Since I create these scenarios from memory or imagination they are unique in the way that it has never been created before and if it is created again it is a copy.

*Once in a blue moon I create from a photo if it's a special occasion or commissioned piece. I'm not talking about these art pieces.

Gabby: What does being true toyourself with your art mean to you?And do you feel like you’re being trueto yourself with your art or do youdraw what others want to see?

Amanda: Creating from personalexperience and creating from listeningto that inner voice when an idea popsup is being true to yourself as anartist. I am true to myself as an artist I think that is a big part of why people connect with my work. My art comes from my soul. There are people that complain to me at times because I don't create what they want to see. They don't feel represented in my art. I just tell them my art represents me and if you connect with that than that is beautiful and if you don't then it wasn't meant for you to connect with and I'm okay with that.

n I

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AMANDA AMANDA AMANDA AMANDA

"I am

Gabby: What is you’re best drawing/painting you’ve done so far and why?

Amanda: I can't pick.

always

Gabby: 3 things can’t live without?

Amanda: Art supplies, water, food.

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thinking about my next project"

Gabby: Also, congrats with your engagement to your fiancé Joey! I love you guys and even though I hardly know you both, I can sense the genuine love you both have for each other through your drawings. I can imagine how overwhelmed you’d feel knowing the power of your art reached throughout the world! How do you feel about this?

Amanda: Thank you so much! This is the first time I have ever been loved so genuinely, purely and beautifully. Our love has been a powerful inspiration in my life since we met and knowing that it has touched people around the world is surreal. I don't think that I will ever really comprehend the magnitude of it but I'm happy to share the love with the world.