Amanda Fairbanks: Meet the Artist
Amanda Fairbanks recently pivoted from working as an Occupational Therapist to a full time focus on growing her artistic skills, styles, and creative opportunities. Her work has been featured in local restaurants, cafes and bars as well as Art Prize 2018. In February 2022 she won an Art Battle event and will travel to Chicago and represent Grand Rapids in the Midwest competition.
Q: How did you get involved with Lions and Rabbits?
A: In 2020 Lions & Rabbits pulled artists together for the Windows GR project. This was my first opportunity to meet other artists in the area and get involved in the community in a bigger way. It has been a project that has had a historical and lasting impact on me personally in many ways.
Q: What themes/ideas are highlighted in your work? Intentions?
A: Common themes in my artwork include nature, growth, landscapes and skylines, movement, mixed perceptions and an illustrative kind of style. I try to create a sense of being present in a place or with a character. Primarily I use kids with raincoats, houses, animals, or trees as a focal point allowing the colors and background to give the viewer context.
Q: Run us through your creative process - How do you start, flow and finish?
A: Typically the process begins with priming and blending colors for the background. My mind fills in a story to the shadows and highlights on the canvas and I just go from there. For the Cosmic Cabin series I use a pouring technique, when it dries I will spend a long time just looking at in different orientations to make sense of the mess. Once I have a vision or inspiration I layer and layer and layer to carve out and create the landscape. I always finish with a varnish.
Q: What obstacles/struggles have you encountered throughout your career as an artist? Or challenges you face through your creative process
A: Imposter syndrome. Having worked in a professional healthcare setting for so long it has been challenging to define myself outside of that role. I am still navigating the transition and trying to figure out how and where my art should go next.
Q: Can you share a little more about how your art career started. Have you always been in your field? Were you self taught or had additional schooling?
A: As long as I can remember I have been drawing and painting. It was Bob Ross who really helped me start to learn how to use brushes and blending techniques. Throughout my life I always used painting as a hobby and personal activity. Eventually, more and more people were asking for me to create for them and I was able to learn and improve through that.
Q: Who/what are your biggest inspirations that play a key role in the work you produce?
A: Moments of connection. Whether it is a place, creature, memory. There is always something that I feel a personal connection with in my paintings.
Windows GR 2020
Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about your work?
A: There isn't much I would change, but I would love to enhance my work through digital programs. To bring a static image into a moving and dynamic sense would help me to share my vision in a more direct way.
Q: What mistakes have you made? What did you learn from them? What are you trying to get better at?
A: In order to develop the paint pouring style I like for the Cosmic Cabin paintings, I had to make so many mistakes. So much paint. Now I have learned techniques to cut down on material needed and wasted.
Q: Do you feel supported by your community as an artist? In what ways could you feel more supported?
A:I have found that West Michigan in general is extremely welcoming and supportive of artists. I am always hearing about new ways artists are getting included from murals or beer cans to arts festivals and celebrations. This is a really great place to be.
Q: Describe a moment when you felt most proud of yourself
A:My 3 year old daughter says that I am an artist, she recognizes my work and style, she gives me her honest feed back. Also, she loves to paint and be creative too. It makes all of my new goals and dreams more real and meaningful. A specific moment that stands out, we went to visit a friends house and they had a painting of mine from before my daughter was born. She saw the painting for the first time and said, "My mommy painted that!" Im proud she recognizes my style but also me as an artist.
Windows GR 2020
Q: What's most important to you about what you create, and how it impacts others?
A:For the commission work I do with pet portraits, cosmic cabins and others it is important that I love the painting and would happily keep it should the buyer change their mind or request a new version. Feeling that excited jitter with a finished piece is so important to me.
Q: What's next? What are you currently focusing on or looking forward to?
A: The weather is getting warmer and I am looking forward to mural season in Michigan. I am excited to be outside painting and also seeing art!
Q: What does being an artist mean to you? What is the function of artists in society?
A: Art takes on many forms, but at its core, being an artist means you are capable of conveying a transcending message or emotion to others. Messages are sent and received in a multitude of ways by our senses, the artist is critical in a society for it to communicate and thrive.
Q: And of course, if you could chose any vehicle to travel, real or imaginary what would it be?
A: A Transformer who can be whatever is needed
Follow more of Amanda’s work on instagram.com/abanx.art
Thank you for tuning into this week’s Meet the Artist, be sure to checkout more artist stories every week on our blog!
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