I had the honor to do an interview with Christa who created the most beautiful blog called The Avid Pen! Click here to read the entire interview.
I love introducing local artists, and today I’m sharing an inside look into the dreamy floral world of Amy Elizabeth Fine Art. The mom of three makes her home in the Queen City, and as the title of the post suggests, she creates dreamy floral paintings that have an otherworldly feel to them.
While several of the recent artists that I’ve shared on the blog have worked with either acrylics or watercolors, Amy prefers to work with oils and often frames her work in vintage frames she’s found at local antique shops. In addition to her floral pieces on canvas, Amy also paints her signature roses on ornaments that are perfect for adding to your tree this Christmas.
Elementary art class was my favorite, and it seemed like an eternity for Thursdays to come back around. It was my time to shine unlike in math or science and I learned right away that art class was where I felt the most confident and safe, accepted and even praised. I had a positive association with art from an early age and I know that’s why I paint today.
Rococo or late Baroque art really appeals to me. Specifically, artist Francois Boucher with his soft color palette and romanticized scenes, blue skies, puffy clouds, naked baby angels, ladies in gowns, roses, all of it I love. I will never paint like the Masters, but their style and color pallet I draw great inspiration from.
Because I’m a self taught artist, oils felt like the obvious choice. In my untrained mind, I thought that if I could achieve working with oils, I could truly call myself an artist. After painting for a few years and meeting so many talented artists I now understand there’s a world of mediums out there that I need to discover. Oils though, are rich and buttery and allow for texture. Tubes of color seem to last and last. My heart will always be loyal to oils because of how well they have treated me.
I am so drawn to pastels, like pinks and baby blues in almost every area of life. Home decor, clothing and yes even my art. I have to challenge myself to work with bolder colors and often times I’m surprised by how well these turn out and are received by my followers and clients.
What’s interesting is, I don’t have one single rose bush in my yard. You would think I’d surround myself with bouquets and gardens. It’s more about the feeling roses and florals evoke within me. They’re dreamy and romantic, erotic and sensual. They’re temporary and fleeting just like this life on Earth. Painting my florals is a way to express the joys and sadness, excitement and disappointments that living brings.
I’m still surprised when something sells, or someone shows interest in my art. Selling art was a goal I thought I would never achieve and honestly I just loved painting regardless. I did ruin many canvases, wasted tubes of paint and put in countless hours at the easel. Only to step back and still recognize that what I was painting wasn’t sellable. There’s a corner that has to be turned to have a unique enough hand and style to be sellable and that just takes time and a lot of practice. Today, I paint because I love it and can’t imagine not painting. However, selling my art is certainly wonderful and fulfilling.
I use gold leaf and often apply it when the painting is still wet. The key with gold leaf is not being afraid to scratch it back off to give it more of a natural worn look. Otherwise it looks like you stuck foil on your painting. It’s important not to be scared to get in there, mess it up, put scratch marks through it, and take a lot of it back off. You never want to leave big pieces. I have also been using a lot of gold oil paint and love framing my pieces with it.
This is something new I just started and I have been surprised by how well they’ve been received. I can’t seem to keep them in my shop. All the frames I find come from local antique shops and I absolutely love hunting for them. I look for frames with a lot of charm and character and many times I end up painting them and adding gold wax. It’s so fun giving these old forgotten treasures new life.
I enjoy the chance to move away from a large canvas and work on a smaller surface. That’s why I create mini paintings that go in vintage frames and around the holidays on ornaments. Smaller pieces like these mean a smaller space for me to work and I’m forced to use a brush instead of a pallet knife like I prefer. The upside to creating these tiny pieces is that the reward and satisfaction of completing something comes much quicker.
I have a heart for children especially those in need. This organization is amazing. When a child first comes into the foster care program they are taken out of bad situations and very often leave with only the clothes they are wearing. Mosaic gives these children a chance to shop, pick out anything they want and it’s all brand new, it’s theirs. The thought of a child not having all they need is gut wrenching. Children can’t help the environment they are born into, they have no say over the difficult situations adults put them in. This is just a small way that I can contribute, by using my art to provide a token of security in their lives.
May 10th was a good day!
I had the most amazing day. Seeing another dream come to fruition. Many steps brought me to this pinnacle....hard hard hard work.... ignored texts from understanding friends.... unanswered emails....no clean laundry..... no favors.... no shortcuts... no handouts. Do the time, put in the hours.... give it your everything.... paint like no one will ever see it..... uninhibited, open and free.... paint out your laughter, tears, anger....purge your soul. Paint like you don't care if it's good, bad or just stank! Just paint....and with no agenda....Yes! PAINT WITH NO AGENDA....except to ease your personal chaos. Like the saying goes...."dance like no one's watching" replace that with "Paint like no one's buying!" I think the moment I started doing this.... was the moment I figured it out. Clients long for the feels.... they want to be stirred without it being forced upon them. They want the freedom to look at art and feel what they want..... not have it forced on them. It's all very delicate.... but the instant I stopped caring what others might think, and let my ROSE FREAK FLAG FLY.... was the moment I started creating free feeling, flowing art..... sellable and gallery worthy art. Today, I delivered 11 pieces to my very first gallery. Like, a real gallery. A stunning gallery. With real owners and curators asking sincere questions, "Where does your inspiration come from? What's your process?" I'm pretty sure I muttered back, "Are you sure I'm supposed to be here? Am I being linked?" But, Yes. Yes I was supposed to be there!
Thank you artsource for this dream coming true. What a beautiful group of women who have my artistic back!
Lately I've been blessed. You see, I have these amazing followers, support from exceptional artists, now friends, and brave clients who have taken a chance on me without knowing very much. So here it is... I'm forty three, is that right? Stopped counting. Not that age bothers me, but I just don't care anymore. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina where I continue to get confused in a city whose roads change names like underwear. Married with three precious children who are evolving into teens, I've not found a way to make that stop. A boy and two girls....one who just started driving and two who spend all my money on makeup, nails and clothes. They consume the majority of my time, but when I find a small window I paint. And I write. And I paint. And I write some more. I'm a writer at heart, with two small published works of fiction. I've written a novel I plan to publish someday, about a girl living in a city where it rains all the time and she comes across these gorgeous vampires, except she doesn't know they're vampires… what? That's been done? I am terrified of butterflies and flying in airplanes. I speed sometimes, bad. I curse too, bad. But try to keep it classy most days. I'm happy almost all the time. And I have that face, where strangers, anyone, everyone will tell me EVERYTHING. Don't tell me your stuff, you might end up in my novel. I am a cheerleading coach at my daughters' middle school "firecracker firecracker boom boom boom". And this year we got metallic pompoms, and sparkly cheer bows. Life changing! And I have this dog that I'm obsessed with, I squeeze her, hold her, kiss her and we are best baes for life. Lastly, I LOVE to paint, I'm dedicated to my craft and loyal to my customers, always. If you have any questions or inquires about my art, or want to share your life story, please contact me. I love hearing from you ❤️
I began painting two years ago....these are my firsts, mess ups, weird stages and bad color choices. Not to show how far I've come, this isn't about that. But to encourage others who are just beginning yet desire to create sellable work. For those who long to unlock the great mystery of "what sells?!" when you look at your stuff and wonder why aren't others loving it like you do. I've certainly not figured it all out yet and I hope I don't, for that means growing has ceased. However.... I have a little bit of advice if you doubt yourself and what you have to offer. Finding your own style is incredibly hard. Trust me, I copied countless artists who I admired. NEVER to sell but to learn. Eventually and before knowing your own beautiful style emerges....IF you are willing to paint until your hand falls asleep. Until your feet hurt from hours of standing at the canvas. Until you've wasted time and money ruining a million canvases and they are stacked in a corner. Keep painting even when you're asked why you keep painting when nothing is selling. My answer was and always will be, "I'd paint if nothing ever sold, duh! Because I'd stop breathing if I didn't." Paint all night if it's the only time you get to yourself. And most of all paint what's in you, not what someone tells you will sell better. Only then will it flow effortlessly out of your soul and onto the canvas. Only then will it appear so organic to others that they somehow relate to it and long to have it in their lives. Basically PAINT YOUR HEART OUT... Literally and figuratively 💘
