We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amica Hunter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amica below.
Amica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
In 2011 I decided to drop out of college to go enroll in a professional clown training program. I had a scholarship at the time, my grade were good, and I was on the track that I was “supposed to” be on, but I felt restless and unfulfilled. I was taking aerial and acrobatics classes, teaching myself to stilt walk and unicycle, and I had a persistent now-or-never feeling in my gut. Also I suppose it helped that I was young and reckless and unconcerned with the heaviness of real life responsibilities. So I went for it! It hasn’t been easy, but it was absolutely the best decision I’ve ever made. More recently I have taken a similar leap! Last year, after 12 years of living in one place and working as part of a performance duo, I packed up my things, quit my dayjobs, made my first solo show, and moved into my van. Now I’m more or less permanently on tour, travelling and performing nonstop, and looking for my next landing place. It’s incredibly rewarding, challenging, exciting, and exhausting, and I’m so grateful I am doing it.
Amica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I have been more or less creating and performing original live shows and acts since 2012 when I graduated from Clown school. I spent a solid decade working as part of an acrobatic touring physical comedy duo called A Little Bit Off. We produced four shows, countless variety acts, and even hosted our own variety show for several years.
Currently, I am touring my solo comedy show, ANATOMICA, which is a mind-bending genre-blending exploration of different animal body structures found in nature, with as an autobiographical spin. I have also just finished working on two collaborative shows with a new artistic partner I met through touring. We are calling our company “2 Sleepy RatGuys.” Our main show, SeaMAN, is a campy crazy dark comedy where we both play the same gnarled old sea captain. We are taking this show all over the US and Canada this summer and fall, and it’s going to be super fun! I also am working on a pet project of mine – The COWbaret, an absolutely unhinged variety show featuring all cow-themed acts.
At any one given time, I have many parallel projects going.
I have a long-standing event service company called Funerals For Life, which offers detailed, immersive funeral-themed event services for people who are still alive – complete with an “ASMR” embalming session, and a full open-casket service with programs and a Eulogy.
I co-produce an annual queer horror theatre festival in Portland, OR, called the Stage Fright Festival.
I also sell handmade accessories, and offer custom digital collages.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
A lot of my life choices seem impractical, and don’t make sense in the traditional model of financial security, stability, and ease. I feel a lot of the time like I am doing what I HAVE TO do to survive – both because the system isn’t designed to support the arts, and because the drive to make art can’t be turned off. I feel like creating is a compulsion for me – often very fun and satisfying, but also somewhat tortuous sometimes, because of all the excess energy exerted towards a thing that feels undervalued and looked down upon. But if I wasn’t creating, I would be absolutely listless and lost. It is the main cord tugging me forward through my life. I have fibromyalgia, which means I have a lot of pain and fatigue and it sometimes feels like I literally would not be physically able to work a “regular” job. I am also an introvert, which may seem strange since I am a performer, and more-or-less constantly on tour, but I find this work allows me to control the who/what/when/where of taxing socialization.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I hate social media! But it’s part of the job. My approach is more or less just making bright colorful graphics and pushing them out more or less c o n s t a n t l y. It has definitely changed my relationship to social media – it’s a tedious tool of the trade, but it’s the only way to get the word out.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amicahunter.com
- Instagram: @meatymeekers ( also: @funeralsforlife @2sleepyratguys @stagefrightfestival @alittlebitoff )
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amicahunter/
Image Credits
Elena Escobedo, Anthony Arnista, Shoot That Klown Photography