We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda (Ames) Cook a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda (Ames), thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

Sooner! So much sooner! I started my “serious” art career when I suddenly lost my job a couple of years ago. Having an art career was something I never saw as attainable. When I was out of work, I decided to put all of my energy into officially starting my own business making and selling art. I set up a website, started pages, and spent my waking hours creating new things. It made me realize how much I loved doing this and it is possible to make it into a career. I’ve met so many incredible people, made so many friends, and have been endlessly inspired. I just wish I’d taken the leap sooner!

Amanda (Ames), 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?

Howdy! I’m Ames Cook, an independent artist from North Georgia. I’ve been making art since I was a kid, but started my ‘real’ art career a couple of years ago. I started out drawing, but I’ve also come to enjoy painting, sculpting, woodworking, and more! Lately I’ve been learning how to use Procreate to make digital pieces, and its been such a fun experience! My work usually involves components of bright colors, stylized elements, and goofy sayings or phrases. I also really enjoy doing commission pieces such as pet portraits, or personalized gifts. A good portion of my pieces deals with mental health and using artwork as a coping mechanism. I’ve had my own mental health struggles, and creating art has helped me through some tough times. I’m able to express things on a canvas that I could never put into words.
This past summer I had a wonderful opportunity to help paint a mural for a local housing complex with other artists. It was such a blast to work with the kids, my friend Frances, and the community. My goal for the future is to get more involved in local art markets and projects. I’d like to connect and collaborate with more artists as well!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are so many rewarding things about being an artist. To me, the absolute best feeling is when my work elicits an emotion from people. Whether that be laughter or sorrow, if it makes them feel something then I’ve done my job. That’s what I strive for with my work. Lately I’ve really been enjoying making silly comics and bumper stickers. Seeing people smile at a stupid cartoon I made, or a goofy sticker on their car makes me so happy. On the flipside, I’ve had some incredibly emotional responses to my work. One that stands out to me is a piece I’d done that a total stranger bought. She messaged me later and said that it reminded her of a friend she’d lost. It was such a beautiful interaction that I will forever treasure.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think the whole ”creative process” is something that’s incredibly difficult to explain to a non-creative, because it’s so different for every piece and person. Coming up with new ideas is not something that happens spontaneously. It can take time, and occasionally you just need to step away for a while. Making a piece is never a linear process for me and usually involves a lot of stopping, restarting, tweaking and perfecting. The biggest issue I’ve run into when working with clients is when they want to make tons of last minute changes. Non-creatives will often get upset when an artist isn’t able to accommodate drastic changes in the late stages of a piece. Its incredibly frustrating trying to explain to a client that I can’t recreate a piece that is completely different from the original concept; especially when its on a set deadline. I wish there was more understanding with clients and creators about issues like that. It would make the whole process so much more enjoyable for both parties.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/slyace365art
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slyace365art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/SlyAce365Art/100083275454230/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SlyAce365Art
• Other: https://slyace365art.threadless.com/

Image Credits
Amanda Cook