We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amy Howell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amy below.

Amy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

It was actually during the pandemic. I had been dabbling in painting, mixed media, and photography projects over the span of my adult years. I discovered the magic of painting in college, expressing myself with the fluidity of the medium. I was never one to paint what was in front of me, I love to use photography to capture that. I had been a member of the Provincetown Art Association in Provincetown, MA for several years,. During that time my photography was selected for several shows. When I moved to Gulfport, Florida five years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet friends who were artists and encouraged me to do a Friday Night Art Walk. Though I didn’t sell anything, I felt it was time to start promoting my art. The covid lockdown began and I began to paint everyday, it helped with the stress of my day job which was helping kids who were depressed and dealing with trauma. The news cycle was nerve wracking between covid deaths, George Floyd, and the upcoming presidential election. Gulfport had begun an Art in the Yard sale for artists who were not represented in galleries. A local gallery owner came by and asked if I would be her Artist of the Month. It was so unexpected and exciting! It my time to expand my vision, my skills, and my artistic path.

Amy, 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 love the abstract expressionists- De Kooning, Rauschenberg, Pollock. When I began getting into abstract art, I made random marks by on a canvas, working intuitively. I didn’t have any expectations, I was playing, experimenting, and not overthinking. I paint as if solving a puzzle, balancing the elements, letting the image emerge until I feel all the elements resolve, the pieces all fit. I never want to get too comfortable in my approach. I am constantly collecting ideas. I look at what other artists are doing, I research those I like. Even when I’m not satisfied with the result of something I have created, I always learn something, Many times I have painted over areas of a canvas and created a piece far better than I could have imagined. I want people to find a sense of joy, intrigue, self-discovery, finding new things that appear to them as they look longer at the piece, There is most often a deeper message in my piece that may not be apparent at first glance. I want my viewers to find their own story line. What sets me apart is my use of texture, bold colors, with a hint of realism. What I provide for customers is a piece of my soul, my energy that is carried over to canvas, filled with the power of love and joy from living.

I am proud to have been selected for juried art shows I have applied for and the commissions that I have been asked to create. My goals are taking my art beyond shows and galleries and seeing my images large scale, being used for commercial interior design projects. I also want to explore eco friendly companies that would use my images on their products. Currently I am currently showing at DRV Gallery in Gulfport, Florida and sell my artwork through local art shows. My biggest problem is allocating time to create along with time for promoting my work.

I would also like to give back to the community and help kids and adults express their feelings through abstract art.

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

I get to meet people who connect to my work at a heart level. I am creating art because it is something I have to do, I don’t feel right if I am not creating on an ongoing basis. Creating art grounds me. Time is not relevant, I am in a place that words can’t describe fully- but it resonates with freedom, soaring, and a lightness of being.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I graduated from college with a degree in graphic design, I knew I wouldn’t like the corporate world, it would swallow me up. While I was pursuing graphic design jobs, a friend of mine asked me if I would be interested in being her assistant pasty chef at the local four star hotel, I said sure, though I had only baked toll house cookies at that point, I loved it! Working with my hands, baking from scratch, the mixing of ingredients, the tools, the many skills it took to create a beautiful and delicious product, I baked for many years and honed my skills in cooking as well, eventually becoming an executive chef, After many years the long hours of standing on my feet, being in constant motion, working nights and weekends got to me, I worked a couple of years as a kitchen and volunteer coordinator at the town’s soup kitchen and something shifted in me. I saw firsthand a whole other world of people I hadn’t noticed in need of nutrition and companionship. I ended up working at the community health center after that helping people obtain health insurance, SNAP benefits, fuel assistance, and other fundamental needs. I had an underlying calling to pursue art, but I didn’t make it a priority, I am fairly confident I have had more jobs than years I have been alive.. I am currently working part time in a contemporary glass museum In St. Petersburg, Florida surrounded by incredible art. Working part time provides me with more time to create and sell my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: Howellmarks.art
• Instagram: @howellmarksgallery
• Facebook: Amy Howell