Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amy Rimmer. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Amy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

From a young age, I knew art was going to be a part of my life. When I was in high school, I worked towards accomplishing achievements that would benefit me for an art degree. Upon graduation, I enrolled at a private university as an art major. As thrilling as it was, life threw me a curve ball. My grandfather was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It was a crushing blow and changed my perspective on the world. I helped my grandfather when I could and stayed with him when his home health caregivers couldn’t make their shifts. During this time, I looked inward. The pain I felt was devastating but I didn’t want it to be in vain. I saw how vulnerable he was, and I knew I wanted him to feel safe and loved when he was with me. I changed my path in life and chose to use this compassion to help others. After his passing, I transferred universities and obtained my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. I told myself to work as a nurse for five years and then revisit my passion in life. By this point, I was married to my husband, and we had our daughter. After work and once she was in bed, I would paint. I started to sell these paintings to my coworkers and friends and felt a fire in me grow. By the time our second child was on the way, I held a solo exhibition in Connecticut that my aunt curated. It was entitled “Joy” and was on display for two months in 2017. Professionally, I changed my nursing career to that of a school nurse and science teacher at a charter school. This job was all encompassing, and I no longer had the energy or time to paint. Then, I got pregnant with our third child. The summer of 2019, I had our son and left this job. It was time to look forward to the future. Then, the world stopped in 2020. To stumble through that year was something I think all of us can reflect on and wonder how we did it? As a mother to three very young children, I was frozen with fear. I didn’t dare take them anywhere, let alone did I go anywhere. When we came out of the other side of this pandemic, it made you realize that life is too short. By the winter of 2022, I reignited the fire that was in me and did my first ever market. The thrill of it was intoxicating. Since then, I have dedicated my time to professionally chase this dream. I have been a part of numerous markets, art walks, solo exhibits, galleries and commissions. I have had new experiences, like live painting (and selling it the same night) and bucket list moments; making it into an Art Fair that is in New York City.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a little girl, I loved the process of brainstorming an idea, drawing it onto my paper and then coloring it in. Whether that be paints, crayons, colored pencils, whatever it was, I loved it. It felt so amazing to have started with just a blank piece of paper that I turned into something. As I grew older, I started playing with chalk pastels and discovered famous artists. When I was 12, I made an abstract sunflower piece that was Andy Warhol inspired using the chalk pastels. When my grandmother saw it, she insisted I enter it into the County Fair–where she would enter all of her perfect afghan blankets she knitted. I can recall her showing me her blue ribbons, placing both of her hands on my shoulders, looking me in the eyes and telling me to never stop making art. As a child, I didn’t understand the significance of this promise. On the last day of sophomore year in high school, I did my first expressionism style painting. It blew me away on how fun and freeing it was. This is when I started my path as an abstract artist. I always have loved using mixed media. Whether that be playing with the texture of the canvas or the texture of the media, I love the contrast of it and how it can be used to express emotions. Maybe the ragged charcoal is to show passion or anger. graphite can be a delicate whisper, paint and paint markers show confidence. I also never sketch my idea; when I do, I feel like the idea has left me and I can never get it back. Typically, I have a vague idea when I start and then let the process lead me.

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

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, reflecting over the first year of me actively pursuing a career as an artist. Naturally, in our society, it is only natural to have success equate to financial excess. I am not by any means flushed with cash from my endeavors but, to step back and think of the amount of people that have purchased my artwork, it is baffling. People from all over the United States have Amy Rimmer originals in their home. That is so surreal to me. When your circle of art collectors expands from family and friends to strangers…that is cool. Really cool. Especially when you see the twinkle in their eye and the connection they’re making to your work, it is incredible. I get to paint my heart, my mind, my soul onto the canvas, and someone else feels that connection in some way. It is truly the best gift of all to witness.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I would love to own my own gallery. That would be a dream to have a studio space and gallery for my clients to visit. Besides those career goals, my children are a huge motivator for me. I want to show them that chasing your dreams can be a real, tangible goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amyrimmerart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/amy.paints