Friday, February 22, 2013

of birds and ballerinas

 Crayons are so much fun. Coloring with my students this week, I made two little ladies:
Both are available as prints in my shop now. 
Happy weekend!! xo, Amanda

Thursday, February 21, 2013

oh, libraries.

I love libraries. When my sister and I were little, my mom used to take us to our town's library every weekend. We had a special tote bag reserved only for trips to the library, and we'd fill it with children's books to read throughout the week. This love has carried over into my adult life, leading me to spend afternoons wandering around Boston's beautiful public library. And I have always been especially fond of the scene in Breakfast at Tiffany's where Paul takes Holly to the New York City Public Library for the first time.
I was really excited when, on Valentine's Day itself, I walked into the Brookline Public Library and found this display of secret books!
Each book had a list of clues as to what it might be about. They were wrapped up so that you wouldn't know what book it actually was until you got home.
I chose the above package, and I'm so happy I did because it turned out to be:
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett, which I have wanted to read for about a year! I finished it in a day, and there was something so fun and charming about being "matched" with a book and having to read it quickly in order to return it to the library. 
I hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day! Back soon with art.
xo, Amanda

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

black and white photo of lovers #8

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!
xoxoxo, Amanda

Thursday, February 7, 2013

a snow day past and a snow day present

Tomorrow is a snow day! I have always loved snow days.
The last snow day I remember is the day that the photo above was taken, two years ago in January of 2011.
I was painting for Depending Upon the Nature of the Beast at the time. Aside from my art, my only other income came from the shop I worked at and I felt nervous and uncertain about what I wanted to do with my life. I was saving to go to Europe for the first time and money was tight. I lived in an apartment with no living room with two girls who, while incredibly nice, were random roommates I barely knew and we all had completely separate lives. My life was substantially more solitary back then. At times it was even a little difficult. It's funny, because I do look back on my first two years in the city in that apartment as lonely and, sometimes, really sad. And yet I look back on them so fondly, remember that bedroom so fondly, and am so grateful that I spent that time alone. By myself. Painting in that room until 5 in the morning.
Things are so different now. In such a short amount of time, things can change so much.
I think being in your twenties is hard. But if the last year and a half has taught me anything, it's that everything gets easier and amazing things can happen in the blink of an eye.
I hope that you all have the most beautiful snow day tomorrow! Be safe!
xoxo, Amanda

Sunday, February 3, 2013

red sweaters and pine trees

Little original watercolor available here
Happy February!! xo