Amanda Laing

Tell us a little bit about you?
I am totally distracted by creativity and aesthetics and a huge fan of the natural world. Before having family I had a creative career in commercial Interior Design working and living in Melbourne. After kids I did various casual jobs including relief teaching in primary schools, teaching kids art workshops and estimating for interior design products. I have a very supportive family who put up with my constant cluttering of the kitchen table with creative projects and a house full of bits and pieces foriaged from the wilderness. I have a large collection of vegemite bottles full of natural treasures and trinkets. Born in Australia, I have a Dutch Father from a very creative family of makers, musicians and artists who migrated to Australia in the 1950’s. Observing them as a child, I am sure had a huge creative influence, as well as being highly entertaining ie. many bad jokes, lots of loud singing and opinions and salty fish and liquorice treats brghhh!

What is your favourite drink?
Coffee hands down.

What inspired you take up painting?
My kids awakened my creative spirit completely! Having grown up in the mountains and close to nature as a child, I headed back to nature with the kids for escape and entertainment. Having always had the natural ability to draw, paint and make things, this also became a constant activity I would do with them on and off for nearly a decade. This habit sparked a real creative passion which started out with weaving, sewing, making textile jewellery and wearable art and then back to drawing and painting. Learning surface design came next and the birth of my small business Paprly www.paprly.com.auRecently some time back at uni doing a graduate certificate in visual art ignited a real interest in painting again and making textile art. Last year, I was fortunate to exhibit some sculptures inspired by the scribbly gum, in the Eden Gardens Unearthed exhibition in their beautiful gardens at Macquarie Park, a fabulous experience!

What advice would you give other artists/creatives starting out?
Four things -listen very closely to your own creative voice it might be hard to hear at times with all the advice out there! Don’t make 'finding your style' your main focus it's a sure way to stifle your creativity. Keep experimenting and exploring and lastly just keep turning up!

You can see more of Amanda’s work @mandalouau or visit mandalou.com.au.

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