By Pauly
The second artist is Amy Saffner. Amy has taken a very traditional style, and adapted it to not-so-traditional themes. Each of her paintings incorporates autumn colors that force you to recognize the artist’s emotions. The onlookers watch as the dancer performs his final dance; the smoker attempting to light the much needed stress reliever; the roaming vagabond silently asking to be noticed. Each stroke is filled with empathy. Each moment is bittersweet.
Amy Saffner
Bio: Amy Saffner graduated last year from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan. Since graduating, she’s been working full time to support herself. Amy’s artwork has been featured in several galleries in New York such as: the School of Visual Arts Gallery in Chelsea, and the Don Hills collaborative art show. She is currently traveling across country selling her artwork at various art and music festivals. (All art located below this bio are creations of Amy Saffner)
Pauly: Tell me Amy, What’s Your Strive(s)?
Amy: My goal as an artist is to reach out and touch as many people as I can with what I love to do most. Creating is what keeps me happy, and I love expressing to others how I see the world.
Pauly: Where are you from?
Amy: I grew up in New Jersey but for the past 6 years I’ve lived in New York City
Pauly: How did you get started?
Amy: I started to draw when I was very young. My Dad was a painter (in his spare time) and he encouraged me to do the same. He always encouraged me to do whatever I loved to do, whether it was gymnastics, playing guitar, or my artwork. It was wonderful to have such supportive parents, and when I told my dad that I wanted to go to art school he shrugged and said “if there’s nothing I can do to get you to take over DTE (his engineering company), then art school it is!”
Pauly: What steps are you taking to achieve your goals?
Amy: Being an artist is not hard…being a successful artist is the tricky part. I live and breathe art and do whatever I can to keep this dream afloat. I have left my job and apartment and “life” back in New York to travel America and try and show my work to as many people as possible. Lauryn Yovino and I are both selling our work at music festivals, craft shows, and street fairs all around the US in hopes that people (like you) might take notice and bigger opportunities might present themselves.
Pauly: With everybody trying to make it into the art business, what do you do to separate yourself from the crowd?
Amy: For me, my art is not about being ‘different’. I use it as an outlet to express myself, and hopefully whatever comes out other people will enjoy. I used to get discouraged when I saw other artists with extraordinary talent, thinking that I could never accomplish what they have. But then I realized that all I can do is learn from these people, and take what I have learned from them to help better myself and to create something that is unique and all mine.
Pauly: What are you currently working on?
Amy: Right now I am working on a series of landscapes that capture what I have seen during my road trip. I have never left the east coast before this trip and seeing the farmland and rolling hills of the Midwest and the beautiful sunsets has been so inspiring. I am so excited to make it out west so that I can capture the beauty that I know is out there waiting to be painted.
Pauly: Do you feel that your art form is a way to express yourself, or a way of life?
Amy: My artwork is definitely my favorite way to express myself. I wouldn’t say it’s a way of life, just because there is a lot more to me than my artwork and I like to express myself through other mediums as well, including music, writing and dance. But I wouldn’t be able to imaging my life without painting. I love to just loose myself in it; it’s almost like a meditation for me.
Pauly: What’s your resume?
Amy: My art resume is yet to be built up. I just graduated last year from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and have been working full time to support myself. I have had my paintings up at the School of Visual Arts Gallery in Chelsea, I have participated in one group show at Don Hills in New York City, and I have sold a handful of paintings. However, this road trip is really my first attempt at making my artwork into a career.
Pauly: Do you have a contract, or are you currently shopping around?
Amy: I don’t have a contract right now. To tell you the truth, I’m not even really sure what a contract is!
Pauly: What’s your opinion of the current art scene?
Amy: I don’t really keep up on the current art scene, as terrible as that might sound. Maybe I’m just thinking of the snobby New York art scene, which I don’t really care to be a part of. But I love going to museums and art galleries, and if I see something that really blows me away I will definitely do my research. I love finding smaller name artists and getting inspired by them.
Pauly: What suggestions do you have for other aspiring artists?
Amy: My suggestion to other aspiring artists is to be you. Do what you love to do, no matter what the feedback might be. Art is so subjective; don’t let anyone tell you what is good and what isn’t. As long as you’re happy with your own work, that all the matters!
Pauly: Any other upcoming projects you’d like to mention?
Amy: Our most recent projects as a collaborative artistic road trip is to attend Rothbury music festival and after that the July Jamboree in Cloudcroft, NM, Some Mountain Jam in Hartsel CO, and Grateful Garcia Gathering and Feel Good Festival in WI.
Pauly: Any plugs you’d like to drop?
Amy: face book – green oil nation
www.amysaffner.etsy.com
www.myspace.com/shstrangers
www.classicallyabsurdphotography.net
Amy: Here are some links to festivals we will be vending at:
http://sundogsummershakedown.itgo.com/ – Grateful Garcia Gathering, Black River Falls WI
http://www.feelgoodfestival.org/ – Feel Good Festival in Amherst WI
http://www.newmexico.org/calendar/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=8899&year=2009&month=07 – July Jamboree, Cloudcroft NM
http://www.somemountainjam.com/ – Hartsel, CO
Pauly: Much success Amy, keep striving!
NEXT ARTIST: Ayesha J. Khan “Modern Day Art Movement” Part 3 of 3…
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