#sparkchamber 021720 — Amanda Davis
We’re in the middle of #LoveTeaching Week — a grassroots campaign in celebration of teaching, leading, and learning — and #sparkchamber is privileged to welcome educator and creator Amanda Davis.
Honored as 2020 Secondary Art Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Art Education Association, Amanda teaches art at a public high school. “My focus as an art educator is to help students recognize the power of the arts and how they can use it as a tool to better understand themselves, and the world around them. I’m a huge advocate for using the arts to tell our stories and in turn, create a more tolerant world. I weave these social justice themes into my curriculum with students and into my own story-telling as well.”
Always reflective, constantly changing, growing, and evolving, she sums up the key parts of her identity as, “a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator. I’m a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a passionate dog mama. I’m a traveler, empath, and sometimes a worrier. I find myself most at peace when I am in nature or sitting by the ocean. Above all, I love anything creative and have been writing and creating art in all forms since I was young.”
When she was only 12, Amanda’s father passed away. She found that writing and art gave her powerful outlets for expression, which, as she grew older, inspired both her desire to teach art, as well as a passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. “In my work as an author-illustrator, I often draw from my own experiences and try to flesh out how I can make these stories accessible to all children.”
Her poetry and illustrations will appear in the forthcoming Writers’ Loft Poetry Anthology, Friends and Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children and her photograph Icelandic Horse was published in The Sunlight Press.
Amanda lives in the Boston area with her husband, family, and their rescue pup, Cora. “I am inspired by my students, life experiences, and small acts of kindness. I am forever grateful to my husband and family who are always there for the ups and downs that come with the creative journey. My husband is definitely my sounding board for all my creative ventures inside the classroom and beyond. Art is universal. Art is connection. Art is life.”
1.] Where do ideas come from?
As mentioned in my bio, most of my ideas tend to come from my own life experiences. Whether from childhood or current day, I have always used my art as a voice to tell stories with the hope and desire that others can connect and relate. Most of my ideas tend to come either in the car, shower, or in nature. I also like to write and research for nonfiction work, so I may see something in the news or media that sounds interesting and decide to do further research. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you never know when an idea will strike. I’ve also learned not to judge my ideas or my art. I encourage this with my students, too. Write ALL ideas down or sketch them out. No matter what. A simple seed of a word or scribbly sketch, may one day sprout into a full-fledged masterpiece of a garden.
2.] What is the itch you are scratching?
The itch that I am scratching is release. When I create, I can get lost in the work for hours. I believe in the psychology world this is referred to as the cognitive state of “flow” or the mental state of “being in the zone.” Researchers say this is an essential part of doing meaningful, deep work, which in turn can lead to a happier and more enjoyable life. When I’m creating, I know I have reached this state, when my process feels right and natural. I feel full to the brim and my well is overflowing. I don’t always reach this state of mind when I create but when I do, it is glorious. My other motivation comes from wishing and hoping that my work will have an impact on the world. Whether in the classroom with my students or with a person in another country who may read my writing or appreciate and connect with my art, the arts are so powerful, and I’m grateful that I can share these gifts with the world.
3.] Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare?
In the writing world, we call it BIC or Butt in Chair! You have to make the time in order to get the work done. My time to write and create comes whenever I can carve it out. Sometimes that is on the weekends or sometimes that is late into the night. I also carry sketchbooks and notebooks so I can jot things down throughout my day. Finding time to balance and restore also helps with my productivity. To do this, I practice yoga and meditation, which clears my mind for new, fresh ideas. I also meet with a monthly critique group who I lean on for advice, encouragement, growth, and accountability. They’re my accountabilibuddies! :) It’s important to have this supportive community to help me work towards accomplishing my goals and dreams. It also feels good that I can help them to do the same.
4.] How do you know when you are done?
Oh my! This is an age-old question for me. I don’t think I ever know when I’m done! With that said, after both my writing and art have gone through numerous rounds of revisions — whether with my critique partners or industry professionals — I know I am getting closer to calling it done. If the focus of revisions becomes more micro instead of macro such as, line edits or small tweaks to my art, I also know I am close to the end. I don’t know if as a creator, I am ever fully satisfied with my work. I could always find something to modify but there does come a point where you have to take a breather and call it done. If I’m really struggling with this, I may end up shelving a story for a while or putting an art piece aside to simmer. Then, I can come back to it with a clear mind to see if there is anything else I may want to change before sending it out into the world.
