Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Weygand.
Hi Amanda, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I have always wanted to be an artist or involved in the arts in some way. When I was in high school, I became interested in photography mostly, so when it came time for college, I decided to focus on that and see where it took me. I had only taken photos with disposable cameras before starting at Columbia College in Chicago, so stepping into the darkroom there was a pretty overwhelming feeling, but it felt right. I fell in love instantly. I loved the hands-on approach, the tactility of the chemicals, watching my photos emerge, and experimenting with the process. Unfortunately, my time at Columbia was cut short, and I dropped out and moved back to my rural town of Ottawa. Some time passed, and I had my first son in 2008. When he turned 5, I decided I wanted to go back to school and finish my degree. This time, I chose Illinois State University, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. The classes were small, the professors were amazing, and the students were so accepting and became family. While there, I started to develop my own style. I combined two art forms I loved and started making sculptures from photos. I spent a lot of time in the darkroom and came out with a 3-d house made from photographs. It is probably one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever made. I created the hose from collaged photographs, so after it was finished, I dove deeper into college. I began experimenting with different techniques in the darkroom. I was really starting to find myself as an artist. My junior year at ISU, I found out I was pregnant with my youngest son. It was a bit of a surprise, and my doctor advised me not to use the darkroom chemicals while pregnant, so I had a pretty large hurdle to overcome. I was in a painting class at the time, just starting out. I never really enjoyed drawing or painting in high school because all of my projects were realistic, but at ISU, I began painting more abstractly, focusing on little moments instead of the whole picture. I learned how to use a pallet knife, and that was a game changer. When I couldn’t get the tactility from the darkroom anymore, I started to play around with painting on my photographs. I tried different papers and textures and started feeling the same way I did when I was in the darkroom. I developed a style combining the two mediums and it is a style I continue to work in today. After I had my son and could go back around the chemicals of the darkroom, I thought I would get right back in and work with film again, but I decided I wanted to see where this new mixed media style was going to take me. I continued to experiment with and fine-tune my process. My senior year of college, I had a solo exhibition to complete my BFA. I decided to create the mixed media pieces instead of sculptural darkroom images. The BFA program at ISU was such a safe space for me as an artist. I was able to have my own studio; there were other artists with studios next to mine that talked me through my ideas, they became my tribe. Then I hit another hurdle about 3 months before graduation and my solo exhibition. My house was hit by a tornado. It was the scariest moment of my life. I was at school when it happened, just finishing up a great critique in my sculpture class. I went up to the studio after class and checked my phone only to see a million calls and texts from all of my family. I had no idea it had happened, but I quickly found out that everyone was safe. Our house had a lot of damage, but it was still there. I took a week away from school, but when I came back, I had a lot of guilt. I felt like there were so many bigger things I needed to be doing instead of working on my art. I felt selfish. My family encouraged me to finish; I was a few months away from graduation. So, I took all that emotion and put it into my artwork. I made one of my favorite series of work that year. I’m so thankful I had the support I did. I needed to create that work to mentally get through all the curveballs life was handing me. While I was working in the BFA studios and thinking about graduation and leaving my friends, I began to worry about what I would do to continue my practices when school was over. My friend Justine and I talked about creating a maker’s space, and we developed a business plan. We looked at a few buildings, and nothing seemed right at the time. Then in 2018, I had a few career changes. I walked past a building that was for rent, and it was completely gutted. The landlord was willing to build to suit. I walked through and at first thought, the space was too small for my ideas but knew I had to start somewhere. I let them know I was interested, but there were others ahead of me, so I didn’t think anything would come of it. A few months later, I got the call that the building was mine if I wanted it. It was quite a thrill; I don’t think I was ready for it at the time, but when are you ever ready for something like that? I jumped in feet first and opened Open Space Art Gallery and Studios. A maker’s Space where we show work, host workshops, give artists a place to create, and offer our community a home for creativity. Growing with the gallery has been the best experience, and being able to give artists (and myself) the inclusion and community that I longed for is the most rewarding and amazing feeling. The gallery has really served the community in many ways through its almost 4 years of being open. We have started a Third Friday Downtown Market that has grown every year. We fill Madison Street with artists and music, and the local businesses stay open late too! It’s a fun event for the whole family! Everything I have worked to create at Open Space has always been guided by inclusion, acceptance, and growth. I want all the artists of any age or skill level in our area to have the opportunity to feel seen. To give our community a space to have fun and to express our ideas.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running a small business is definitely a rollercoaster. Sometimes it’s smooth sailing, and everything seems to just fall into place; other times it can be the hardest job. I’ve had moments of pride and joy and moments of complete discouragement. I’ve wanted to give up plenty of times when things got challenging, but when you push through those hard moments, there’s always something great waiting on the other side.
The hardest struggle has to be surviving the pandemic. There was no guidance, no answers, no moments of clarity. I was a year into my business when everything shut down, and I wasn’t sure if I’d open my doors again, but our community supported the gallery in ways that I never imagined they would, and we are still here today offering classes, exhibitions, and an accepting space for all artists in our area.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work explores the relationship between the human and the natural world. The harmony and tension between the two is echoed in my mix of photography and painting. The mediums grow together as does the figure with the landscape.
There is a tactility throughout my work. Most images are printed on a canvas paper with thick palette knife strokes of paint added across the surface. In some instances, one might not notice the paint until stepping very close to the piece. In others, the painted details are very apparent. Hints of paint leak off the photo and into the border, forcing the recognition of its presence. The layering of such moments can confuse the viewer about what they are actually looking at and create a playful yet contemplative conversation.
I’m influenced by ideas about what happens when one lets go of materialistic objects and begins focusing on the soul and our oneness with nature. Focusing on the positive feeling you get when the boundaries between self and the rest of nature dissolve and a seamless connection is formed with one’s surroundings.
Lately, I’ve been focusing more on the nature aspect of my work. I’ve been influenced by topographical maps and different caves and canyons in the Starved Rock area. I’ve been painting with acrylics, watercolors and collaging with photographs.
I’m most proud of the mixed-media photography work that I have created in the past. I’m currently working on a new series for an upcoming exhibition, and I’m taking all the styles I’ve learned the past few years through experimenting with techniques and looping back around to my mixed media photography. I’m really excited to see where this series will go.
Ever since I’ve opened the gallery, my art has been put on the back burner. Now that I’ve got a little less on my plate, I’m ready to focus on my work again!
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I feel like everyone was so stunned by the crisis that it always had a negative association on what it created. Don’t get me wrong, it is a very negative and serious situation, but instead of feeling like there was nothing I could do because of it, I started looking for new opportunities. For example, we rearranged our space and created an Artisan Shop in the gallery where artists could sell smaller works like jewelry and handmade beauty products. We took our Third Friday Downtown Market outside to the street, and it grew bigger and bigger. We started making art kits. There were so many positive things that came out of the pandemic, and I choose to focus on those and learn from that.
Pricing:
- Kids Art Classes $25
- Communal Membership $55
- Stained Glass Workshop $95
- Figure Drawing $25
- More art classes – Prices vary
Contact Info:
- Website: www.osartstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openspaceartgallery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/openspaceartgallery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9IGKiXUvxpE9Y9DatDu7SQ/featured
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/open-space-art-gallery-and-studios-ottawa?osq=open+space+art+gallery
Image Credits
Lex Poulakos
