We recently had the chance to connect with Amanda Flourie and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Amanda, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity, 1000%. Energy waxes and wanes; intelligence is overrated and can be egregiously misused, but a sense of integrity is a characteristic that I believe to be much more meaningful than either of the others.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Amanda Flourié, and I’m a fiber artist and mother of two, born and raised in San Diego. I work as the Director of Admissions for a wellness clinic in Rosarito Beach called Casa Santa Isabel, and I’m the owner and creative force behind Rogue Weaving. I specialize in one-of-a-kind, handwoven wall hangings ranging in size from just a few inches to ten feet in width, and I pride myself on using natural materials exclusively sourced from other small, independent woman-owned businesses. I fell in love with weaving over ten years ago and through a lot of trial and error, developed my unique style of heavily textured, abstract pieces that now adorn the walls of homes and businesses around the world. Right now I am working on commissioned pieces for a few private collectors, as well as a solo show I have coming up in the spring.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that once identified so heavily with cynicism and negativity has, through a lot of hard work and self-reflection, largely been relegated to the past. I still occasionally fall into the old habit of listening to my inner critic rather than being the wise observer of my thoughts, but I am no longer attached to the self-loathing that once felt so tied to my identity.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
About five and a half years ago, I went through a traumatic divorce and abruptly found myself a single mother just ahead of the pandemic, which definitively reshaped me and left no room for hiding, shame and dishonesty. Instead I became a relentless teller of truth, even when that included exposing my own patterns and shortcomings to the world, and the combination of expressing these things publicly while also sharing the evolution of my artwork (which was a terrifying step in and of itself) really enabled me to grow as a person and artist.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
My children, and parenting them very differently than I was parented. My artwork, for the lifeline it has provided, the creative community in which I am involved, and pride I have in shipping pieces of myself all over the world. My father, for being my biggest supporter and forever cheerleader.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Scrolling social media, I’m sure. It’s a tricky one for me – using Instagram, for instance, has yielded me some tremendous opportunities that I almost certainly wouldn’t have had otherwise, including traveling to Spain this summer for a week to film an online course for a globally recognized company, but it’s definitely a difficult balance between using social media mindfully, and falling into a pit of distraction.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.RogueWeaving.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rogueweaving
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaflourie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rogueweavings
