Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Whitworth.
Amanda, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began woodworking three and a half years ago, after many years of an internal pull to dive into my creative side. I was a very creative kid but, for some reason, stopped actively pursuing that side of myself when I hit junior high. Probably because I was desperate to fit in and was too busy trying to figure out what that meant. However, like many others, that deep inner calling eventually started catching up with me and I began getting the intuitive hit to explore different avenues of creativity.
At some point, the inner voice got very loud. I remember the moment well, actually. I was driving down Encinitas Blvd and I heard a voice deep inside say, “buy a saw.” I was a bit confused as I grew up with a carpenter father and had it drilled into me that “tools” were dangerous and for “boys.” So I ignored the voice. Then, the powers that be made it impossible for me to shove it down any longer when a few days later I got the nudge to go pick up some free pallet wood from someone and as we turned the corner into her back yard she said, “Oh yeah, any chance you want to buy this saw? I have to sell it.” I smiled and said, “yes, yes, I do, in fact.”
And then I sat on that saw for several months until one November afternoon I stood staring at it and said, “screw it. I have to start somewhere” and made my first cut. I sold my first piece the next week and just kept going from there.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Yes and no. My art comes naturally to me and it seems as if there are always people interested in it but about three months in, I was diagnosed with a rare cancer and there were so many unknowns. It was a terrifying time and I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. My art was the one thing that kept me grounded and sane. I’d head down to my shop and turn on my music and get lost in my process for hours. It’s always there no matter what is going on in my life and brings me back home to myself.
We’d love to hear more about your art.
I am an artist working mostly with wood and fiber. I’m mostly known for wood art pieces from wall hangings to full-length mirrors to a really beautiful piece behind the altar at Light Church in Encinitas as well as the custom barn door I built for them from scratch. I think those two pieces are the ones I am most proud of because they were so far outside of my comfort zone and I had to teach myself how to do a lot of new things.
I think one of the biggest things that set me apart is my process is really intuitive. My favorite is when someone says, “just go for it!” When they give me the freedom to create something based on feeling instead of logic (if that makes sense), that is when I feel most alive as an artist.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I think my parents definitely deserve a big thank you. Growing up, my dad was a carpenter and owned his own construction business for years. I’d often fake sick from school just so I could ride along with him and go to his job sites. I must have picked up something from those experiences. To this day, sawdust is one of my favorite smells because it reminds me of my childhood and going to all of my dad’s jobs. My mom is an Interior Designer, so I was always surrounded by creativity, really.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amandawhitworth.com
- Email: amandawhitworthcreative@gmail.com
- Instagram: amandalwhitworth
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