Getting to know Amy, Q and A

Today this blog will be about a very important person, the other half of Alice's Address and my creative collaborating partner and best friend, AMY! First, why is Amy so mysterious? Well, if you spend 99% of your time on the internet, you will not find her, for she exists 99% of the time in a realm that may be strange to you known as "offline." You see, she does not have a facebook, and no one uses its predecessor site anymore. (What was it called? myspace?) So today we are going to get to know the other half of Alice's Address with a little introduction about her, and then a Q and A with questions written by yours truly, and answers patiently filled out by Amy herself. It should be noted that the name Alice's Address is Amy's idea.

As I have stated, Amy and I met back in the 10th grade, but our adventures together through adult life are probably far more noteworthy. Life has a way of "happening" as you probably know, and there are great highs and heart-breaking lows. Since Amy and I have reconnected, we have been there to help each other welcome new additions to our families when each of us were pregnant with our youngest children. We've also stood by each other's side when the bad things happened as well. And through it all, Amy's consistently lifted my spirits, turned my head to face in the direction of hope rather than despair, and celebrated with me when the good things happened. I'm proud to call her my best friend. So without further ado, let's turn it over to Amy now and talk about what this blog and Alice's Address is all about.

Amy and I at my wedding

So Amy, would you like to tell us about your house hunting that you've been up to lately?

Meh, the house hunting is everything everybody says it is. Complicated and stressful, and you argue with your husband and unintentionally neglect your children. It's a challenge, but we have faith that God cares about a home for us and he knows which one will suit our needs best. We have seen his hand working in the details and know that once it is all done, it will be worth it. Out of all the emotions I feel about it right now, excitement is in the lead.

Which art medium do you enjoy the most?

Even though I'm not a musician, and I'm not even *really* a music buff, I really feel music is the art that connects with a more wide array of people the most. Nobody cries when they see a great quilt, *some* people will cry when they see a painting, but just about everybody can remember at least getting teary eyed listening to a song. And it's not just that. It's laughter, and relaxation, and triumph, and political angst, and so many things. I think movies come close to this, but music takes it all.

Which art medium do you feel you're most talented or proficient at?

Theater. Even though I haven't done it in a while, and interior design is really what I occupy my time with more and am learning more, (and still probably even love more). Theater is the only thing in my life I really didn't have to try at. Even down to memorizing lines. Where I don't really have a good memory for other things, (like historical facts or even my own darn childhood memories), I could always memorize a monologue in half an hour.

Which art medium are you clueless about but have always wanted to dabble with?

Dancing. I love dancers and dancing and dances and other dance-esque and dancibility type things.

Any other non-arts and crafts talents you'd like to talk about? I heard you were like, President of the Drama club back in the day or something? I also heard you were into Judo.

Yup. Both those things.

What do you like best about Holly and why did you decide to collaborate with her?

What I like best about my Lollipop is really how unique she is. Holly does not fit into one category of mom or artist or feminist or misspent youth. She is always surprising me and the people around her with how many layers she has (like a smelly onion) :P It seems many people try so hard to be unique these days that being unique has become a stereotype in itself. I think that comes out in her art, too. You see all different things in her paintings, from romance, to hip hop, to whimsy, and drama. So cool. If I'm being honest, I decided to collaborate with Holly because she sat in front of me, and batted her big, beautiful eyes, and said, "I just want to make art with my best friend in the world. And damn making money, and damn the stigma around being business partners (because my point was that being business partners may ruin a friendship), our friendship is stronger than that, and I know we can make art together and be happy the rest of our days and it will be like living in Disneyland and having pet unicorns and rainbows will spring from our alarm clocks as we wake up every morning..." Something along those lines...but she just wanted to make art to make ourselves and other people happy, and I believed her, and so far she's been right.

Amy in the office she decorated

What are some inspirations for your creativity?

The people around me. I am visiting one person who's a geek and likes technological things, so I make something with the Linux penguin. I have another person in my life who enjoys something whimsical, so I make something with flowers and bees and olive juice; and another who is childlike and fun, so I make a luchadore or a ninja. Everything I have created thus far I have had a specific person in mind while creating it, and it makes it hard not to just give them all away to my friends and family.

What's some of your favorite colors?

I don't believe in color favoritism. All colors have their place. Black is a very flattering color for a pair of dress pants, but not very flattering on your teeth. Purple is a beautiful color on a flower, but not very appealing as a carpet. And blue is a beautiful color for a dog to be, but it's retched in the sky, don't you agree?

Quick advice for aspiring young artists?

I *AM* a YOUNG aspiring artist! So, I will give advice as a peer, and not an older, wiser, more seasoned artist. I will simply say, "Without vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18. (Now for any Biblical scholars out there, I know this refers to the Word itself being the vision, but I feel it is pertinent in more than one way.)

Pictured: Amy's husband Robert in their beautiful home

Last question: Who are some of your personal favorite crafters or artists besides Holly and Lalo?

For artists in my life, my husband comes to mind. Although my husband and I have differing tastes in art, he helps me to see that just because a particular art form is not quite your taste, it doesn't mean that somebody isn't talented. For instance, if you prefer tasteful simple art of children practicing ballet and or lovers walking in the rain (probably me)...try to refrain from snickering at a painting of a half naked lady battling a three-headed dragon (Robert). It's awesome in its own way. And more often than not, we allow ourselves to get so caught up in dismissing the subject that we MISS OUT on learning something. Something small, delightful detail in the art that we didn't see at first glance. Or learning something about the talent that it took to create it. Perhaps even a new technique we have never seen before that we could use. I see this first hand in watching my husband create, and seeing what steps he has to take, and what determination he has to create a finished product. He tells me about the tiny details in the piece about how he had to lean the leg this way, or use this tool for the hair. I once had a teacher tell me, that in order to fully appreciate music, you must appreciate a little bit from each kind. I think that's true, and I certainly think it applies here too. It's all groovy, man. (You guys were with me until I said, "groovy, man", huh?)

Also, I must mention my second mother Sue, who is an artist at heart but has most of all been an example to me of working hard, pressing forward, and making a product not to just satisfy boredom or fill a space, but to really create something that truly lasts and brings happiness for many years. This is a true Renaissance woman who does everything from making wedding cakes to crocheting to sewing to home renovation to upholstering her own furniture...I could go on. Whenever I have the other people in my life saying, "it can not be done that way", or, "just throw out that old chair, it's junk now", it is Sue I can turn to who will see the potential and team with me to work out the problems. She. Is. Awesome. Truly one of a kind.

Awesome, and thank you Amy for letting our readers get inside your head a bit and get to know you!

Thanks for reading,

Holly