Introducing Amariah / Give-Away

Thank you for coming by and reading the very first interview from The Muse Behind The Mask. I met Amariah about 7 months ago through blogging. Not only is she an amazing artist but she also embodies all the qualities to inspire others. This wonder woman is a mother of four, a wife, an artist, an Etsy store operator, and a full-time student. Is there something this woman doesn’t do?

The answer is no, even with all the above listed, this 70’s rocker also finds time to read books such as Wicked and play Lord of the Rings online. Relax… pshhh like there is time for that. Even when Amariah finds a second to take a breather you will find her multitasking with artwork.

And thus is why she is our muse. All of us have busy lives but if Amariah can juggle a million responsibilities so can we!

I had the pleasure to interview this candid lady and try to get the scoop on the method behind the madness, and without further adieu ­­­­­­­­­­: Amariah of blog Amariah Rauscher.

1. Can you briefly describe the types of art that you do and maybe a little bit about the medium/s you choose to work with?

I use a variety of mediums. I prefer using mixed mediums

such as charcoal, with watercolor and gouache. Several months ago I started using digital and I really like that as well.

2. Where do you find your greatest inspiration?

I find my greatest inspiration from movies, especially cartoons. I’ve always liked Japanese anime and Disney movies. My favorites are Howl’s Moving Castle, Meet the Robinsons, and Spirited Away.

3. For those looking to begin creating art (whatever medium) what s uggestions do you have for them?

Relax and have fun! Try new mediums until you find the one (or ones) that you are comfortable with. Whatever medium you’re working in, I think it is important that you not try to be like anyone else. In other words, find your own style. Practice makes perfect, so work on your art as often as you can. Don’t be too hard on yourself either. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Lau Tzu)

4. What are your artistic goals in life, both short term and long term?

My goal is to be a full-time artist. I do portraits, I have two shops on Etsy and I’m currently looking into becoming an illustrator.

5. We understand that creating art has a huge learning curve and with that frustration can set in very easily, when this happens what do you do to push through and stay on course?

Sometimes it’s best to walk away from your

work. When I’

m having problems with a piece, I put it away for a few days (or longer). Usually, when I come back to it I can see what I need to change. Som

etimes, I realize that I have to scrap the whole drawing or painting. Having to quit and start over is not a bad thing. Each failure is actually a success because you now know what you need to change or do differently next time. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things.

6. Many people use art as a creative outlet but many of us use our talents to turn a profit. Has selling your art changed the way you create, example: are you doing the art you love or do you create art that you think others will love?

I think that selling my work affects the type of art that I make. I find myself thinking a lot about whether people will like what I’m making. It’s hard not to think that way. In fact, I think people like your work more when you are just making what you

like, and not what you think other people want.

7. Going back to the last questions, with selling your art work what are the positives and maybe some of the negatives.

The positive is that you get to make money doing what you love. The negative for me is the ‘business’ aspect. I’m not a business person and I don’t like selling things. Running a business is a lot of work, and I put far more work into my business then I ever have with a full-time job.

8. Pertaining to your life in regards to art what is your greatest success and your greatest regret.

I don’t feel like I’ve experienced my greatest success yet. I’ve had a lot of small successes, but I think that the best is yet to come. As far as regrets, I wish that I had started my own business sooner.

9. If you could give someone one piece of advice (non-art related) what would it be?

Never give up! If you want something, go for it. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you.

10. What is a quote that you live by?

The more you know, the more places you’ll go

And

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.

-Dr. Seuss

11. Please use question 12 as I question you wish I would have asked. I know there is something that you have always wished people would ask you so here is your chance!

I’m really good at observation drawing. I would like to offer some advice to anyone who would like to be better at drawing what they see. It’s actually more of an exercise.

Find a picture of something. It really can be anything, but I think a picture from a coloring book or a children’s book would work best. Put the picture in front of you, turn it upside down, and then draw the upside down picture. Don’t think about the object (or objects) that you are drawing, think about how the lines relate to one another. Think about the distance between the lines. Do this exercise as often as you can! It really does work. I first did this when I was thirteen and after drawing a few pictures something just ‘clicked,’ and I was able to draw the things I saw in front of me.

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GIVE-AWAY

The lovely Amariah is having a wonderful giveaway right here on The Muse Behind The Mask! She is offering one free print from her BRAND NEW Etsy store The Extent of Silence.

How this will work.

• Go on over to The Extent of Silence (<--- Click here)
• Come back to this post and I repeat ONLYthis post and tell me what your favorite print is (I know it will be hard).
• That is it! You are done BUT!!!! Double your chance to win by becoming a follower to The Muse Behind The Mask. Make sure you tell me you have become a follower by writing it in your entry comment and your name goes on the list twice (winner selected by random number generator)
• (disclaimer) If you are not a blogger member you must leave an email address
• Winner will be notified the day of drawing May 13^th.

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I really hope you enjoyed Amariah’s fantastic interview. It is truly a pleasure to get to know the people who inspire us.

Amariah’s interview will be posted for an entire week and 1/2 but she will remain on “The Muse’s Sidebar” for an entire month. So if you missed her links you can check them out there!

Do you want to be the next Muse? If so nominate yourself or a friend. Fellow bloggers will vote on who becomes the next muse through a voting poll on this blog. The 10 ten nominations will be accepted there are 8 more slots.

Smooches,
Steph