Amanda Michele Brown
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Amanda Michele Brown
Artist / Designer
Brooklyn, NY
www.AmandaMicheleArt.com
www.AmandaMicheleDesign.com
instagram @amandamicheleart
pinterest (Design)
pinterest (Art)
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I’m a visual artist and multi-disciplinary designer.”
I create colorful abstract artworks in my Brooklyn-based studio and I design brands and websites for mission-focused businesses and non-profits.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon so it’s always been a huge part of my life. I majored in Fine Art in college and had no intention of becoming a graphic designer, but when people find out you know photoshop you get a lot of design requests. Eventually, I realized I really liked designing too and that I loved the unique problem-solving approach that branding and website design have so I continued to add to that skill set through classes and years of practice. Both art and design have been a slow build for me and labors of love. I’m always learning, growing and honing my craft. I’m deeply dedicated to both disciplines and find each supports the other in a sort of virtuous circle. My art makes me a better designer and my designs inform how I approach my art. I couldn’t have planned it better if I tried!
How do you stand out in your field?
As a designer, I’m truly a multidisciplinary generalist. I’ve spent years working as an in-house designer for the non-profit Pencils of Promise so I had to learn how to make high-quality work with limited resources. If you need something designed, I’ve probably done that: microsites, logos, emails, Facebook video ads, magazines, posters, bumper stickers, whatever! Because I’ve done a little of everything and a lot of most things, my approach to designing is more holistic and really focuses on how this is going to work out in the real world. My secret sauce is finding ways for brands to lead with their purpose and cultivate connections and trust with their audience. I like to let my paintings speak for themselves, but let’s just say that the last art fair I was selected for had 120 artists and I was the only one who worked in watercolor. 💁🏻♀️
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I’m currently working on a new series of paintings. They are made by pouring acrylic on raw canvas in the spirit of Helen Frankenthaler. It’s still in a pretty experimental early phase which is always exciting.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
I’m pretty versatile when it comes to my design style. I approach it with a focus on what will best communicate what this brand is all about. That should always be the mission. One of my favorite projects that showcase this was for a talent agency that represents people with disabilities. We needed something that felt inclusive and powerful, to represent an idea whose time had come and a community of people who would not be ignored. So we developed a key design element that created a sort of visual chant that grew in boldness.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I’ve worked a lot with social justice and human rights-focused brands but I haven’t yet had an opportunity to work with one of my core passions: environmentalism and sustainability. I would love to work more with brands who value our planet and make it their mission to respect our earth in order to fight climate change.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Right this moment? The lack of snacks in my apartment. I could really go for some veggie straws right now.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
I would love to have someone organize my tiny NYC apartment for me. My clients always comment on how hyper-organized I am in my business, but I find it difficult to organize my own stuff on my off-hours. Someone come and Marie Kondo my life, please!
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
Doesn’t matter when this time machine would be set for, 15 years ago or 15 minutes ago, I would tell myself the same thing: trust the process. Whenever it seems like it’s taking too long to get to where you want to be or if it feels like you’re going in the completely wrong direction; trust the process. It’ll all work out in time and probably be even better than you could imagine.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
As an emerging artist, I’m always looking to gain insight from more established artists. Whether it’s getting more art-world-y stuff like getting gallery representation or just tips to continue developing my artistic process, learning from those who are 2 or 3 steps ahead is invaluable.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I’ve got a ton of goals for my art in 2020 but 2 of the main ones are to get more into mural painting and to expand the number of commissioned works of art I make for people. Both of these actually tap into the problem-solving components of my design work. Which feels very full circle, don’t you think?
My design goals are to continue serving heart-centered, mission-focused businesses/orgs by providing branding and website design. I also low-key want to make an Instagram Story filter for someone so hit me up if you want to experiment with that!
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client is anyone who approaches the process with a sense of collaboration and respects my expertise. I love working with passionate people because they are truly invested in the work that they’re doing and I love being able to translate that passion into something visual.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
It varies between art and design, but for design work, my rate is US$90/hour with a minimum for certain projects and my artwork ranges anywhere from US$15 for a print to US$1,200 for a large scale commission.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Visit my websites! AmandaMicheleArt.com for art or AmandaMicheleDesign.com for design work (ease enough right?), and fill out my contact form to get started. ✌️
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Show up every 👏 single 👏 day 👏 For me, it’s not about the how but the why. I am a creative because my skills help the world. When I look at being a creative through that lens, it’s easy to stay in that space and give my work absolute dedication
This member profile was originally published in March 2020.