Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Morton.
Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always enjoyed artistic expression. I love cartoons, books, and movies; my favorite part of school was arts and crafts. When in junior high, I met my long-time group of neurodivergent friends and they got me into drawing as my main hobby. It’s because of them I wanted to work in the creative field. I found out about ArtCenter in high school and started taking classes through their public programs before finally attending the degree program. During those four years, I was fortunate to have a few teachers, mentors, and friends guide me towards my specialties. Because I specialize in costume concept and research I’ve been able to work at various stages of production. I’ve been honored to work on some smaller, more deeply personal projects. I love being able to help bring beautiful, authentic stories to life and collaborating with such amazing creatives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has been anything but smooth, but the parts that have been are enlightening. Being a queer neurodivergent in a world not built to support any identity besides a specific default means most things are a struggle for me. I found that the rough road has helped me understand, communicate, and problem-solve better. It gives me a view into a perspective outside of my own. The parts of my journey that have been smooth are building off my strengths. My research skills, for example, were a far smoother road than the one for my painting skills. Research flows logically, and while the skills took time and effort to learn and implement, they came rather easily to me. Painting, on the other hand, took me far more time and effort to implement because it involves a more abstract way of thinking.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a costume concept artist/costume illustrator and a research specialist with a focus on nuanced visual narratives that celebrate queer and gender identity. Although detailed research may be considered odd in some art circles, it’s the backbone of what I do. For me to create authentic and nuanced work I need to understand the concept. Most of my personal work revolves around queerness with many of the projects I’ve worked on having a distinct focus on women. It’s actually something I’ve become known for; using a gendered lens while viewing story and design.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Authenticity, hands down. Throughout my journey, it has been being authentic and telling authentic stories that have allowed for deeper and better connections with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.amandamorton.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandpanda/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-morton-
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theodditieslibrary/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/tomesandoddities
