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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Experimental Art E-Course. In Amelia's words:
"The experimental art e-course is designed to give permission to anyone wishing to get more creative and artistic, whilst offering some great tips and techniques for ‘blocked’ creatives too. It’s jam packed with unique ideas and ‘walk through’ art techniques all done from the comfort of home but with a great creative community online. Ignite, and get in touch with your own creative ideas on this course."
You can also follow along with Amelia on her website.
SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to the work you do today?
Amelia: I was fortunate enough to be brought up in a creative household but as I got older being creative got left further and further behind – it’s so easy for work and responsibility to take over. When I became a mother I realized I needed something for me and decided to return to art school. I completed a part time art degree (fitting it around children and working) and it was the best thing. I got in touch with my creativity, met wonderful people, learnt some amazing art techniques and all of this I’ve recreated on the experimental art e-course. Based on my own experiences, I felt the internet was great for a course as there are times when finances or childcare challenges don’t permit going to physical classes yet with the invention of the net art can be done from the comfort of home but still with others through an online community.
SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business?
Amelia: In January last year I had a bit of a ‘moment’ where I realized I could no longer carry on trying to earn money in one job, look after my kids and home and do my art too, particularly because I learnt 3 years ago my youngest child had a form of Aspergers Syndrome. It has been very tough. Also, I’d worked in a nursing home with people at the end of their lives and it was a good wake up call as I realized one day I too would be at the end of my life and I asked myself what I would regret not doing by the time I got there - I got a loud and clear answer that I had to give being a full-time artist and earning an income from my passion a proper go! Thus I took my teaching experience and wrote the experimental art e-course designing an online course I would love to take. I also applied for my MA in Fine Art (which I am doing currently). Taking the risky plunge to do what I really wanted has definitely been the right decision. This time last year I launched my first ever experimental art e-course, although I’ve been doing art, teaching and exhibiting for quite a while now.
SouleMama: What inspires you?
Amelia: I’m inspired by people living their dream and passion, who encourage others to do this too (by doing it themselves), people who are happy to share their thoughts, ideas, lifestyle, however radical, which in turn gives others permission to follow their own passions and ideas too. Nature inspires me, human kindness and generosity – someone recently gave me this book The Gift - the content and the fact that someone I barely knew gave it to me as a gift (another artist) really touches me.
SouleMama: Tell us about your customers?
Amelia: I really could not have done the experimental art e-course without my customers! People from all walks of life and places around the globe have done the course. I’ve made great new friends, met brave, interesting, and lovely people. I’ve much admiration for those who’ve done the course saying they put their creativity to one side when told in school they were not ‘good’ at art – and yet here they are diving in to the creative process. Everyone is creative and can do art – artist’s work is as unique as snowflakes! And artists who are feeling a bit stuck and blocked have done the course and the fact we all work together sharing ideas, artists, techniques, and materials has meant for me a wonderful community has been created in the name of experimenting with art.
For today's giveaway, Ameila is generously offering the following to ONE winner:
~ a place in the Spring 2011 experimental art e-course
(starts Monday 25th April for 6 weeks)
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Thank you to Ameila & the Experimental Art E-Course!
To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Monday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday.
Comments closed! The winner is...
Amelia, your site and course look wonderful... how nice to "meet" you! Amanda, thank you for hosting.
Posted by: Denice (inkstitch)
