Artistic Style: Oil Painting / contemporary realism / landscapes and interiors
Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi
How long have you lived in Water Valley? 5 years / since June 2018
Early art experience: I’ve made art my whole life; began oil painting in high school and selling art immediately after. My first job was at the Gumtree Musuem of Art in Tupelo, Mississippi.
Art school? In high school I went to a summer program at Memphis College of Art. I got my BFA from University of Mississippi this past May—I loved my time there.
Do you work out of a studio? I do. I feel fortunate to have one right beneath my Water Valley apartment, but still separate from my living space.
How many hours do you spend in your studio each day? Usually between 2–5 hours, depending on my day job and other responsibilities that day.
Most productive hours: I’m definitely most productive from 6–10 pm. I like to paint after dinner until it’s time for bed.
Favorite project you’ve completed: It’s usually my most recent painting, and that keeps changing. Though, I’m still proud of the crown jewel of my thesis work: “The Supervisor”
Three ideas you want to explore in art: I want to start exploring “softness” and ways to bring it into “hard” environments. I usually try to find moments of mindfulness that somehow feel intense to me; I’ll paint the scenes where I felt most present (lately, lonesome night drives) and emphasize them with dramatic colors and lighting.
Besides your booth at Double Decker this year, where can we see some of your art on display? I have at least one painting at Oxford Treehouse Gallery now, two at This is Noteworthy, and some works in Bozarts Gallery’s upcoming exhibitions. Right after Double Decker, my remaining pieces will be in City Grocery for May and June. Also come see me later this year at the Motel Art Show!
What are some of your other hobbies? For the past few years I’ve been working on a small organization for the arts called Quasar, now I’ve been transitioning to establishing IRIS Arts as a nonprofit/platform for artists of all mediums in the area. I’m also working on 200-hr yoga teacher training, just because it feels really good.
Where do you hang out in Oxford/Water Valley? I love Bar Muse for a sophisticated night out and tasty cocktail. My friends call ourselves the “Blind Pig Haints” for how much we used to rely on it as a catch-up spot. Now that it’s spring, we kind of gravitate towards the City Grocery balcony when we can get a seat. Heartbreak Coffee (Oxford Square) and Magnolia Coffee (Water Valley) are my fave places to catch up with friends when the sun is shining.
Aspirations: I plan to relocate to a new city a few years from now. Wherever I end up, I’ll hopefully be able to do there what I do here: get by just enough financially to make as much art as I want. I’ll always feel connected to Oxford; it’s called the “Velvet Ditch” for a reason.
Website and/or social media:
Instagram: @A.webb_art
Website: amywebbart.cargo.site
