Amanda Jones
Image: Amanda Jones Photographer Olivia Oliver
Welcoming Amanda Jones in our latest TGD Friends Q+A!
hello! welcome to the TGD friends series! can you tell us what it is you create?
Hello! Thank you for having me! Currently I find myself painting the poetry from my book ‘Diary of a Freelancer’ onto any surface I can find, mostly raw canvas but sometimes vases or chairs or walls or curtains or people.
Image: Amanda Jones Photographer Olivia Oliver
Image: Amanda Jones Photographer: Olivia Oliver
how would you describe your style?
The more I lean into a playful, tongue-in-cheek, unserious, sort of innocence, the more I feel like my real self.
share with us a bit about your journey and how you got started.
I was a freelance film maker and set designer for almost a decade when I decided to publish the pages of my actual real life diary of scribbles from years of figuring out this whole creative career thing. It completely changed everything. People must have resonated with my figuring out of things, because the book has sold in something like 300 cities. It’s sold out 4 times. For the first anniversary I painted 18 of my favourite aphorisms from the book and they also sold out. That’s how it started, with champagne and birthday cake.
Image: Amanda Jones Photographer: Olivia Oliver
what’s one of your favourite moments in your creative career so far?
Well, I’ve already talked about my publishing highlights… so how about running across California shooting fashion campaigns, that was pretty fun. A music video I art directed won an ARIA, that was another lifetime ago. But honestly every time someone buys a piece of my art I feel I could die happy. I’ve already kicked more career goals than I could have ever dreamed of.
who are the designers/creatives inspiring you right now?
I got super lucky and the nicest humans in the world opened an art gallery called Hake House around the corner from my studio and they bring in all kinds of amazing emerging artists to show every month. Being in that kind of energy and vulnerability makes you realise anything is possible. It’s more of the true kind of inspiring than anything you’ll find online or on a mood-board.
describe to us your perfect day.
Ooo I love this question. It would involve some combo of good food, long conversations with people I love, sunshine, ocean, burning a really good stick of incense, orange wine, listening to records, clean hair and having no agenda.
Thank you so much for joining us!
We adore Amanda, her art and her infectiously joyful vibe. Check out Amanda’s work here.
All images courtesy of Amanda Jones. Photographer: Olivia Oliver