Meet Amelia Currier

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelia Currier. 

Hi Amelia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My mother and grandfather were both serious artists, so creative expression was a natural childhood activity. We spent all our summers on an island in Northern Michigan. Its quiet, pristine beauty became the template for my love of solitude, open observation, and developing an acute respect for nature. Its patterns, texture, construction, and brilliance are at the core of my artistic process. I became more focused on my work in high school, where I had the fortune of a teacher who took his students seriously and conveyed the idea that you could be an artist – that it was a legitimate pursuit. I then went on to earn a degree in printmaking and, from that point on have always maintained a studio. I share and show my work in one-person shows, juried shows, invitational venues, and the L. Ross Gallery in Memphis, TN. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I tried living rough and cheap in my studio. I didn’t have enough support or belief in myself to pull it off. So, I worked as a layout artist at various ad agencies to pay my rent. I was constantly trying to eke out time for my work; it’s difficult to make progress working evenings and weekends because there’s no consistency of development of ideas. It wasn’t until my son was in middle school that I could devote entire afternoons to my work and then eventually worked full time. I’ve been working full-time the last 12 years and have garnered some success. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, I am working on assemblages of wood and found objects. I build them myself, starting with a vague impulse that I let reveal itself. The wood components are burned, carved, and drilled into. They are biomorphic forms that are seen as meditation totems. The assemblages themselves are unique in their form, execution, and imagery. 

I am proud of my deep roots in what is known as the Cass Corridor art movement. It took place in the late ’60s and ’70s in Detroit, Michigan. Much of these artists’ work was from scavenged street detritus that was rebuilt into an entirely different entity. There are aspects of my work that reflect the influence of the industrial ethos of that era. 

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Our cottage was right on the Straits of Mackinac, surrounded by woods of cedar, pine, and birch. I loved exploring the little deer trails, collecting pinecones, listening for birds. To me, these were the days of pure innocence and joy. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ameliacurrier.com
• Instagram: ameliacurrier77