AIMEE MANDALA
It seems like you came out of nowhere and decided to start showing work. What led you to making that decision?
I absolutely came out of nowhere! Not too long ago I did a few drawings and just decided, fuck it. I like this. I am going to do this. To me that meant spending time making art but also starting to apply to open calls at art galleries. Having my work on a gallery wall next to other artists was a way of getting outside of my comfort zone, pushing myself to grow creatively and allowing myself to see and be seen as an artist.
Your work has incredible detail. Did you go to school for art, or is this just a superpower?
I think it is a combination of things. There is a part of it that feels somewhat like a superpower, one I had no idea I possessed until recently. But since I’ve recognized it, I have worked very hard at developing it. When I got on this whole drawing kick, my dad said something that really resonated with me, that “Talent without work does not flourish.” I never went to art school, although I did take a handful of painting classes after I graduated college where I made generally bad art and usually was frustrated with my work. I think that’s partly because I didn’t have the drawing foundation, and partly because I doubted my capabilities. Looking back, I was unnecessarily hard on myself. I grew up in a family of architects, and I always saw myself as less technically inclined and more “free” in my creative facets. For most of my life, art for me was in the form of creative writing, which is the path I chose in college. It’s ironic in some ways that I have found myself here, drawing as detailed as I do. Believe me, I am just as shocked as you.
You are one of the kids in The Program. Has being around this group started to change the way you are working, or what you want to work on?
For someone who never felt privy to the art world, I am just simply in awe of the artists I have met and how inspiring they are. The energy, the synergy, the enthusiasm—it feels amazing to be around and a part of a group of people with that same fire. And yes, I do think being surrounded by the Usual Suspects (as they’ve been dubbed), will force me to grow in ways that pushes the structure of my current path— whether that is in the approach to my work, playing with different mediums, or exploring new subject matters and genres. Inspiration is a moving target.
You seem to have several irons in the fire. What's a typical day like for you, Aimee?
Fun fact: I change my clothes, on average, three times a day. I think this is actually a pretty decent reflection of my day and the different roles I play throughout the course of it. I am busy. Always. I start my day being active, it sets my head straight and I’m happily addicted to physical challenge. Then I transition into my day job which is deep in the corporate world as a top executive for an architecture firm. It’s fulfilling in a different way than art. I like the industry, being a part of the process of the built environment, and also being connected to making some positive change in my community. I have two young, very active boys, so they keep me busy too— before, after and sometimes during work. After they go to bed, that’s when the art happens, usually into the wee hours of the morning. And honestly, really any time I can squeak it out in between. To say I am obsessed with creating right now would be an understatement. I oftentimes explain it like this: when you find out you have something you didn’t know you had, you want to catch up on lost time. I’m doing just that and I’m stoked to have found Shockboxx, a place where people see and understand that drive, but also possess that same undying need to share it unapologetically.
