my story
hello!
my name is Amanda Nalley. I am a contemporary visual artist and owner of Nalley Studio based in Memphis, Tennessee. I have been fortunate enough to work in the art-making field for the past decade at Youngblood Studio. You can find my work throughout the city in places such as methodist hospital: Shorb tower, st. Jude children's research hospital, Overton park, and soon at the new Frayser library.
Back when i was cool
I was raised in a small town in central Arkansas. Like many art departments in rural America, my primary school's art department was modest. Materials consisted of copy paper and colored pencils for the most part, but I was blessed with an incredibly caring art teacher who encouraged me to pursue my passion. Ms. McManus, I hope you are doing well!
Education
I received my Bachelor's of Fine Art from Memphis College of Art in 2013. I participated in the college's annual trip to Horn Island, Mississippi, during my junior year. For ten days, around 50 students, faculty, and alumni camp on the island without electricity or running water, allowing ourselves to be emersed in nature. I returned to the island for eight consecutive years, each year bringing me new insight into myself and design practice. This trip was pivotal in my development as an artist and a person of this world.
Humble beginnings
Upon graduating, I was hired at Youngblood Studio. For the first couple of years, I worked primarily in the shop doing "grunt" work. Talk about a dirty job. I eventually worked my way up to become the lead fabricator, learning traditional techniques such as metal fabrication, woodworking, painting, and fiberglass work.
bigger, faster, stronger!
As the shop grew, so did my skill set. It became apparent quickly that to meet demand and increase accuracy, we would need to incorporate more technology into our fabrication and design processes. My role at the studio evolved as I learned how to utilize programs such as adobe illustrator, fusion 360, and blender 3d. Though I still make time to get my hands dirty.
Collaboration
Over the years, I have worked with some fantastic artists. Some have been members of the Youngblood Studio team, and others are artists who have approached us to build their designs. Each collaboration opportunity has taught me a new approach to design and art-making.
nalley studio
My work is the culmination of everything I have learned collaborating with other artists, experimenting with techniques at the studio, and countless hours of research. I enjoy incorporating algorithms in my design process, which often leads to surprising results. I tend to do all my sketching digitally as it is an efficient and sustainable practice.
Gerty
I can't talk about myself without talking about my ride-or-die, Gertrude Marie. Gertrude and her new sister Helga come to the studio with me every day. They bring an immense amount of joy with them wherever they go and are (mostly) a good distraction when I need to take a break.
with this blog i plan to discuss past and future projects, give how-to guides to different sculpture, painting, and digital design techniques, and I’m sure, post several dog photos. Visit my portfolio page to see projects I have completed, and please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
